Ignition System
Ignition Systems
Overview of the chapter
Introduction
Basics of Ignition systems
Magneto ignition system
Battery ignition system
Electronic ignition system
Firing order
Ignition timing and engine variables
ignition timing and exhaust emissions
Introduction
• Ignition is merely a prerequisite of combustion.
• It is the process of adding necessary energy for starting and sustaining
burning of the fuel till combustion takes place.
Example: Air-fuel ratio 12-13:1 a spark energy under 10 mill joules is sufficient
to initiate combustion.
Basic requirements of a spark ignition system
• The system must have a source of electrical energy.
• The system must supply sufficient current to create a high
energy of spark to ignite the mixture, yet limit the amount
of current flow so that plug life is reasonable.
• The system must produce a peak voltage greater by safe
margin than the spark plug breakdown voltage at all
speeds even when the source of electrical energy is at its
lower voltage or even under conditions of a wider gap,
rounded electrodes, and high cylinder pressure.
Basic requirements of a spark ignition system
Cont……..
•The duration of the spark must be long enough with
sufficient energy to ensure that ignition of the mixture has
a high chance of occurring.
•The system must distribute this high voltage to each of
the spark plugs at the exact time in every cycle, i.e., it
must have in it a distributor device.
Basic ignition systems
Battery ignition system
Magneto ignition system
Electronic ignition system
Battery ignition system
It consist of
1)Battery ( 6 to 12 V)
2)Ignition switch
3)Ignition coil with a ballast
resistor
4)Distributor housing
5)Breaker points
6)Cam
7)Condenser
8)Rotor
9)Advance mechanism
10)Spark plug
11)Low and high tension wiring
Battery ignition system
Cont……
Magneto ignition system
•Magneto is special type of electric
generator.
•3 types of construction :
•Rotating armature
•Rotating magnet
•Polar Inductor
•It is mounted on the engine and replaces all
the components of the coil ignition system
except the spark plug.
•A magneto, when rotated by the engine, is
capable of producing very high voltage and
does not need a battery as a source of
external energy.
•The operation is exactly same as that of the BIS.
•As the breaker points are opened and closed with the help of cam, the primary circuit flux is
charged and a high voltage is produced in the secondary circuit.
• 2 types of system: HIGH TENSION and LOW TENSION MAGNETO IGNITION SYSTEM
Battery (coil) Ignition system Magneto Ignition system
Battery is must. Impossible to start the engine No battery is needed. Hence no problem of battery
when battery is discharged discharge
Current for primary circuit is obtained from the Required electric current is generated by the
battery. magneto
A good spark is available at spark plug at low During starting, quality of spark is poor due to low
speed speed
Starting of engine is easier Difficult
Efficiency of the system falls with the fall of spark The intensity of spark keeps on improving as the
intensity as engine speed increases speed goes on increasing. Thus improvement of
efficiency of the system.
Occupies more space Less space
Mostly employed in cars, buses Used in racing cars, old scooters - bikes
Disadvantages of conventional ignition
systems
1.The contact breaker has to interrupt high inductive current
during its operation.
2.The moving arm of the contact breaker tends to bounce at high
speeds.
3.Relatively high current is drawn from the battery at low speeds
due to the contacts remaining closed for longer time.
4.Slow opening of the breaker points and cranking speed results in
poor starting ability because of high tension voltage available.
Electric ignition system
Different Types
1. Electric ignition system using contact breaker
a)Transistorized ignition system
b)High voltage capacitive discharge ignition system
c)Combined transistorized coil-capacitive discharge system.
2. Electric ignition system using contactless triggers
1. Transistorized ignition system
Electric ignition system using contactless
triggers
FIRING ORDER
The order in which various cylinders of a multicylinder engine
fire is called firing order.
The deciding factors for firing order.
1.Engine vibration
2.Engine cooling
3.Development of back pressure ( Exhaust gases)
Firing orders:
•1-3-4-2 [common use] or 1-2-4-3 for 4 cylinders engine
•1-5-3-6-2-4 for 6 cylinders engine
•1-6-2-5-8-3-7-4 for 8 cylinders engine
•1-3-2 for 3 cylinders engine
IGNITIOIN TIMING
In order to obtain maximum power from an engine,
burning of compressed mixture by the spark must
take place before the piston reaches TDC on its
compression stroke.
Usually spark should occur at about 15 deg. BTDC
(Ignition lag).
Effect of Ignition timing plays major role in power
of the engine.
Factors affecting the ignition timing
1. Engine speed: As the engine speed increases, combustion time
increases in terms of crank angle ( i.e. spark advance ) degrees.
2. Mixture strength: In general, rich mixture burn faster. Hence
spark advance must be retarded (i.e. spark occurs close to TDC)
3. Part load operation: Part load operation in SI engine is affected
by throttling. Higher air fuel ratio is required for part load
operation causes the combustion time to increase. Hence the spark
advance must be increased.
4. Type of fuel : For maximum power and economy a slow
burning fuel will need a higher spark advance than a fast burning
Ignition timing and exhaust emissions
• The emission quality is greatly affected by the ignition timing
• Retarded ignition timing at idle tends to reduce exhaust
emission .
• With retarded timing, the exhaust gas temperature is higher,
thereby promoting burning of HC in exhaust manifold.
• Since engine efficiency is reduced at retarded spark timing,
engine requires large throttle opening for better mixing and
combustion, thus less emission and better fuel economy
Spark plugs
The function of the spark
plug is to provide a gap in
the combustion chamber
for the discharge of a high
voltage electric pulse that
will ignite the air-fuel
mixture at the desired
point in the cycle.
Spark plug must satisfy a number of requirement
:
1.Gap spacing and position in the combustion chamber.
2.No parts of the spark plug must ever became hot enough to cause pre-
ignition.
3.The size, composition and temperature of electrodes should be such
that erosion from electric discharge between electrodes and that due to
chemical action of the combustion products is minimum.
4.The spark plug has to withstand widely fluctuating temperature and
pressures in the cylinder.
5.It should be fitted with gas tight.
