INTRODUCTION

Spark ignition system serves as the

heart of an engine for efficient
performance.
 SPARK IGNITION
DEFINATION: The term spark ignition is used
to describe the system with which the air-fuel
mixture inside the combustion chamber of an
internal combustion engine is ignited by a spark.
FUNCTION: The automotive ignition system
has two basic functions: it must control the spark
and timing of the spark plug firing to match
varying engine requirements, and it must
increase battery voltage to a point where it will
overcome the resistance offered by the spark
plug gap and fire the plug.
SPARK IGNITION:

It is a process that uses an electrical field

induced in a magneto or coil. The field builds to
many thousands of volts and then is collapsed
via a timed circuit. The resulting surge of current
travels along a wire and terminates at the spark
plug inside the combustion chamber. An
electrical spark occurs as the charge tries to
jump the precision gap at the tip of the spark
plug. Exactly at the moment a precisely metered
mixture of fuel and air has been delivered to the
combustion chamber. The resulting controlled
explosion delivers the power to turn the
reciprocating mass inside the engine.
 REQUIREMENTS OF
IGNITON SYSTEM
Provide a good spark between the electrodes of the
plugs at the correct timing.
Function efficiently over the entire range of engine
speed.
Effective, light and reliable in service.
Compact and easy to maintain.
High voltage induced should not affect the other
systems
CONVENTIONAL IGNITION
SYSTEM - CLASSIFICATION

MAGNETO IGNITION SYSTEM

BATTERY IGNITION SYSTEM
 HISTORY
The earliest petrol engines used a very crude
ignition system. This often took the form of a
copper or brass rod protruded into the cylinder,
which was heated using an external source.
The fuel would ignite when it came into contact
with the rod. Naturally this was very inefficient
as the fuel would not be ignited in a controlled
manner. This type of arrangement was quickly
superseded by spark ignition, attributed to Karl
Benz.
HISTORY:

In aircraft piston engines, where their

simplicity and self-contained nature confers,
a generally greater reliability, as well as
lighter weight in the absence of a battery and
generator or alternator. Aircraft engines
usually have multiple magnetos to provide
redundancy in the event of a failure. Some
older automobiles, had both a magneto
system and a battery actuated system,
running simultaneously to ensure proper
ignition under all conditions.
 MAGNETO SYSTEM
The simplest form of spark ignition is that using
a magneto. The engine spins a magnet inside a
coil, and also operates a contact breaker,
interrupting the current and causing the voltage
to be increased sufficiently to jump a small gap.
The spark plugs are connected directly from the
magneto output. Magnetos are not used in
modern cars, but because they generate their
own electricity they are often found on piston
aircraft engines and small engines such as
mopeds, lawnmowers, snow blowers,
chainsaws, etc.
BATTERY OPERATED IGNITION
With the universal adaptation of electrical
starting for automobiles, and the
simultaneous availability of a substantial
battery to provide a constant source of
electricity, magneto systems were
abandoned for systems which interrupted
current at battery voltage. An ignition coil to
step the voltage up, to the needs of the
ignition, and a distributor, to route the
resulting pulse to the correct spark plug at the
correct time. The first reliable battery
operated ignition was developed by Delco.
COMPONENTS - BATTERY
IGNITON SYSTEM
 BATTERY
 IGNITION SWITCH
 BALLAST RESISTOR
 IGNITION COIL
 CONTACT BREAKER
 CAPACITOR/CONDENSER
 DISTRIBUTER
 CORDS
 SPARK PLUGS
CONVENTIONAL
IGNITON SYSTEM
BATTERY : To provide electrical energy for
ignition, charged by dynamo driven by engine,
owing electro – chemical reactions, converts
chemical energy into electrical energy. Now a days
maintenance free batteries are available.
BLAST RESISTOR: Provided in series with
primary winding, regulates primary current, prevent
spark coil from overheating, when engine is run at
low speed for long time.
IGNITION COIL: Source of energy, stores in
magnetic field and delivers to spark plugs in the
form of ignition pulse. Consisted of magnetic core of
soft iron, primary and secondary windings to step
voltage up to 15 kv.
CONTACT BREAKER : Mechanical device for
making & breaking primary circuit of ignition coil.
Two metal points, spring loaded pivoted arm with a
heel. Cam touches and every time passes the heel,
the points are forced apart to break the circuit.
CAPACITOR: Principle is the same as of every
electrical capacitor, is to store the ignition energy.
Consist of aluminum foil, special capacitor paper
layers.
DISTRIBUTOR: To distribute ignition surges to
spark plugs in the correct sequence, at the correct
instant of time. Rotor arm slides over metallic
segments implanted in distributor cap of molded
insulating material.
 CONDENSER: The condenser is a large
capacitor. Without an ignition condenser, the
induced voltage causing this flow of current,
would create an arc across the contact points
and the magnetic energy would be consumed in
this arc. As a result, the contact points may be
burned and ignition would not occur. The
"condenser" prevents the arc by making a place
for the current to flow. As a result of condenser
action, the magnetic field produced and
continued by the current flow will quickly
collapse. It is the rapid cutting out of magnetic
field that induces high voltage in the secondary
windings.
POINT, CONDENSER & BREAKER
 DISTRIBUTOR
The distributor handles several jobs. Its first job is to
distribute the high voltage from the coil to the correct
cylinder. This is done by the cap and rotor. The coil
is connected to the rotor, which spins inside the cap.
The rotor spins past a series of contacts, one contact
per cylinder. As the tip of the rotor passes each
contact, a high-voltage pulse comes from the coil.
The pulse arcs across the small gap between the
rotor and the contact, then continues down the
spark-plug wire to the spark plug on the appropriate
cylinder. A cam in the center of the distributor,
pushes a lever connected to one of the points.
Whenever, the cam pushes the lever, it opens the
points. This causes the coil to suddenly lose its
ground, generating a high-voltage pulse.
DISTRIBUTOR CAP, ROTOR
DISTRIBUTOR
 IGNITION COIL
An iron core is wrapped with two(2) long "coils"
of wire. The "PRIMARY" winding on the outside
and the longer "SECONDARY" winding located
inside. The wire length ratio is typically 100:1
(the secondary is 100 times longer than the
primary). The coil is fed 12 volts to the primary
winding. This in turn creates a large (enhanced
by the iron rod) magnetic field which also
surrounds the Secondary windings. The coil is
now storing a large magnetic field (a Flux" field).
When the +12v to the coil primary winding is
turned off the magnetic ("flux") field inside the
coil "collapses"..
IGNITION COIL :

This causes a "Back EMF" (Electro Motive

Force) current in the primary wire of about 200-
300 volts. THIS IS IMPORTANT. Most think the
coil converts 12 volts to 30,000 volts. Not
exactly, this back EMF voltage of 300 volts is
now applied to both windings. When the coil
collapses, the rapidly changing magnetic field is
also transferred to the "Secondary" windings, as
current (as a changing magnetic field passing by
a coil creates electric current"). The Secondary
winding is 100 times longer so produces a
voltage about 100 times more than the Primary
during collapse.
IGNITION COIL :

The Primary ("Low Tension") wire is about 300

volts during the Back EMF spike. So the
Secondary ("High Tension") wire is 100 x
300=30,000 volts. The faster the power cut off
is in the primary, the faster the collapse, and the
faster (more powerful) that spark is. So, when
the points open (instantly cutting off power to the
coil) 30,000 volts goes to ground from the
secondary winding via the spark plug. To get
the primary winding to collapse in the proper
way, we got to give it a way to get back to
ground during the collapse!
IGNITION COIL
 SPARK PLUG
The spark plug is simple in working, forces
electricity to arc across a gap. The electricity
must be at a very high voltage in order to travel
across the gap and create a good spark. Voltage
at the spark plug can be anywhere from 40,000
to 100,000 volts. Spark plug have an insulated
passageway for this high voltage to travel down
to the electrode, where it can jump the gap and,
from there, be conducted into the engine block
and grounded. The plug also has to withstand
the extreme heat and pressure inside the
cylinder, and must be designed, so that deposits
from fuel additives do not build up on the plug.
 SPARK PLUG PARTS
 TERMINAL NUT
 LEAKAGE CURRENT
BARREIERS
 TERMINAL STUD
 INSULATOR
 CAPTIVE GASKET
 INTERNAL SEAL
 INSULATOR NOSE –
LONG / SHORT
 CENTER ELECTRODE
 GROUND ELECTRODE
SPARK PLUG IN AN ENGINE
 SPARK PLUG DATA
ELECTRODES GAP 0.7 – 0.9 mm
(ADVANCE TECHNOLOGY) 1.2 mm
(HIGH CMPRESSION RATIO - 0.3 – 0.4 mm
RACING ENGINE)

CENTER ELECTRODE TEMP 650 – 700 º C

INSULATOR TIP TEMP

(PREVENT FOULING AT MORE THAN 350 º C
LOW SPEED)
(PREVENT PRE IGNITION KEPT BELLOW 950 º C
AT HIGH SPEED)
SPARK PLUG :

Spark plugs use a ceramic insert to isolate the

high voltage at the electrode, ensuring that the
spark happens at the tip of the electrode and not
anywhere else on the plug; this insert does
double-duty by helping to burn off deposits.
Ceramic is a fairly poor heat conductor, so the
material gets quite hot during operation. This
heat helps to burn off deposits from the
electrode. So, spark plugs can be further
classified in following two types:-
HOT SPARK PLUGS
COLD SPARK PLUGS
SPARK PLUG :
Hot plug is designed with a ceramic insert that has
a smaller contact area with the metal part of the
plug. This reduces the heat transfer from the
ceramic, making it run hotter and thus burn away
more deposits. A Hot plug has a more heat transfer
path and a large area exposed to the combustion
gases. Cold plugs are designed with more ceramic
contact area, so they run cooler. A Cold plug has a
short heat transfer path and a small area exposed
to the combustion gases as compared to a Hot plug.
High-performance engines naturally generate more
heat, so they need colder plugs. If the spark plug
gets too hot, it could ignite the fuel before the spark
fires; so it is important to stick with the right type of
plug for better performance.
HOT & COLD PLUG
SPARK PLUGS TELL THE TALE

The spark plug itself speaks volumes about how

"optimum" the combustion process is. Visually,
if the burn is good and combustion heating of
the plug is correct (one can have the correct
plug heat rating) then ..... the plug looks like as
shown in Fig. The insulator around the tip of the
electrode will appear slightly off-white (light
beige). There won't be any heat disfiguring of
the electrode and no carbon buildup or soot.
SPARK PLUG CONDITIONS
SPARK PLUG CONDITIONS
 BATTERY IGNITION SYSTEM-
WORKING
Most four-stroke engines have used a
mechanically timed electrical ignition system.
The heart of the system is the distributor which
contains a rotating cam running off the engine's
drive, a set of breaker points, a condenser, a
rotor and a distributor cap. External to the
distributor is the ignition coil, the spark plugs,
and wires linking the spark plugs and ignition
coil to the distributor. The power source is a
lead-acid battery. Battery is kept charged by the
car's electrical system, which generates
electricity using a dynamo or alternator.
WORKING BI :

The engine operates contact breaker points,

which interrupt the current flow to an induction
coil (known as the ignition coil). The ignition coil
consists of two transformer windings sharing a
common magnetic core - the primary and
secondary windings. An alternating current in
the primary induces alternating magnetic field in
the coil's core. Because the ignition coil's
secondary has far more windings than the
primary, the coil is a step-up transformer which
induces a much higher voltage across the
secondary windings.
WORKING BI :
For an ignition coil, one end of windings of both
the primary and secondary are connected
together. This common point is connected to the
battery ( through a current-limiting resistor). The
second end of the primary is connected to the
points within the distributor. The other end of the
secondary is connected, via the distributor cap
and rotor, to the spark plugs. A steady current
flows from the battery, through the current-
limiting resistor, through the coil primary, across
the closed breaker points and finally back to the
battery.
WORKING BI :

This steady current produces a magnetic field

within the coil's core. The magnetic field forms a
energy reservoir that will be used to drive the
ignition spark. The points ride on the cam so that
as the engine turns and reaches the top of the
engine's compression cycle, a high point in the
cam causes the breaker points to open. This
breaks the primary winding's circuit and abruptly
stops the current flow through the breaker points.
Without the steady current flow through the
points, the magnetic field generated in the coil
immediately begins to quickly collapse.
 WORKING BI :
This rapid decay of the magnetic field induces a
high voltage in the coil's secondary windings. The
ignition coil's secondary windings are connected
to the distributor cap. A turning rotor, located on
top of the breaker cam within the distributor cap,
sequentially connects the coil's secondary
windings to one of the several wires leading to
each engine's spark plugs. The extremely high
voltage from the coil's secondary (often 10,000
volts or more ), causes a spark to form across the
gap of the spark plug. This, in turn, ignites the
compressed air-fuel mixture within the engine.
 LIMITATIONS
PRIMARY VOLTAGE DECREASES AS THE
ENGINE SPEED INCREASES DUE TO THE
LIMITATIONS IN THE CURRENT SWITCHING
CAPABILITY OF THE BREAKER.
DUE TO HIGH SOURCE IMPEDANCE (ABOUT
500kΩ) THE SYSTEM IS SENSTIVE TO SIDE
TRACKING ACROSS THE SPARK PLUG
INSULATOR.
BREAKER PIONTS ARE CONTINOUSLY
SUBJECTED TO ELECTRICAL AS WELL AS
MECHANICAL WEAR, CAUSE RAPID
REDUCTION IN BREAKER POINT LIFE.
 ELECTRONIC IGNITION
Electronic ignition (EI) solves these problems.
Initially, points were still used but they only handled a
low current which was used to control the high
primary current through a solid state switching
system. Soon, however, even these contact breaker
points were replaced by an angular sensor of some
kind - either optical, where a vaned rotor breaks a
light beam, or more commonly using a Hall effect
sensor, which responds to a rotating magnet. The
sensor output is shaped and processed by suitable
circuitry, then used to trigger a switching device such
as a thyristor, which switches a large flow of current
through the coil.
ELECTRONIC IGNITION :
The rest of the system (distributor and spark
plugs) remains as for the mechanical system.
During the 1980s, EI systems were developed
alongside other improvements such as fuel
injection systems. After a while it became logical
to combine the functions of fuel control and
ignition into one electronic system known as an
engine management system. EMS consists of,
electronics control fuel delivery, ignition timing
and firing order. Primary sensors on the system
are engine angle (crank or Top Dead Center
position), airflow into the engine and throttle
demand position.
ELECTRONIC IGNITION :

The circuitry determines which cylinder needs

fuel and how much, opens the requisite injector
to deliver it, then causes a spark at the right
moment to burn it. Early EMS systems used
analogue computer circuit designs to accomplish
this, but as embedded systems became fast
enough to keep up with the changing inputs at
high revolutions, digital systems started to
appear. Some designs using EMS retain the
original coil, distributor and spark plugs found on
cars throughout history. Other systems dispense
with the distributor and coil and use special
spark plugs in which each contain its own coil.
ELECTRONIC IGNITION :

This means high voltages are not routed all

over the engine, they are created at the point
at which they are needed. Such designs offer
potentially much greater reliability than
conventional arrangements. Modern EMS
systems usually monitor other engine
parameters such as temperature and the
amount of uncombined oxygen in the
exhaust. This allows them to control the
engine to minimize unburnt or partially burnt
fuel and other noxious gases, leading to
much cleaner and more efficient engines.
ALTERNATIVE IGNITION
APPROACHES

ALTERNATIVE SPARK DISCHARGE

APPROACH.
PLASMA JET IGNITION.
FLAME JET IGNITION.