Laser-Ignition of Diesel Engines
CLA has participated in an Army-sponsored university/industry partnership
with Allied Signal and Caterpillar with the objectives of demonstrating
laser-ignition on compression- ignition, or diesel, engines.
 The technical challenges encountered in this program include the delivery of
a very high-power laser pulse to the combustion cylinder, both with the beam
quality to achieve ignition and with the proper timing to ensure ignition at the
proper time in the combustion cycle. Diffraction-limited laser pulses were
injected into and transmitted by a hollow light-guide to ignite a
string of methanol droplets of nominal diameter of 50 micro-m. This
successful demonstration eliminated the last major obstacle in the CLA effort.
Investigators: Dr. J.W.L. Lewis, Dr. C. Parigger, and Mr. J.D.
Few
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