Adjustable Spark Plug Heat Range for Boosted Engine Loads
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Solution Overview
Problem
Boosted engines face issues with spark plug fouling at low loads and pre-ignition at high loads, particularly during vehicle marshalling, where the engine operates at varying loads, leading to inefficient engine performance.
Innovation Solution
A spark plug design featuring a metallic body, ceramic insulator, and bias device that adjusts the spark plug's heat dispersal state by changing the crimp flange position, allowing it to switch between a lower and higher heat dispersal state, reducing fouling and pre-ignition risks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a cold spark plug is used, then spark plug fouling is reduced at low engine loads, but pre-ignition risk increases at high engine loads
Solution Approach 1:
The spark plug incorporates a movable ceramic insulator that can shift between two positions to dynamically change heat dispersal characteristics. The insulator is biased by a spring device and can be repositioned by adjusting the crimp flange, allowing the spark plug to transition from a cold state (reducing fouling) to a hot state (reducing pre-ignition risk) based on operating conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the thermal parameter of the spark plug by altering the physical position of the ceramic insulator relative to the metallic body. This position change modifies the heat transfer path and thermal characteristics, enabling the spark plug to adapt its temperature regime between cold and hot states to match different engine load requirements
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a hot spark plug is used, then pre-ignition risk is reduced at high engine loads, but spark plug fouling increases at low engine loads
Solution Approach 1:
The spark plug uses a movable ceramic insulator with spring biasing that allows dynamic adjustment of heat dispersal. During high-load operation, the insulator position can be modified to increase heat retention, preventing pre-ignition. During low-load operation, the insulator position changes to enhance heat dissipation, preventing fouling
Solution Approach 2:
The thermal parameter of the spark plug is made variable through mechanical adjustment of the ceramic insulator position. The crimp flange adjustment mechanism changes the insulator's location along the metallic body, thereby altering the heat transfer characteristics to match different engine operating conditions
3Device complexity
If the ceramic insulator position is fixed, then the spark plug structure is simple, but it cannot adapt to different engine load conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The spark plug employs a movable ceramic insulator instead of a fixed one, allowing the insulator to change position along the metallic body. This dynamic capability enables the spark plug to adapt to different engine load conditions while maintaining relatively simple construction through the use of spring biasing and crimp flange adjustment
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The adjustable spark plug design effectively reduces the likelihood of fouling during marshalling and pre-ignition during normal operation, improving engine performance by adapting to different load conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a bias device arranged to position the ceramic insulator in a first position when the crimp flange is in a second position
Data Source
AI summary
System and methods for operating a vehicle that includes a boosted engine are described. In one example, a spark plug may be adjusted between two operating states to reduce a possibility of pre-ignition and spark plug fouling. A first operating state may be conducive to operating the engine at light loads. The first operating state may be conducive to operating the engine at higher loads.