Multi-Charge Ignition System Current Peak Reduction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current multi-charge ignition systems experience high primary current peaks during initial charge, leading to increased copper losses, EMC emissions, and load on onboard power generation, which are undesirable and costly to mitigate without using a DC/DC converter.
Innovation Solution
A multi-charge ignition system with an additional auxiliary primary winding and switch, allowing current to flow through these windings during the initial energization phase, and a step-down converter stage to manage power distribution across coil stages, enabling controlled energization and de-energization to minimize primary current peaks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If a DC/DC converter is used to minimize the high primary current peak, then copper losses and EMC emissions are reduced, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the single primary winding into two separate primary windings (L1 and L3) with different inductances. This segmentation allows the system to distribute the charging current across multiple windings, reducing the peak current in each individual winding and thereby reducing copper losses without requiring a DC/DC converter.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the electrical parameters by using two primary windings with different inductance values (L1 and L3). This parameter differentiation enables optimized current distribution during the charging phase, reducing the overall current peak and associated copper losses while maintaining the required energy delivery to the spark plug.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If a DC/DC converter is used to minimize the high primary current peak, then EMC emissions are reduced, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the primary winding into two separate windings (L1 and L3), the patent reduces the peak current magnitude in each winding. This segmentation directly lowers the electromagnetic interference and EMC emissions generated during the charging phase, eliminating the need for an additional DC/DC converter and its associated complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The use of two primary windings with different inductance parameters allows for optimized current profiles that reduce electromagnetic emissions. The differentiated inductance values enable better control over the charging current characteristics, reducing EMC emissions without adding device complexity.
3Power
If a DC/DC converter is used to minimize the high primary current peak, then load on onboard power generation is reduced, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the primary winding into two windings (L1 and L3) that can be charged in a distributed manner. This segmentation reduces the instantaneous power demand from the onboard power generation system by spreading the charging current over a longer period and across multiple windings, thereby reducing the peak load without requiring a DC/DC converter.
Solution Approach 2:
By using two primary windings with different inductance parameters, the system optimizes the charging current profile to reduce peak power demand. This parameter differentiation allows for a more gradual energy transfer from the power generation system, reducing the instantaneous load while maintaining overall system performance.
4Volume of moving object
If multi-charge ignition systems are used to reduce ignition system size, then system size is reduced, but spark continuity is compromised during recharge periods
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the ignition system into two separate coil stages, each with its own primary and secondary windings. This segmentation allows for overlapping charging and discharge cycles, where one stage can be charged while the other delivers energy to the spark plug, thereby maintaining continuous spark output while using smaller individual components.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs periodic switching between two coil stages, with each stage operating in alternating charge and discharge cycles. This periodic action ensures that while one stage is delivering energy to maintain the spark, the other stage is being charged, thus maintaining spark continuity while allowing for reduced component sizes.
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
This solution reduces primary current peaks, minimizing copper losses and EMC emissions while maintaining continuous ignition, thus enhancing system efficiency and reducing wear on the onboard power generation without the need for a DC/DC converter.
Implementation Method 1
a first transformer (T1) including a first primary winding (L1) inductively coupled to a first secondary winding (L2); a second transformer (T2) including a second primary winding (L3) inductively coupled to a second secondary winding (L4)
Implementation Method 2
a first transformer (T1) including a first primary winding (L1) inductively coupled to a first secondary winding (L2); a second transformer (T2) including a second primary winding (L3) inductively coupled to a second secondary winding (L4)
Implementation Method 3
including switch means Q3 adapted to selectively allow current to pass through said auxiliary windings
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2(a)~2(e)
Figure 3
AI summary
A multi-charge ignition system including a spark plug control unit adapted to control at least two coil stages so as to successively energise and de-energise said coil stage(s) to provide a current to a spark plug, said two stages comprising a first transformer (T1) including a first primary winding (L1) inductively coupled to a first secondary winding (L2); a second transformer (T2) including a second primary winding (L3) inductively coupled to a second secondary winding (L4); characterised in including auxiliary primary winding (L5) connected from the common high side of the primary winding in series to an auxiliary secondary winding (L6), the other end of said auxiliary secondary winding (L6) electrically connected to ground/low side, and including switch means Q3 adapted to selectively allow current to pass through said auxiliary windings.