Laser Ignition System – An Overview

– Internal Combustion engines play an important role in today’s automotive industry. Besides this the combustion process is of great importance in various applications. Thus, study of this combustion process is of great importance as it also has various side-effects. Combustion leads to the release of pollutants into the environment. And taking into consideration, the sustainability of the environment various researchers is working towards better technologies that might reduce pollution and also increase the efficiency of engines. Laser Ignition system is one such technology that can be an alternative to the conventional spark ignition system. The process of starting radical reaction until a self-sustaining flame has developed is called as ignition. Ignition can affect the release of pollutants and the fuel conversion rate. Although spark plugs are well suited for ignition they suffer from disadvantages like erosion of the electrodes, limited positioning possibilities, etc. This paper aims towards providing an overview of the current state of development in the Laser Ignition technology and the various advantages that it provides over the conventional.