Lasers Could Replace Spark Plugs, Making Engines More Efficient
The spark plugs driving combustion in your car may soon be getting an optical upgrade, thanks to a team of Japanese researchers. Laser ignition systems, which are exactly what they sound like, could replace spark plugs as the primary means to ignite the fuel-air mix in engines, boosting fuel efficiency and cutting down on carbon emissions. In a conventional combustion engine, the fuel-air mix is compressed by a piston and ignited by a spark plug seated in the top of the cylinder. That spark is generated by electricity arcing between two electrodes, which is a good enough way to ignite fuel but also limiting in what kind of fuel you can burn. Related ArticlesNew Split-Cycle Engine Design Shown To Improve Fuel Economy By 50 PercentNew 'Nanolube' Could Cut Engine Friction by More Than HalfThe Internal Combustion Engine Is Not DeadTagsScience, Clay Dillow, cars, energy, environment, internal combustion engine, lasers, spark plugsWith...