Abstract:
In order to reduce time required for a purification catalyst to be activated in a plasma generation device for generating plasma upstream of the purification catalyst that purifies exhaust gas of an engine, the plasma is caused to effectively contact with the purification catalyst. The plasma generation device 20 includes a passage formation member 41 arranged upstream of the purification catalyst 31 in an exhaust passage 30 and formed with an internal passage 40 that the exhaust gas passes through, and a plasma generation part 29 that generates plasma in the internal passage 40. The internal passage 40 is located in the vicinity of or abutting contact with the purification catalyst 31 at an outlet part of the internal passage so that the exhaust gas flowing through the internal passage 40 causes the plasma generated by the plasma generation part 29 to blow out from an outlet 43 of the internal passage 40 and to reach the purification catalyst.
Abstract:
In an internal combustion engine that causes a predetermined gas flow in a combustion chamber, discharge plasma generated by a discharge device is caused to effectively absorb energy of an electromagnetic wave emitted from an electromagnetic wave emission device. At a time when a discharge operation and an emission operation are simultaneously performed so as to ignite a fuel air mixture, an emitting position of the electromagnetic wave on an antenna during the emission operation is located downstream of the discharge gap in a direction of the gas flow at the discharge gap so as to face toward the discharge plasma that has been drifted due to the gas flow.
Abstract:
To effectively improve flame propagation speed utilizing active species in an internal combustion engine 10 that promotes combustion utilizing active species. The internal combustion engine 10 is provided with an internal combustion engine main body 11 that combusts fuel air mixture in a combustion chamber 20 and an active species generation unit 13 that generates active species in a region which a flame surface has not yet reached during flame propagation in the combustion chamber 20. In a region which the flame will eventually pass through, the active species generation unit 13 generates the active species while the flame surface has not yet reached the region.
Abstract:
To provide a control device for an internal combustion engine that can optimally control a plasma ignition operation independent of fuel type. In a control device 30 of an internal combustion engine 20, which controls plasma ignition operation for causing volume ignition of air fuel mixture by plasma in a combustion chamber 10, a fuel type detection part 40 detects a type of fuel to be supplied to the combustion chamber 10. According to the detected fuel type, a state of plasma or a state of air fuel mixture in the combustion chamber 10 is controlled.
Abstract:
An ignition device is provided, which can boost an electromagnetic wave supplied by a resonance structure, and cause a discharge by enhancing a potential difference between a discharge electrode and a ground electrode, and even though such a structure of the ignition device, a downsize and a thickness reduction, specifically, the thickness reduction can be achieved. On a main surface of a rectangular insulting substrate (2), an input electrode (3), a coupling electrode (4), a discharge electrode (6), and a ground electrode (7), are provided. The input electrode (3) is connected to an outside terminal on one shorter side. The coupling electrode (4) is capacity-coupled with the input electrode (3). The discharge electrode (6) is connected to the coupling electrode (4) on the other shorter side through a coupling line (5). The ground electrode (7) is, on both longer sides of the main surface of the rectangular insulating substrate (2), capacity-coupled with the coupling electrode (4) and capacity-coupled with the coupling line (5), and extended to the other shorter side. A resonance circuit includes a capacitor constituted by the capacity coupling and an inductor constituted by the coupling line (5). Thereby, the electromagnetic wave supplied from the outside terminal into the input electrode is resonated, a potential difference between the discharge electrode (6) and the ground electrode (7) is enhanced, and then, a discharge is caused.
Abstract:
To improve a propagation speed of a flame by effectively utilizing energy of the electromagnetic wave in the combustion chamber in an internal combustion engine that promotes combustion of fuel air mixture in a combustion chamber by means of an electromagnetic wave. The internal combustion engine includes, in addition to an internal combustion engine main body and an ignition device, an electromagnetic wave emission device and a control device. The electromagnetic wave emission device emits an electromagnetic wave to the combustion chamber while the flame is being propagated after ignition of the fuel air mixture. The control device controls a frequency of the electromagnetic wave emitted to the combustion chamber in view of a resonant frequency of the combustion chamber in accordance with an operation condition of the internal combustion engine main body or a propagation condition of the flame.
Abstract:
To provide a spark plug that can reduce power loss and prevent erosion of a tip end part of a central electrode, even in a configuration such that a discharge current and an electromagnetic wave are emitted from a terminal fitting part of the spark plug, and a plasma generation device using the spark plug. The spark plug is provided with a central electrode 2 including a terminal fitting part 2A and an electrode main body 2B electrically connected to the terminal fitting part 2A, an insulator 3 formed with an axial hole 30, which the central electrode 2 is fitted into, a main fitting 4 that surrounds the insulator 3, and a ground electrode 5 that extends from an end surface of the main fitting 4 and is adapted to form a discharge gap that causes a spark discharge between the central electrode 2 and the electrode main body 2B. The electrode main body 2B is constituted of a front electrode 25 including an electrode tip part 25a for causing the spark discharge with the ground electrode 5, a front dielectric cylinder 24 in a tube-like shape that covers the electrode tip part 25a, and a coupling conductive cylinder 23 in a tube-like shape that joins the front dielectric cylinder 24 and the terminal fitting part 2A.
Abstract:
The present invention aims at realizing a gas concentration estimation apparatus with versatility wherein the gas concentration estimation apparatus estimates concentration of a target component in an analyte gas by analyzing a light emitted from plasma of the analyte gas. The present invention is directed to a gas concentration estimation apparatus including: a plasma generation device that turns an analyte gas into a plasma state; and an analysis device that analyzes plasma light emitted from the plasma generated by the plasma generation device and estimates concentration of a target component in the analyte gas wherein the analysis device estimates the concentration of the target component based on luminescence intensity of a wavelength component corresponding to luminescence from a predetermined radical within the plasma light, and the predetermined radical is different in atomic structure from the target component and includes an atom or a molecule separated from the target component.