Analysis of Spark Plug Gap on Flame Development using Schlieren Technique and Image Processing

摘要

Gasoline spark ignition system in cars remains one of the main consumption of fuel in the world nowadays. During combustion process, spark plug is one important key features in a gasoline engine. The incompatibility of spark plug gap width and the fuel used causing backfire and knocking in the combustion engine. Thus, the spark plug gap was studied with focussing in controlling the combustion process to improve the performance of the engine. The main purpose of this research is to investigate the effect of spark plug air gap on flame development. The parameters studied in this research include spark plug air gap width (1.0 mm, 1.2 mm, 1.4 mm, 1.6 mm and 1.8 mm), injection pressure (0.3 MPa, 0.4 MPa, 0.5 MPa and 0.6 MPa) and flame characteristics such as flame front area and the flame intensity. The flame front area of different spark plug gap and injection pressure were investigated through Schlieren photography method. The Schlieren images taken were analysed with the time changes. The experiment results proved that the increase of spark plug gap width will led to better flame development in shorter time while increased the chance of misfire.