A hardware configuration and related control strategy is disclosed that accepts an electric power input typical of space flight systems and converts that energy into a spark pulse train with fixed/predetermined performance metrics for the following system parameters: time to first spark, peak breakdown voltage amplitude, spark repetition rate and energy delivered per spark, which have all been optimally chosen to reliably ignite certain fuel mixtures, which have been proven to be beneficial for use in aerospace applications.

A casing for a laser spark plug, in particular, of an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle, or of a stationary engine; the casing including at least one casing part and a combustion chamber window joined to the casing part to form a seal at least regionally; characterized in that at least one sealing element, whose coefficient of thermal expansion at an operating temperature of the laser spark plug is greater than the coefficient of thermal expansion of the casing part at the operating temperature of the laser spark plug, is provided between the casing part and the combustion chamber window.

A casing for a laser spark plug, in particular, of an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle, or of a stationary engine; the casing including at least one casing part and a combustion chamber window joined to the casing part to form a seal at least regionally; characterized in that at least one sealing element, whose coefficient of thermal expansion at an operating temperature of the laser spark plug is greater than the coefficient of thermal expansion of the casing part at the operating temperature of the laser spark plug, is provided between the casing part and the combustion chamber window.

A spark plug includes a ground electrode, an insulator, and a center electrode. In a case where a first position of a surface of the ground electrode exposed to a side of an inner wall surface of a cylinder head is a most downstream position in an air flow direction between the center electrode and the ground electrode, and a second position of the inner wall surface of the cylinder head is a position closest to the center electrode on a downstream side of the center electrode in an air flow direction, the spark plug is installed at a position where the first position and the second position are on a same air flow line, or at a position where the first position is recessed to a side where the first position recedes from the inner wall surface than the second position.

A spark plug includes a ground electrode, an insulator, and a center electrode. In a case where a first position of a surface of the ground electrode exposed to a side of an inner wall surface of a cylinder head is a most downstream position in an air flow direction between the center electrode and the ground electrode, and a second position of the inner wall surface of the cylinder head is a position closest to the center electrode on a downstream side of the center electrode in an air flow direction, the spark plug is installed at a position where the first position and the second position are on a same air flow line, or at a position where the first position is recessed to a side where the first position recedes from the inner wall surface than the second position.

A method for protecting an electrical transmission system having an electrical transmission line coupled to electrical equipment from hazardous EMI comprises receiving at least one pulse of hazardous EMI on the transmission line, and shunting current induced on the electrical transmission line by the at least one pulse of hazardous EMI to ground through at least one static series spark gap apparatus in such manner as to bypass high speed transient voltages from the electrical equipment to ground via a low impedance means and prevent damage thereto, wherein the static series spark gap apparatus has a rise time that is typically 2 nanoseconds or less.

A method for protecting an electrical transmission system having an electrical transmission line coupled to electrical equipment from hazardous EMI comprises receiving at least one pulse of hazardous EMI on the transmission line, and shunting current induced on the electrical transmission line by the at least one pulse of hazardous EMI to ground through at least one static series spark gap apparatus in such manner as to bypass high speed transient voltages from the electrical equipment to ground via a low impedance means and prevent damage thereto, wherein the static series spark gap apparatus has a rise time that is typically 2 nanoseconds or less.

An electric pulse fragmentation device and method are provided, the device comprising a pulse transformer, one or more buffer capacitors, a plurality of IGBT modules, a storage capacitor, a spark gap, and a fragmentation chamber, the spark gap being defined by spark gap first and second electrodes, the fragmentation chamber comprising fragmentation chamber first and second electrodes. The buffer capacitors are electrically connected to a voltage rectifier. The buffer capacitors are charged by electrical current received from the voltage rectifier. The IGBT modules control partial discharge of the buffer capacitors to permit and restrict current flow from the buffer capacitor to transformer primary windings for a duration of a control pulse. The storage capacitor is charged by electrical current from transformer secondary windings. The storage capacitor is adapted to discharge current across the spark gap to the fragmentation chamber electrodes. Raw material positioned between fragmentation electrodes can be fractured.

A spark plug includes a ground electrode, an insulator, and a center electrode. In a case where a first position of a surface of the ground electrode exposed to a side of an inner wall surface of a cylinder head is a most downstream position in an air flow direction between the center electrode and the ground electrode, and a second position of the inner wall surface of the cylinder head is a position closest to the center electrode on a downstream side of the center electrode in an air flow direction, the spark plug is installed at a position where the first position and the second position are on a same air flow line, or at a position where the first position is recessed to a side where the first position recedes from the inner wall surface than the second position.

A downhole electrohydraulic movement arrangement including a spark gap device positioned and configured to move a separate component, and an energy source electrically connected to the spark gap device. A method for moving a component in a downhole environment including disposing an electrohydraulic arrangement having a spark gap device and an energy source electrically connected to the spark gap device operably proximate a component, actuating the spark gap device, generating a pressure wave with the spark gap device, and moving the component with the pressure wave. A downhole system including a borehole, a component moved within the borehole by an electrohydraulic arrangement.