In an engine ignition method according to the present invention, an ignition coil and an exciter coil are provided in a magneto generator driven by an engine. After charging an ignition capacitor using an output voltage of the exciter coil, the ignition capacitor is discharged through a primary coil of the ignition coil at an ignition timing of the engine, whereby a high voltage induced in a secondary coil of the ignition coil is applied to an ignition plug and a first spark discharge is generated in the ignition plug, and a voltage induced in the secondary coil of the ignition coil accompanied with rotation of the magneto rotor is applied to the ignition plug in a state that insulation across discharge gaps of the ignition plug is broken down due to the first spark discharge, whereby a second spark discharge is produced in the ignition plug.

A spark plug heat up method via transient control of the spark discharge current. The high temperature plasma channel is used to heat up the central electrode, and the temperature and energy of the plasma channel are realized via transient control of the discharge current. The heating up process takes place before firing the engine, using discharge current to actively heat up the spark plug from inside. By monitoring the discharge current amplitude and discharge duration, the temperature change of the central electrode and the ceramic insulator can be carefully measured and controlled within a proper window. This method can be used to measure the heating range of the spark plug, and to prevent or remove the carbon deposit on the central electrode and the ceramic insulator generated under various engine operation conditions, such as engine cold start, full load operation, and heavy EGR condition, as well as realize self-cleaning.

An ignition system for igniting fuel in a gas turbine engine includes a power supply and an energy storage network electrically connected to the power supply. The energy storage network includes a first stage having a first capacitor and a second stage having a second capacitor. The ignition system further includes an engine igniter electrically coupled to the energy storage network.

An ignition circuit and a method of operating an igniter (preferably a traveling spark igniter) in an internal combustion engine, including a high pressure engine. A high voltage is applied to electrodes of the igniter, sufficient to cause breakdown to occur between the electrodes, resulting in a high current electrical discharge in the igniter, over a surface of an isolator between the electrodes, and formation of a plasma kernel in a fuel-air mixture adjacent said surface. Following breakdown, a sequence of one or more lower voltage and lower current pulses is applied to said electrodes, with a low “simmer” current being sustained through the plasma between pulses, preventing total plasma recombination and allowing the plasma kernel to move toward a free end of the electrodes with each pulse.

An ignition circuit and a method of operating an igniter (preferably a traveling spark igniter) in an internal combustion engine, including a high pressure engine. A high voltage is applied to electrodes of the igniter, sufficient to cause breakdown to occur between the electrodes, resulting in a high current electrical discharge in the igniter, over a surface of an isolator between the electrodes, and formation of a plasma kernel in a fuel-air mixture adjacent said surface. Following breakdown, a sequence of one or more lower voltage and lower current pulses is applied to said electrodes, with a low “simmer” current being sustained through the plasma between pulses, preventing total plasma recombination and allowing the plasma kernel to move toward a free end of the electrodes with each pulse.

Disclosed is an ignition drive module with stable performance and reliable function, which comprises a module signal input end, a voltage input end, a module signal output end, a comparator. One end of the comparator is connected to the module signal input end, and the other end is connected to a comparison resistance R that is grounded. The ignition drive module further comprises a maximum dwell timer module connected to the comparator, a logical judgment module connected to the comparator, and an IGBT module connected to the logical judgment module which receives the signals from the maximum dwell timer module and the comparator to determine whether to activate the IGBT module. The output end of the IGBT module is connected to the module signal output end.

A method for operating an ignition device for an internal combustion engine, in which via a rotating magnetic pole wheel a voltage signal with a number of positive and negative half-waves is produced in at least one coil arrangement that is located on a core leg of an iron core during each rotation of the magnetic pole wheel, wherein the voltage signal is used to determine the gap width of the air gap between the magnetic pole wheel and the core leg.

An ignition control device includes a control unit to control first to third switching elements so that during ignition discharge, which is started by turning off the first switching element, energy stored on a capacitor is discharged by turning off the third switching element and turning on the second switching element for supplying a primary current to an end of a primary winding opposite to an end thereof connected to a direct-current power supply. During inductive discharge of a spark plug, the control unit non-intermittently turns on the second switching element so that the second switching element is turned on over a successive energy input time period, according to the operating conditions of an internal combustion engine.

An ignition system includes: a step-up transformer having a primary side and a secondary side; an electric energy source which is able to be connected to the primary side; a spark gap, which is designed to carry a current transferred to the secondary side by the step-up transformer. The step-up transformer has a bypass for transferring electric energy from the electric energy source to the secondary side. The bypass is designed to support a decaying electrical signal in the secondary coil of the high-voltage generator as of a predefined time, or as of a predefined intensity of the current being reached.

An ignition system includes: a step-up transformer having a primary side and a secondary side; an electric energy source which is able to be connected to the primary side; a spark gap, which is designed to carry a current transferred to the secondary side by the step-up transformer. The step-up transformer has a bypass for transferring electric energy from the electric energy source to the secondary side. The bypass is designed to support a decaying electrical signal in the secondary coil of the high-voltage generator as of a predefined time, or as of a predefined intensity of the current being reached.