Goodby spark plugs, hello laser plugs!

[themadscientist]

Very Dr. Evil, a "laser."

Car engines could soon be fired by lasers instead of spark plugs, researchers say.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-13160950

[hitbychance]

interesting!

[sbird1]

Hmm... wonder if we'll ever see this technology come to pass. You'd think this kind of thing would be introduced in racing before it becomes available for public use...

[Razi]

I hope they make "pew pew" sounds!

[Kompresshun]

Very Dr. Evil, a "laser."

[alms24sebring]

I wonder if they still run from a plug wire. If so, my next question is if I pill out the laser plug with the wire attached, could I fire the infamous 'death laser'

....Awesome

[zacmil]

Weird... I was literally just reading about this before I logged in.

Seriously though, it sounds pretty neat to me. I'm all for better fuel economy and reduced emissions, especially if it doesn't involve purchasing a miserable little econo-box.

[Loki]

This seems very feasible and interesting to me. The laser would only need to head the fuel to ignition, so it wouldn't subject the piston to any more heat than it already encounters. On top of that, it would propagate the ignition from two or three columns the same height as the cylinder, rather than expanding from the tip of the plug. That would mean faster revving engines and more power, no? I'm very intrigued by this.

[Dattebayo]

This is so Star Trek, it's not even funny.

[Jesda]

Looking forward to laser-cooked bacon

[PapaSmurf2k3]

I wonder if they still run from a plug wire. If so, my next question is if I pill out the laser plug with the wire attached, could I fire the infamous 'death laser'

....Awesome

Lasers like that typically have a very specific focal length... but you CAN tune them. Basically, you'd have variable ignition points in all 3 planes (X,Y, and Z)- considering multiple "laser focal lengths" are used from the one emitter. I would think you could simplify it down to one ignition point in the center (x,y,z) of the combustion chamber though, and get most of the benefits.

BorgWarner purchased a company that was pursuing combustion via a different method. I can't remember if it was some sort of plasma based generator, or microwave, or lasers or what.