Laser ignition awarded by the BMW Group's Scientific

The BMW Group's Scientific, a financially-rewarding prizes for young scientists, was awarded to six young scientists for their theses and dissertations. The winner is Torsten Kroker who has developed completely new processing techniques for the practical use of carbon nanotubes in industry. The work of Johannes Tauer, which came second, could one day prove interesting for the car industry. The Vienna physicist has revolutionized a 100-year old system: in future, laser light could be used instead of electric spark plugs to ignite mixture of petrol engines. As part of his thesis, Tauer developed a prototype of a laser spark plug that can be used to improve the performance of engines and at the same time reduce fuel consumption and emissions. "The idea of igniting a flammable mixture with a laser isn’t new," says the Austrian, "It was put forward just a few years after the first experimental demonstration of a laser in 1960," he continues. Past projects mostly failed due to the end-product's lack of suitability for everyday use: The spark plugs were too large for use in an engine, they did not provide enough energy, or they were not robust enough to function consistently in spite of the high level of heat and constant vibration. To fulfil the increasingly urgent requirements placed on engines for higher fuel efficiency and lower emissions, car manufacturers must, among other things, increase the mean pressure in the engine. With conventional spark plugs, however, this increases the ignition voltage, which in turn can lead to electrode erosion and ultimately to spark plug failure. The advantage of Tauer's system is that a laser spark plug has no electrodes and is therefore also compatible with even the highest engine pressures. In addition, a laser ignition can also be used to ignite much more meagre mixtures. This leads to a slight increase in efficiency and reduce the fuel consumption and NOx emissions. Another advantage is the choice of virtually any laser focus. "With conventional spark plugs, the spark is located right next to the electrodes, causing losses," explains Tauer. A laser pulse on the other hand, can be precisely focused on the ideal ignition point in the cylinder, thereby ensuring optimum combustion efficiency and power generation. More research will be needed, however, before vehicles can be equipped with laser ignitions, as the system is currently still too expensive for universal vehicle use. If his invention proves successful, Tauer can later on help with the introduction of laser ignitions into BMW engines. "That would be fantastic," admits the young physician, his CV at the ready.

see the Lens in the end of spark pLug .its for new B.M.W cars !!!!!!