Two-Dimensional Igniter For Testing In-Cylinder Gas Velocity And/Or Gas Composition

A method of measuring gas velocity within the combustion chamber of an engine, the engine being spark-ignited by means of one or more spark plugs, comprising:

• installing an igniter in place of a spark plug, the igniter comprising:
• a cylindrical insulator body;
• a conductive shell around the circumference of a top portion of the insulator body;
• two pairs of electrodes, each pair of electrodes providing a spark gap at the face of the igniter, and each pair of electrodes having an cathode electrode and a ground electrode;
• wherein the pairs of electrodes are positioned such that the spark gaps are angled relative to each other and in the same plane relative to and extending from the face of the igniter;
• an activation and measurement unit in electrical connection with each pair of electrodes and operable to:
• activate the cathode electrodes to generate a spark in each spark gap, to provide sufficient current to the cathode electrodes to generate a sustained arc in each spark gap, to measure the voltage and current in each measurement circuit;
• activating at least one pair of electrodes;
• and
• measuring one or more of the following properties of the measurement circuit associated with the spark gap during the activating step:
• voltage, current or resistance;
• and
• determining the gas velocity of the gas within the spark gap based on the results of the measuring step.

A method of measuring gas composition within the combustion chamber of an engine, the engine being spark-ignited by means of one or more spark plugs, comprising:

• installing an igniter in place of a spark plug, the igniter comprising:
• a cylindrical insulator body;
• a conductive shell around the circumference of a top portion of the insulator body;
• two pairs of electrodes, each pair of electrodes providing a spark gap at the face of the igniter, and each pair of electrodes having an cathode electrode and a ground electrode;
• wherein the pairs of electrodes are positioned such that the spark gaps are angled relative to each other and in the same plane relative to and extending from the face of the igniter;
• an activation and measurement unit in electrical connection with each pair of electrodes and operable to:
• activate the cathode electrodes to generate a spark in each spark gap, to provide sufficient current to the cathode electrodes to generate a sustained arc in each spark gap, to measure the voltage and current in each measurement circuit;
• activating at least one pair of electrodes, thereby activating the spark gap;
• and
• measuring the capacitance of the measurement circuit associated with the spark gap during the activating step;
• and
• determining the gas composition of the gas within the spark gap based on the results of the measuring step.