Shared circuitry configurations for plasma generation
OwnerArtur P. Suckewerinventor
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Abstract
The present disclosure provides shared circuitry configurations that may be implemented in a plasma generation system to improve control over application of electrical energy to a plasma generator, thereby providing improved performance. In some embodiments, shared circuitry configurations described herein may be implemented to improve performance of a traveling spark igniter that is configured to generate and propagate plasma using a Lorentz force and a thermal force, such as by applying electrical energy to electrodes of a plasma generator following breakdown between the electrodes. Other plasma generator configurations may also benefit from the circuitry configurations described herein.
Claims25
A plasma generation system, comprising:
- a plurality of plasma generators, each plasma generator comprising at least two electrodes configured to form plasma between the at least two electrodes of the plasma generator when a breakdown voltage sufficient to induce breakdown between the at least two electrodes is applied thereto;
- and
- circuitry configured to, for each of the plurality of plasma generators, following breakdown, control application of electrical energy to the at least two electrodes of the plasma generator, the application of electrical energy to the at least two electrodes being along a shared electrical energy flow path that is shared by each of the plurality of plasma generators.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.