Stratified fuel ignition system including humid air injection

An ignition system having first and second modes of operation, said system being an integral part of an engine which develops motive power by burning fuel received in a main combustion chamber, comprising the combination of:

• an auxiliary combustion chamber, integral with the main combustion chamber, said chambers having a common passageway therebetween, said auxiliary chamber receiving a portion of the fuel;
• an electrical igniter, integral with said auxiliary chamber, said igniter having an electrically conductive base and an electrode electrically insulated from said base;
• an ignition transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding coupled to said igniter;
• a capacitor coupled to said primary winding;
• and
• excitation means, connected to said primary winding and capacitor, for creating an electrical arc within the auxiliary chamber during the second mode and for creating a bipolar dual amplitude voltage waveform consisting of a first voltage of relatively short time duration and relatively high level as compared with a second voltage of said waveform of relatively lower voltage level and relatively longer time duration than the first voltage, said first voltage initiating an electric field and said arc within the auxiliary chamber and said second voltage sustaining said field and arc for the duration of the second mode, said second voltage also sustaining acceleration of a jet flame of the ignited fuel portion exiting through said passageway into the fuel within the main chamber.