Method and apparatus for controlling a combustion process

An apparatus for controlling a combustion process comprising:

• a laser source including an output coupled to at least one combustion chamber for directing radiation into the at least one combustion chamber to initiate combustion of a fuel mixture within the combustion chamber;
• a control unit coupled to the laser source for controlling an output of the laser source to emit at least one predetermined wavelength of radiation corresponding to a region of absorption of at least one molecule of the fuel mixture to induce a plurality of the at least one molecules into a state of excitation to ignite the fuel mixture;
• and
• a beam-directing unit coupled between the output of the laser source and the at least one combustion chamber for directing the radiation into the at least one combustion chamber, wherein the apparatus is coupled to a plurality of combustion chambers and the beam-directing unit includes a liquid-crystal switch for directing the radiation to a selected combustion chamber by adjusting the refractive index of the liquid-crystal switch.

A method of controlling a combustion process comprising the steps of:

• directing the output of at least one laser source into at least one combustion chamber to initiate combustion of a fuel mixture within the combustion chamber;
• controlling the output of the at least one laser source to emit at least one predetermined wavelength of radiation corresponding to a region of absorption of at least one molecule of the fuel mixture to induce a plurality of the at least one molecules into a state of excitation to ignite the fuel mixture;
• and
• selectively directing the output of the at least one laser source into at least one combustion chamber of an internal-combustion engine by transmitting the output of the at least one laser source through a liquid-crystal switch and adjusting the refractive index of the liquid crystal switch for directing the output to at least one combustion chamber.

An apparatus for controlling a combustion process, comprising:

• a laser source including an output coupled to a plurality of combustion chambers for directing radiation into the combustion chambers to initiate combustion of a fuel mixture within the combustion chambers;
• a control unit coupled to the laser source for controlling an output of the laser source to emit at least one wavelength of radiation;
• and
• a liquid-crystal switch coupled to the output of the laser source for directing the radiation to a selected combustion chamber by adjusting the refractive index of the liquid-crystal switch.