US 5,347,422 A · Apparatus and method for an ignition system

Abstract

An ignition system is provided that marries a free-running discharge circuit with a fast-charging, high voltage converter without resulting in an excessive rate of discharge. To this end, the free-running discharge circuit employs a passive switch embodied either as a spark-gap device or a passive network of semiconductor elements. A feedback circuit detects discharge events at the discharge circuit and, in response thereto, selectively enables and disables the fast-charging converter. A spark rate clock is integrated into the feedback circuit for the purpose of setting the average discharge rate to a predetermined value.

Claims9

Dependent claims

An ignition system responsive to a power source for igniting fuel in a turbine engine, the system comprising:

an energy storage device;
means for pumping energy from the power source into the energy storage device;
an output circuit including an igniter plug;
a passive device for conducting energy from the energy storage device into the output circuit in order to create a spark event when the energy held in the energy storage device reaches a level that breaks down a high impedance in the passive device, which otherwise prevents the flow of energy from the energy storage to the output circuit;
a sensor for sensing when the spark event occurs and providing a signal indicative thereof;
and
means responsive to the signal from the sensor for selectively enabling and disabling the pumping means so as to control the rate at which successive spark events occur.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Apparatus and method for an ignition system

Life of this patent

Apparatus and method for an ignition system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims9