Solid-state ignition system using true voltage triggering

A capacitive discharge ignition system responsive to a power source for igniting fuel to power a turbine engine, the system comprising:

• a capacitive energy storage device;
• power conditioning circuitry responsive to the power source for pumping energy into the capacitive energy storage device;
• an igniter plug for transforming the energy stored in the capacitive storage device into a spark for igniting the fuel to power the turbine engine;
• output circuitry for delivering the energy from the energy storage device to the igniter plug;
• a passive network responsive to a voltage differential (ΔV) of approximately 2500 volts or more between input and output terminals of the network for completing a low impedance path between the capacitive energy storage device and the output circuitry, where the passive network is completely isolated from the remainder of the system except by way of the input and output terminals;
• and the passive network comprises (1) a solid-state switch for alternately providing high and low impedance paths between the input and output terminals, thereby selectively discharging the energy from the capacitive energy storage device into the igniter plug, and (2) a breakover diode responsive to the voltage differential (ΔV) between the input and output terminals for switching the path between the two terminals provided by the solid-state switch from a high impedance value to a low impedance value, thereby controllably discharging the energy from the capacitive energy storage device to the igniter plug by way of the output circuitry.

A capacitive discharge ignition system responsive to a power source for igniting fuel to power a turbine engine, the system comprising:

• a capacitive energy storage device;
• power conditioning circuitry responsive to the power source for pumping energy into the capacitive energy storage device;
• an igniter plug for transforming the energy in the capacitive energy storage device into a spark for igniting the fuel to power the turbine engine;
• output circuitry for delivering the energy from the energy storage device to the plug;
• a passive network responsive to a voltage differential (ΔV) between input and output terminals of the network for completing a low impedance path to discharge the capacitive energy storage device, where the passive network is electrically isolated except for the input and output terminals;
• and the passive network comprises:
• (1) a solid-state switch for alternately providing high and low impedance paths between the input and output terminals, thereby selectively discharging the energy in the capacitive energy storage device into the output circuitry and the igniter plug, and (2) a breakover diode (BOD) responsive to the voltage differential (ΔV) between the input and output terminals for effecting the switching of the path between the two terminals provided by the solid-state switch from a high impedance value to a low impedance value, thereby controllably discharging the energy stored in the capacitive energy storage device to the igniter plug by way of the output circuitry, where the BOD includes an anode connected to the input terminal and a cathode connected to a trigger input of the solid-state switch.

A capacitive discharge ignition system responsive to a power source for igniting fuel to power a turbine engine, the system comprising:

• a capacitive energy storage device;
• power conditioning circuitry responsive to the power source for pumping approximately two joules or more of energy into the capacitive energy storage device;
• an igniter plug for igniting the fuel;
• output circuitry for delivering the energy from the energy storage device to the plug;
• a passive network having only two terminals which connect the network to the capacitive energy storage device and the output circuitry for completing a path discharging the capacitive energy storage device into the igniter plug;
• the passive network comprising (1) a solid-state switch for alternately providing high and low impedance paths between the two terminals, thereby selectively discharging the capacitive energy storage device into the output circuitry and the igniter plug, and (2) a breakover diode responsive to a predetermined value of a voltage differential (ΔV) between the two terminals for effecting the switching of the path between the two terminals provided by the solid-state switch from a high impedance value to a low impedance value, thereby controllably discharging the capacitive energy storage device into a spark gap of the igniter plug by way of the output circuitry.