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Investigation of electrode wear during spark discharges using planar laser-induced fluorescence

Zhang, Kailun LU ; Feuk, Henrik LU orcid ; Ängeby, Jakob ; Ehn, Andreas LU and Richter, Mattias LU (2025) In Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics 58(50).
Abstract

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions and achieving carbon neutrality require enhancing spark-ignition engine efficiency and compatibility with renewable fuels. However, electrode wear of spark plugs presents a significant challenge in hydrogen-fueled spark-ignition internal combustion engines. Such excessive wear increases the total cost of ownership and may delay the introduction of such low-emission transportation alternatives. Hence, understanding the interaction between spark discharges and the electrodes to reveal the mechanisms of such wear is crucial. Unlike conventional, ex-situ long-term tests, laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) can assess the wear process during the spark discharges by detecting the target species from the... (More)

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions and achieving carbon neutrality require enhancing spark-ignition engine efficiency and compatibility with renewable fuels. However, electrode wear of spark plugs presents a significant challenge in hydrogen-fueled spark-ignition internal combustion engines. Such excessive wear increases the total cost of ownership and may delay the introduction of such low-emission transportation alternatives. Hence, understanding the interaction between spark discharges and the electrodes to reveal the mechanisms of such wear is crucial. Unlike conventional, ex-situ long-term tests, laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) can assess the wear process during the spark discharges by detecting the target species from the electrodes with high temporal resolution. In this work, spatiotemporal characteristics of gas phase nickel atoms originated from nickel-based alloy spark plug electrodes are performed with two-dimensional planar LIF in elevated pressures. A higher intensity and an earlier peak of laser-induced nickel fluorescence signal are observed under higher pressure. The spatial distribution of nickel atoms within the electrodes gap is observed to be different at varied pressures. Lengthening the dwell time, i.e. charging of the coil between DC spark discharges, and thus increasing the energy of sparks can significantly increase the loss of material. Similarly, increasing the peak current of AC sparks results in a higher power of spark discharges and thus increasing the removal of material. Moreover, the low signal intensity in pure nitrogen indicates that the existence of oxygen enhances the evaporation process and accelerates the erosion of the electrodes. The unique experimental data of electrode wear provides valuable insights not only into the development of next-generation ignition systems for renewable fuels, but also other aspects involving the interactions between the gas discharges and the electrodes, such as spark nanoparticle generation.

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Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
electrode wear, evaporation, hydrogen-fueled spark-ignition ICE, laser-induced fluorescence, spark discharge, spark plug, sputtering
in
Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics
volume
58
issue
50
article number
505501
publisher
IOP Publishing
external identifiers
  • scopus:105033331441
ISSN
0022-3727
DOI
10.1088/1361-6463/ae2134
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
Publisher Copyright: © 2025 The Author(s). Published by IOP Publishing Ltd.
id
3f7b14c8-d45a-442d-b391-b041355fa32e
date added to LUP
2026-04-28 14:18:33
date last changed
2026-04-28 15:52:22
@article{3f7b14c8-d45a-442d-b391-b041355fa32e,
  abstract     = {{<p>Reducing greenhouse gas emissions and achieving carbon neutrality require enhancing spark-ignition engine efficiency and compatibility with renewable fuels. However, electrode wear of spark plugs presents a significant challenge in hydrogen-fueled spark-ignition internal combustion engines. Such excessive wear increases the total cost of ownership and may delay the introduction of such low-emission transportation alternatives. Hence, understanding the interaction between spark discharges and the electrodes to reveal the mechanisms of such wear is crucial. Unlike conventional, ex-situ long-term tests, laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) can assess the wear process during the spark discharges by detecting the target species from the electrodes with high temporal resolution. In this work, spatiotemporal characteristics of gas phase nickel atoms originated from nickel-based alloy spark plug electrodes are performed with two-dimensional planar LIF in elevated pressures. A higher intensity and an earlier peak of laser-induced nickel fluorescence signal are observed under higher pressure. The spatial distribution of nickel atoms within the electrodes gap is observed to be different at varied pressures. Lengthening the dwell time, i.e. charging of the coil between DC spark discharges, and thus increasing the energy of sparks can significantly increase the loss of material. Similarly, increasing the peak current of AC sparks results in a higher power of spark discharges and thus increasing the removal of material. Moreover, the low signal intensity in pure nitrogen indicates that the existence of oxygen enhances the evaporation process and accelerates the erosion of the electrodes. The unique experimental data of electrode wear provides valuable insights not only into the development of next-generation ignition systems for renewable fuels, but also other aspects involving the interactions between the gas discharges and the electrodes, such as spark nanoparticle generation.</p>}},
  author       = {{Zhang, Kailun and Feuk, Henrik and Ängeby, Jakob and Ehn, Andreas and Richter, Mattias}},
  issn         = {{0022-3727}},
  keywords     = {{electrode wear; evaporation; hydrogen-fueled spark-ignition ICE; laser-induced fluorescence; spark discharge; spark plug; sputtering}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{12}},
  number       = {{50}},
  publisher    = {{IOP Publishing}},
  series       = {{Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics}},
  title        = {{Investigation of electrode wear during spark discharges using planar laser-induced fluorescence}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1361-6463/ae2134}},
  doi          = {{10.1088/1361-6463/ae2134}},
  volume       = {{58}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}