Dr. Ward has published papers in the fields of plasma physics, electromagnetics, ignition and combustion, in several journals including the Journal of Applied Physics, Combustion and Flame, Journal of Microwave Power, the SAE and others. He was awarded “Best Paper of the Year” in 1981 by the International Microwave Power Institute for his pioneering work on microwave stimulated combustion. He has received over twenty patents in the fields of ignition, combustion, engine controls and engine design, representing a broad multi-disciplinary and innovative capability. His work has been featured in several magazines including The Economist, The Boston Globe, Harvard Magazine, Design News, Electronics World, Automotive News, and others.
Dr. Ward spearheaded the work on lean burn, which included revolutionizing the two basic forms of spark ignition, inductive and CD. A key patented development is the 42 volt, coil-per-plug ignition with five times the energy of the best competitive systems, for the same size coils. Dr. Ward also developed and patented the concept of ignition-flow-coupling, which was one of the three critical developments needed to realize lean burn.
In the year 2000, Michael was able to burn mixtures of 30 to 1 air-fuel-ratio in a homogenous charge 2-valve engine, to make lean burn the practical alternative for all spark ignition engines. The efficiency of this engine, which used dual-ignition with flow-coupling, is comparable to the 30% greater efficiency of the Diesel, but without its emission, weight, size and cost problems. Recently, Honda and Chrysler introduced 2-valve, 2-plug engines (the Chrysler Hemi and Honda Fit) but with lower ignition flow-coupling and lean burn capability. As part of his education beyond the Ph.D., Dr. Ward has pursued studies in communications and team building. In 1983, the “Adjunct Purpose” was born. Twenty five years later Michael came to fully understand its meaning: Suffering & Love allows one to see through the eyes of God.
In the last five years, Michael has had 2-strokes, the first one left his right side semi-paralyzed, and the second one left him with a speech impediment. It seems that God went to a lot of trouble to give him the answer to the Lean Burn Engine problem, i.e. the 2-Stroke, modified to make use of his 30 years of innovations, and those of Michael May and of the Ford PROCO. In 2009, he was able to design the 2-Stroke Inverted Cross-Scavenged engine which now goes by the name the Holy Grail Engine, the lowest cost, most powerful and efficient engine. Michael is looking for a courageous person or company, grounded in finance and science, with some understanding in engines, to finance building this engine. Michael’s wish is to allow the 2-Stroke ICS to be given license-free to the world by 2015, and before then to be licensed to car makers.
Born in Kampala, Uganda of Greek parents, Michael “Archimedes” was educated in England and in the United States, completing high school in England in Mathematics and Physics, and receiving higher degrees in the U.S., including the Ph.D. in Applied Physics and Applied Math from Harvard University in 1976. Michael has dedicated his life to making a contribution to the suffering of oppressed peoples, which he witnessed as a child growing up in Uganda, East Africa. It was his vision for a more just and compassionate world that has sustained him in his 30 year pursuit of lean burn and fuel efficiency, despite the many challenges encountered.
