Technology
Lean Burn Lives
Summary - Ignitions
Combustion Electromagnetics Incorporated has done what was thought to be an impossibility until now, the ability to rapidly burn an ultra-lean homogenous mixture in a simple 2-valve engine. This led to the re-inventing of the field of spark ignition, which had not changed since Kettering invented it 100 years ago. This elusive technology, an ignition that makes lean burn work, is the subject of several U.S. patents. In a drive of over 30 years to solve the problem of lean burn and ignition, Dr. Ward managed to make radical innovations to find a solution to a problem which the industry had abandoned: the flow-coupled, lean-burn, spark ignition system. Below is a drawing of a block coil with optimized biased-magnets to give the coil the highest energy, the smallest size, the greatest efficiency, developed in 2008, and patented on May 1, 2009.
Breakthrough in Spark Ignition. The most important development in the coil-per-plug ignition is the high energy, small size and simplicity of the coil. When done, it attained an energy density of 1.25 mJ/gm. The first advance, which took place in 2000 led to an open-E coil design. 
The second advance is based on an open-E core, and has resulted in two patents issued in 2007 (7,178,513, 7,182,077). The third and critical advance resulted in a master patent filed in May, 2009 which features two biasing magnets of precise size, located at the open end of the core. No ignition has come close in comparison. It can deliver 5 times the energy and flow-coupling capability without increase in weight and size, and 10 times the energy when needed, e.g. for cold-start of ethanol and natural gas. In 2008, the ignition was perfected with a far greater capability than was thought possible. With 150 mj of energy, the peak output voltage is a unique function than simply the turn-ratio times the peak input voltage, and relates to the stored energy and the output capacitance of the coil. It leads to half the wire turns in the secondary winding, i.e. it has only 50 turns-ratio for 42 kV, needing 38 AWG instead of a 42 AWG secondary wire, at less than half the cost and half the winding time of the bobbin, and a more robust winding. A patented high energy, circular symmetric, long life, large gap, halo-disc spark plug was also developed. See Lean Burn Update.
Comparison Table. Below is a comparison between our ignition with a coil of 150 gms and a typical OEM ignition with a coil of similar weight of 150 gms.
The main point to appreciate is the far greater energy density and efficiency of the new optimized patented coil, i.e. 1.25 mJ/gm, as opposed to a maximum 0.2 mJ/gm for a state-of-the art OE coil, and the ease of manufacturing the optimized coil, despite its far greater capability.
The missing link in lean burn technology. Despite the small size of the coil, and the claims that high air-flows compromise igniting ability, placing our spark directly in the high air-flows reinforces the spark to produce a torch-like ignition. The result is a much leaner and faster burn, resulting in a process called ignition-flow-coupling, “the missing link in lean burn technology”. Every engine ever developed, using standard ignition, has been compromised by its inability to tolerate high air-flows needed for good combustion, and essential for lean burn.
Test results to determine the energy output and the transfer efficiency of primary to secondary circuit for the 2008/2009 Optimized Coil.
Vs = Vz + )Vs =850 – [50 – 100] volts
[Vs]ave = 900 volts
Chip Loop Time = 33.5
Primary current Ip = 19 to 20 amps = 19.5 amps
Primary Voltage Vp = 41 to 37 = 39 volts
Primary Time Duration Tp = 470 usec
Ep = ½ Χ Ip Χ Vp Χ Tp
Ep= 9.75 Χ 39 Χ 0.47 = 179 mj
Secondary Current Is = 380 ma
Secondary Time Ts = 880 usec
Es = 0.190 Χ 900 Χ 0.88 = 150 mj
Es/Ep = 150/179 = 84 %
Es . 150 mj, and efficiency . 84 %.
BLOCK COIL
The Optimized Coil was tested in prototype form. Its energy density is seen to be over five times greater than a typical OEM coil including the Diamond High Energy Coil, as measured by FM [Magneti Marelli, Carpi, Italy]. The Optimized Coil has been the subject of two provisional patents filed in 2008; and converted to a master patent on May 1, 2009. The coil uses the smallest T&S long laminations and two biasing magnets. Remarkably, it has a much higher output voltage despite its low turns ratio.
The Ward/May engine, patented in January, 2009, has a need for the Optimized Coil. Like the May Fireball, it has its combustion chamber mostly under the exhaust valve. The Fireball has an efficiency gain of 40% and a high compression ratio. But unlike the Fireball, the Ward/May engine has no problem handling the characteristic fast-burn and ultra-lean mixture with its dual plug, powered by the Optimized Coils. By having its spark plugs near the exhaust valve, it can work at a high compression ratio, for high power without engine knock. The 2-Stroke ICS also has a need for the CEI Ignition. Inspired by the May Fireball, it has a typical Bore and Stroke of 3.5" by 3.0", and resembles the 2-cylinder, Fiat engine, but is much simpler and lower cost, i.e. it has only two overhead valves and can be built on any block.
