Name: car spark coil voltage design example
Uploaded: 2024-04-11T12:48:39.000Z
Duration: 1 min 14 s
Channel: JoVE

K12 Standards

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills

High School

Specialised Topic in Science

112.51.c.1.

112.51.c.2.D.

design-example-automobile-ignition-system

Design Example: Automobile Ignition System

An automobile&#39;s ignition system includes an essential component, the spark plug, with two electrodes separated by an air gap. When high voltage is applied between these electrodes, a spark forms across the air gap, igniting the fuel.
Designing a spark plug operating with a small car battery involves the use of inductor properties.
When the ignition switch is closed, the spark coil&#39;s current rises steadily until it stabilizes. At constant current, the voltage becomes zero.
However, when the switch abruptly opens, the rapidly collapsing magnetic field inside and around the inductor generates a high voltage, triggering a spark.
For design purposes, consider a spark coil with known inductance and resistance. If a 12-volt battery supplies power, the goal is to estimate the final current through the coil when the switch is off and the voltage across the air gap, assuming a 2-microsecond switch opening time.
The ratio of the battery&#39;s voltage to the coil&#39;s resistance gives the current.
While the voltage is determined by substituting the known values in the inductor&#39;s voltage relationship.

design example: automobile ignition system

The automobile&#39;s ignition system plays a vital role by ensuring the timely ignition of the fuel-air mixture in each cylinder. This ignition is facilitated by a spark plug, which is composed of two electrodes separated by an air gap. A spark forms across this air gap when a substantial voltage is generated between the electrodes, leading to the ignition of the fuel.
One can generate a large voltage using a car battery of 12 volts with the help of inductors. Inductors are known for opposing rapid changes in current, which make them the perfect tool for generating sparks.
In the ignition system of an automobile, a specific type of inductor, referred to as the spark coil, is employed. By creating a significant change in current over a brief period, the voltage across the inductor can be amplified. When the ignition switch is engaged, the current passing through the inductor gradually increases until it reaches a stable state. At this juncture, the rate of current change and the voltage of the inductor are both zero.
However, when the switch is suddenly disengaged, a high voltage is created across the inductor due to the rapidly collapsing magnetic field. This results in a spark or arc in the air gap. The spark persists until all the energy stored in the inductor is exhausted in the spark discharge.
This can be illustrated with an example of designing an automobile ignition system. Assuming that the system&#39;s spark coil has an inductance of 20-mH and a resistance, and is supplied with a voltage of 12 V. The task at hand is to calculate the time required for the coil to charge completely, the energy stored in the coil, and the voltage generated at the spark gap if the switch opens in 2 microseconds.
After conducting the necessary calculations, the conclusion drawn is that the coil will be fully charged in 20 milliseconds, will store an energy of 57.6 millijoules, and will generate a voltage of 24 kilovolts at the spark gap when the switch is opened. This high voltage is responsible for creating the spark that ignites the fuel-air mixture in the cylinder, thereby powering the engine of a car.

An automobile&#39;s ignition system includes an essential component, the spark plug, with two electrodes separated by an air gap. When high voltage is ...

Education

JoVE Core

Electrical Engineering

Unit 1

Energy Storage Elements

KEY TERMS AND CONCEPTS

car spark coil voltage design example

An automobile ignition system uses a spark plug and a spark coil to create the high voltage needed to ignite the fuel-air mixture in each cylinder. The spark plug has two electrodes with an air gap between them. When enough voltage appears across that gap, a spark forms and starts combustion.

A 12-volt car battery does not create that spark by itself. The system uses an inductor, which is a component that resists rapid changes in current, to build a much larger voltage. In this ignition setup, that inductor is called the spark coil.

When the ignition switch is closed, current through the coil rises until it reaches steady state. At that point, the current is no longer changing, so the inductor voltage is zero. When the switch opens suddenly, the magnetic field collapses quickly and produces a high voltage across the coil.

That sudden voltage can jump the air gap as an arc. The spark continues until the energy stored in the inductor is used up in the discharge. For a spark coil with 20 mH inductance and a 12 V supply, the coil charges in 20 milliseconds and stores 57.6 millijoules of energy. If the switch opens in 2 microseconds, the spark gap voltage reaches 24 kilovolts, which is enough to ignite the fuel-air mixture and help power the engine.

Car Spark Coil Voltage Design Example

capacitors

Capacitor Charge and Discharge

Capacitors store electric energy and help control signals in devices like car radios. They work by holding charge on two parallel conducting plates with a dielectric, which is the insulating material between the plates. When a voltage source is connected, positive charge builds up on one plate and negative charge builds up on the other. This charge separation creates a potential difference, and it keeps increasing until it matches the source voltage. The electric field inside the capacitor...

energy stored in capacitors

Capacitor Voltage and Charge Behavior

Capacitor voltage and charge behavior depend on how a parallel plate capacitor connects to a battery. When the battery is attached, a potential difference forms across the plates. That voltage determines how much electrical energy the capacitor can store. The voltage across a capacitor can be found by integrating the equation that links voltage and current. That relationship lets students predict the voltage at any moment during charging or discharging. It also shows why a capacitor keeps a...

series and parallel capacitors

Capacitance in Series and Parallel

Capacitors in series and parallel affect a circuit in different ways. These arrangements change the total capacitance, which is the circuit's overall ability to store charge. Knowing the difference helps explain how a circuit responds to signals. When capacitors are connected in series to a battery, the plate tied to the battery's positive terminal becomes positively charged. The plate connected to the negative terminal becomes negatively charged. The other plates develop equal and opposite...

equivalent capacitance

Capacitors in Series and Parallel

Capacitors in series and parallel can be simplified by replacing the group with one equivalent capacitor. This equivalent capacitor stores the same charge as the original network when the same potential difference is applied. The idea helps make complex capacitor circuits easier to analyze. In a parallel connection, capacitors share the same voltage across each branch. The equivalent capacitance of N capacitors in parallel is the sum of their individual capacitances. This type of connection...

inductors

Inductors in Electric Circuits

Inductors are passive components used in electric circuits to store energy in a magnetic field. They are often made by coiling a wire around a magnetic core. This structure gives the component its inductive behavior and its ability to respond to changing current. When current flows through an inductor, the voltage across it is proportional to how quickly the current changes with time. This relationship is written using the passive sign convention, and the constant of proportionality is called...

energy stored in inductors

How Inductor Current Stores Magnetic Energy

An inductor stores energy in its magnetic field. That field is created by the current flowing through the coil. When the current stays steady, there is no measurable voltage across the inductor, so it behaves like a short circuit for direct current. The energy stored in an inductor is the total power delivered over time. It can be written as a function of inductance, L, and current, i, where the stored energy increases with the current in the coil. This relationship helps explain how much...

series and parallel inductors

Equivalent Inductance in Circuit Networks

Equivalent inductance in circuit networks helps simplify circuits with multiple inductors. When inductors are combined, the circuit can often be replaced by one inductor with the same effect on the current and voltage. For inductors in series, the same current flows through each component. Applying Kirchhoff's voltage law shows that the total voltage is the sum of the inductor voltages. As a result, the equivalent inductance of a series group is the sum of the individual inductances. This is...

An automobile ignition system uses a spark plug and a spark coil to create the high voltage needed to ignite the fuel-air mixture in each cylinder. The spark plug has two electrodes with an air gap between them. When enough voltage appears across that gap, a spark forms and starts combustion. A 12-volt car battery does not create that spark by itself. The system uses an inductor, which is a component that resists rapid changes in current, to build a much larger voltage. In this ignition setup,...

key terms and concepts

Explore how a 12-volt battery, spark coil, and inductor create 24 kV at a spark gap to ignite the fuel-air mixture in a car engine.

Car Spark Coil Voltage Design Example | JoVE K12

JoVE Core Electrical Engineering offers easy-to-understand animated videos that cover fundamental concepts of electric circuits along with circuit analysis techniques. It incorporates first-order and second-order circuits using operational amplifiers and circuit transformation concepts. The inclusion of practical design examples and real-world applications through scientist-in-action videos adds significant educational value, making complex concepts accessible.

electrical engineering

Chemistry and Physics

IPC.6

IPC.6.A

The Scientific Method

The scientific method is a detailed, empirical problem-solving process used by biologists and other scientists. This iterative approach involves ...

Inductive Reasoning

Inductive reasoning is a form of logical thinking that uses related observations to arrive at a general conclusion. It is uncertain and operates in ...

Deductive Reasoning

Deductive reasoning, or deduction, is the type of logic used in hypothesis-based science. In deductive reasoning, the pattern of thinking moves in the ...

Correlation and Causation

Correlation and CausationStatistical tests can calculate whether there is a relationship, or correlation, between independent and dependent variables. A ...

Ask questions and define problems related to specialized topics of study based on observations or information from text, phenomena, models, or investigations;

112.51.c.1.A.

Scientific Method

The scientific method is used to solve problems and explain phenomena. The development of the scientific method coincided with changes in philosophy ...

Demonstrating the Scientific Method with Tree Branches
ExpandObtain branches containing a few dozen typical leaves from five different local tree species. ...

Observation and Background Research
ExpandNOTE: The first two steps in the scientific process involve studying and observing natural phenomena of ...

Problem-Solving

A problem-solving strategy is a plan of action used to find a solution. It involves trial and error, algorithms, heuristics, and insights. Effective ...

Problem Definition

Problem definition is the initial and the most essential step in research.
The researcher identifies and explains the specific issue or gap to be ...

Apply science practices related to specialized topics of study to plan and conduct investigations or use engineering practices to design solutions to problems;

112.51.c.1.B.

Proper Personal Protective Equipment

Robert M. Rioux &#38; William A Elliott, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
Hazards are many and varied in the laboratory, but the right ...

Emergency Eyewash and Shower Stations

Robert M. Rioux, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) mandates that an emergency ...

Electrical Safety

Robert M. Rioux &amp; Suprita Jharimune, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
Among the many hazards present in the laboratory, electrical ...

Working with Centrifuges

Source: Robert M. Rioux &amp; Suprita Jharimune, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
Earth's gravitational force is capable of separating ...

Working with Hot and Cold Sources

Source: Robert M. Rioux &amp; Suprita Jharimune, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
Working with extreme temperatures, both high and low, ...

guidelines-in-case-of-a-laboratory-emergency

Guidelines in Case of a Laboratory Emergency

Robert M. Rioux &amp; Zhifeng Chen, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
The most common laboratory emergencies include chemical spills, ...

chemical-storage-categories-hazards-and-compatibilities

Chemical Storage: Categories, Hazards And Compatibilities

Source: Robert M. Rioux &amp; Taslima A. Zaman, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
While the use of various chemicals in experimental ...

Safe Handling of Mineral Acids

Source: Robert M. Rioux &#38; Taslima A. Zaman, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
A mineral acid (or inorganic acid) is defined as a ...

Handling Chemical Spills

Source: Robert M. Rioux &#38; Taslima Zaman, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
Since chemicals are commonly used for laboratory research ...

Proper Use of Autoclaves

Robert M. Rioux &amp; Zhifeng Chen, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
Autoclaving is one of the most commonly used methods in the ...

Fume Hoods and Laminar Flow Cabinets

Robert M. Rioux &amp; William A. Elliott, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
Fume hoods and laminar flow cabinets are engineering controls ...

Decontamination for Laboratory Biosafety

Robert M. Rioux and Zhifeng Chen, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
Decontamination is essential for laboratory biosafety, as the ...

Proper Waste Disposal

Robert M. Rioux and Taslima A. Zaman, Pennsylvania State University, Pennsylvania, PA

Users are responsible for the proper disposal of the waste ...

Use appropriate safety equipment and practices during laboratory, classroom, and field investigations as outlined in Texas Education Agency-approved safety standards;

112.51.c.1.C.

Common Lab Glassware and Uses

Source: Laboratory of Dr. Neal Abrams &#8212; SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
Glassware is a regular appearance in the professional ...

Lab Techniques

Measurement Accuracy
The ability to repeat an experiment and get the same results, or reproducibility, is essential in scientific research. However, ...

Source: Smaa Koraym at Johns Hopkins University, MD, USA

	Preparation of LaboratoryExpand
	Here we show the laboratory preparation for 10 students ...

Source: Smaa Koraym at Johns Hopkins University, MD, USA

	Determining the Density of an EggExpand
	Density is a measure of how compact a substance or ...

Proper Lab Notebook Keeping

Organic Lab Notebook Keeping
Record keeping is a vital skill in science and organic chemistry labs. Without proper notes, descriptions, quantities, or ...

Source: Lara Al Hariri at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, MA, USA

	Preparation of the LaboratoryExpand
	Here, we show the laboratory preparation ...

Source: Lara Al Hariri and Ahmed Basabrain at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, MA, USA

	Nitration of Methyl BenzoateExpand
	From this lab onward, ...

Use tools appropriate to the specialized topic of study;

112.51.c.1.D.

SI Units: 2019 Redefinition

Measurement is integral to analytical chemistry. Each record comprises a number &#8211; denoting the magnitude&#160; &#8211; and the unit &#8211; a ...

International System of Units

The International System of Units, known as the SI system, is a universally accepted measurement system recognized and used worldwide. The SI system is ...

Measurement: Standard Units

Every measurement provides three kinds of information: the size or magnitude of the measurement (a number), a standard of comparison for the measurement ...

Measurement: Derived Units

The International System of Units or SI system, by international agreement, has fixed measurement units for seven fundamental properties: length, mass, ...

Collect quantitative data using the International System of Units (SI) or qualitative data as evidence as appropriate to the specialized topic of study;

112.51.c.1.E.

Review and Preview

Data are individual items of information obtained from a population or sample. Data may be classified as qualitative (categorical), quantitative ...

What is a Frequency Distribution

A frequency is the number of times a value of the data occurs. The sum of all the frequency values represents the total number of students included in the ...

Cumulative Frequency Distribution

A cumulative frequency distribution is another type of frequency distribution. Instead of reporting how many data values fall in some classes, it reports ...

Ogive Graph

An ogive graph is sometimes called a cumulative frequency polygon. It is one type of frequency polygon that shows cumulative frequency. In other words, ...

Histogram

The histogram is a graphical representation in the x-y form of data distribution in a data set. The horizontal x-axis is labeled with what the data ...

Relative Frequency Histogram

The relative frequency depicts the proportion of data points that have each value. The frequency tells the number of data points that have each value. ...

Scatter Plot

The most common and easiest way to display the relationship between two variables, x and y, is a scatter plot. A scatter plot shows the direction of a ...

Time-Series Graph

A time-series graph is a line graph with repeated measurements taken at successive intervals of time. It is also called a time series chart. To construct ...

Bar Graph

A bar graph is also called a bar chart and consists of bars that are separated from each other. It either uses horizontal or vertical bars to show ...

Multiple Bar Graph

As the name suggests, a multiple bar graph is the same as a bar graph but has multiple bars to depict relationships between different data values. One can ...

Pareto Chart

A Pareto chart is a bar graph or a combination of both line and bar graphs. The bar lengths represent the individual values or the frequency, while the ...

Pie Chart

A pie chart (or a pie graph) is a circular graphical chart or a pictorial representation of categorical data. It is divided into slices of pie each ...

Organize quantitative or qualitative data using representations appropriate to the specialized topic of study such as scatter plots, line graphs, bar graphs, charts, data tables, diagrams, scientific drawings, and student-prepared models;

112.51.c.1.F.

Modeling and Similitude

A scaled model of a dam is tested in a controlled environment to observe how it will manage water flow, turbulence, and pressure.
This setup predicts the ...

Typical Model Studies

Typical model studies analyze scaled-down systems to predict fluid behavior, focusing on interactions with free surfaces and flow around immersed bodies.
...

design-example-creating-a-hydraulic-model-of-a-dam-spillway

Design Example: Creating a Hydraulic Model of a Dam Spillway

A hydraulic model of a dam spillway is often created by scaling down the design, typically to a 1:15 ratio, to replicate key flow characteristics such as ...

Models, Theories, and Laws

Scientists frequently use models to help them comprehend a specific collection of phenomena. In physics, a model is a condensed version of a physical ...

/files/media/science-education/science-education-thumbs/14686.jpg

Concepts and Prototypes

The human nervous system translates sensory stimuli into neural impulses, which the brain processes into information as thoughts and memories, forming ...

Molecular Models

Physical models representing molecular architectures of chemical compounds play essential roles in understanding chemistry. The use of molecular models ...

Develop and use models to represent phenomena, systems, processes, or solutions to problems as appropriate to the specialized topic of study; and

112.51.c.1.G.

Scientific Laws and Theories

Scientific Laws

In science, a law is defined as a concise, verbal or mathematical, statement that summarizes a vast number of experimental observations. ...

Distinguish among scientific hypotheses, theories, and laws as appropriate to the specialized topic of study.

112.51.c.1.H.

Identify advantages and limitations of models such as their size, scale, properties, and materials as appropriate to the specialized topic of study;

112.51.c.2.A.

Introduction to Statistics

The science of statistics involves collecting, analyzing, interpreting, and presenting data. The method of collecting, organizing, and summarizing data is ...

Statistical Analysis: Overview

An analysis is usually conducted by replicated sampling or repeated measurements on the same sample. This leads to scattered results rather than a single ...

systematic-error-methodological-and-sampling-errors

Systematic Error: Methodological and Sampling Errors

Systematic errors, depending on their source, are of four types &#8211; sampling, instrumental, method, and personal errors.
Sampling errors occur due to ...

Random Error

Indeterminate or random errors arise from several uncontrollable variables in successive measurements.
Since these errors can neither be predicted nor ...

types-of-errors-detection-and-minimization

Types of Errors: Detection and Minimization

Error is the deflection of an obtained result from the expected or true results of an experiment. This happens due to the uncertainty associated with the ...

Realism in Experimentation

Source: Laboratories of Gary Lewandowski, Dave Strohmetz, and Natalie Ciarocco&#8212;Monmouth University

In an ideal world researchers would conduct ...

Bias

Bias refers to any tendency that prevents a question from being considered unprejudiced. In research, bias occurs when one outcome or answer is selected ...

Ethics in Research

Today, scientists agree that good research is ethical in nature and is guided by a basic respect for human dignity and safety. However, this has not ...

Analyze data appropriate to the specialized topic of study by identifying significant statistical features, patterns, sources of error, and limitations;

112.51.c.2.B.

Numerical Calculations

In engineering applications, the representation of the numerical value is critical. Presenting or reporting the answer is one of the essential parts of ...

Significant Figures in Calculations

Uncertainty in measurements can be avoided by reporting the results of a calculation with the correct number of significant figures. This can be ...

Dimensional Analysis

Dimensional analysis is a powerful tool that is used in physics and engineering to understand and predict the behavior of physical systems. The basic idea ...

Accuracy, limits, and approximation

Accuracy, limits, and approximations are common in many fields, especially in engineering calculations. These concepts are imperative for ensuring that a ...

Estimation of the Physical Quantities

On many occasions, physicists, other scientists, and engineers need to make estimates of a particular quantity. These are sometimes referred to as ...

/files/media/science-education/science-education-thumbs/14734.jpg

Use mathematical calculations to assess quantitative relationships in data as appropriate to the specialized topic of study; and

112.51.c.2.C.

Scientific and engineering practices. The student, for at least 40% of instructional time, asks questions, identifies problems, and plans and safely conducts classroom, laboratory, and field investigations to explain phenomena or design solutions using appropriate tools and models. The student is expected to:

Car Spark Coil Voltage Design Example

Description

Transcript

Tags

More videos by Standards