Patent ID: 6191536
Filing Date: 2001-02-20
Classification: F02P,H01L,H03K

Abstract:
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 power into the capacitive energy storage device;an igniter plug for igniting the fuel;output circuitry for delivering the energy from the capacitive energy storage device to the plug; anda passive network having only two terminals, the terminals connecting the network in series with the capacitive storage device and the output circuitry for selectively completing a low impedance path for discharging the capacitive energy storage device to the igniter plug;the passive network including a first SCR for selectively providing high and low impedance paths between the two terminals of the passive network to selectively discharge the capacitive energy storage device into the output circuitry and the igniter plug,the first SCR having an input and a trigger input; and,a breakover diode connected in a forwardly biased manner between the input of the first SCR and the trigger input of the first SCR, the at least one breakover diode being responsive to a predetermined value of a voltage differential (.DELTA..gradient.) between the two terminals of the passive network for switching the first SCR from the high impedance path to the low impedance path to controllably discharge the capacitive energy storage device to the igniter plug.