- Project duration: July 1, 2020 - December 1, 2023
- Partners: LEC GmbH, Chair of Structural and Functional Ceramics, INNIO Jenbacher GmbH & Co OG
The conventional materials for spark plug electrodes used in large gas engines are now reaching their limits in terms of resilience. The aim of the project is to identify possible ceramic materials to serve as replacements for the conventional electrode materials. In a first step, possible damage mechanisms will be identified by damage analyses on failed spark plugs or electrodes. Extensive literature studies should identify potentially suitable ceramic materials that can be used as electrode materials. The use of these materials is intended to increase the wear resistance as well as the mechanical and thermophysical (i.e. thermal shock resistance) properties of the electrodes and consequently the service life of the spark plugs.
The damage analyses and the determination of the mechanical and thermal properties are carried out at the Chair of Structural and Functional Ceramics. Prototypes are manufactured with the selected materials at INNIO Jenbacher. Experimental investigations on the spark plug test bench as well as the application in the engine will be carried out at LEC in Graz.
The project is being carried out under the direction of LEC GmbH, which is the leading research institution in the field of combustion technologies for large engines in Austria.