Using the Spark Plug as a Sensor for Analyzing the State of the Combustion System

This article presents a method that uses a spark plug as a sensor to monitor an internal combustion engine. In addition, the voltage sensors measured the high voltage at the spark plugs using a non-contact method. Monitoring can now be performed in a simple way in real time, along with data processi...

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Main Authors: Matej Kučera, Miroslav Gutten, Daniel Korenčiak, Jozef Kúdelčík
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-07-01
Series:Sensors
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/13/4198
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author Matej Kučera
Miroslav Gutten
Daniel Korenčiak
Jozef Kúdelčík
author_facet Matej Kučera
Miroslav Gutten
Daniel Korenčiak
Jozef Kúdelčík
author_sort Matej Kučera
collection DOAJ
description This article presents a method that uses a spark plug as a sensor to monitor an internal combustion engine. In addition, the voltage sensors measured the high voltage at the spark plugs using a non-contact method. Monitoring can now be performed in a simple way in real time, along with data processing. This method can be effectively used for the monitoring of all cylinders in an internal combustion engine as well as supplementing other measurement methods to optimize engine maintenance and enable correct diagnostic decisions to be made. Experimental analysis focused on the effect of the spark plug gap on the arc duration, flashover voltage, and high-voltage waveforms. It was found that with an increasing gap, the arc duration is shortened, and the breakdown voltage increases linearly, indicating wear of the spark gap. With increasing temperature, the breakdown voltage value decreased. Non-contact measurements at different frequencies showed a relationship between the magnitude of the electric field and the spark plug gap.
format Article
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institution Kabale University
issn 1424-8220
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Sensors
spelling doaj-art-6ccfa27a87264c66bccc1c250106ec2a2025-08-20T03:28:59ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202025-07-012513419810.3390/s25134198Using the Spark Plug as a Sensor for Analyzing the State of the Combustion SystemMatej Kučera0Miroslav Gutten1Daniel Korenčiak2Jozef Kúdelčík3Department of Mechatronics and Electronics, FEEIT, University of Zilina, Univerzitná 1, 01001 Zilina, SlovakiaDepartment of Mechatronics and Electronics, FEEIT, University of Zilina, Univerzitná 1, 01001 Zilina, SlovakiaDepartment of Mechatronics and Electronics, FEEIT, University of Zilina, Univerzitná 1, 01001 Zilina, SlovakiaDepartment of Physics, FEEIT, University of Zilina, Univerzitná 1, 01001 Zilina, SlovakiaThis article presents a method that uses a spark plug as a sensor to monitor an internal combustion engine. In addition, the voltage sensors measured the high voltage at the spark plugs using a non-contact method. Monitoring can now be performed in a simple way in real time, along with data processing. This method can be effectively used for the monitoring of all cylinders in an internal combustion engine as well as supplementing other measurement methods to optimize engine maintenance and enable correct diagnostic decisions to be made. Experimental analysis focused on the effect of the spark plug gap on the arc duration, flashover voltage, and high-voltage waveforms. It was found that with an increasing gap, the arc duration is shortened, and the breakdown voltage increases linearly, indicating wear of the spark gap. With increasing temperature, the breakdown voltage value decreased. Non-contact measurements at different frequencies showed a relationship between the magnitude of the electric field and the spark plug gap.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/13/4198spark plug waveformfault model-based diagnosis ignition systemsspark plug as sensor
spellingShingle Matej Kučera
Miroslav Gutten
Daniel Korenčiak
Jozef Kúdelčík
Using the Spark Plug as a Sensor for Analyzing the State of the Combustion System
Sensors
spark plug waveform
fault model-based diagnosis ignition systems
spark plug as sensor
title Using the Spark Plug as a Sensor for Analyzing the State of the Combustion System
title_full Using the Spark Plug as a Sensor for Analyzing the State of the Combustion System
title_fullStr Using the Spark Plug as a Sensor for Analyzing the State of the Combustion System
title_full_unstemmed Using the Spark Plug as a Sensor for Analyzing the State of the Combustion System
title_short Using the Spark Plug as a Sensor for Analyzing the State of the Combustion System
title_sort using the spark plug as a sensor for analyzing the state of the combustion system
topic spark plug waveform
fault model-based diagnosis ignition systems
spark plug as sensor
url https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/13/4198
work_keys_str_mv AT matejkucera usingthesparkplugasasensorforanalyzingthestateofthecombustionsystem
AT miroslavgutten usingthesparkplugasasensorforanalyzingthestateofthecombustionsystem
AT danielkorenciak usingthesparkplugasasensorforanalyzingthestateofthecombustionsystem
AT jozefkudelcik usingthesparkplugasasensorforanalyzingthestateofthecombustionsystem