Mechanical Engineering
NOTICE OF SEMINAR PRESENTATION
CANDIDATE: Sankara Narayan Varadaraj
DEGREE SOUGHT: MASc
DATE: 1/16/2026
TIME: 10:30am
PLACE: Room 1102 CEI
TITLE: Discharge Characteristics of Capacitive Discharge Ignition (CDI) and Transistor Coil Ignition (TCI) Under Varying Background Pressure
Abstract
Ignition system performance is crucial in combustion applications—especially for alternative, low-carbon fuels such as methane (CH₄)—because ignition behavior strongly influences engine efficiency and combustion stability. This study compares the discharge characteristics of capacitive discharge ignition (CDI) and transistor coil ignition (TCI) across a range of background pressures. Results show that increasing pressure raises the required breakdown voltage and reduces secondary voltage for both systems. However, CDI exhibits a more pronounced secondary-voltage drop at elevated pressures, which can reduce ignition reliability. In contrast, TCI’s longer discharge duration provides improved ignition stability under high-pressure conditions. Overall, the work offers guidance for selecting and optimizing ignition strategies across different combustion environments and clarifies the trade-off between fast, high-voltage response (CDI) and sustained energy delivery (TCI). These insights support the development of advanced ignition systems for hydrogen, methane, and other low-carbon fuel technologies where robust ignition is essential.