Benefits of KSI

The Ignition System Challenge

With the universality of internal combustion engines, their impact on the environment and fuel consumption receives constant serious attention. Engine designers and manufacturers are challenged to continuously and cost-effectively meet demands to improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions, without compromising performance.

• Reduce emissions while improving fuel efficiency, under all operational and atmospheric conditions
• Simultaneously increase power output while maintaining fuel efficiency
• Deliver increased power while maintaining smooth and reliable operations under all operating conditions.

A large part of the challenge in developing these cost-effective solutions is that many of the new requirements fall outside the capabilities of current ignition systems.

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For engine manufacturers to develop solutions using current ignition systems, requirements must be moved to fall within the current limits. This is accomplished by expanding the capabilities of other engine sub-systems or functionalities, which is expensive to develop and manufacture. For example, regulations being enacted over the next decade will require a substantial reduction in permissible tailpipe emissions. However, it is expensive to meet these requirements within the limits of today’s engine combustion process.

The KSI Solution

Knite’s Knite Spark Ignition™ (KSI™) system improves overall engine performance by improving the combustion process. This results in:

• improved fuel efficiency
• reduced emissions
• greater performance
• smoother engine operation.

The KSI system generates a moving spark that is 100x larger than a conventional spark. This creates a faster and more thorough combustion event which results in an expansion of the boundaries of the engine’s capability (tuning range). With the limitations of the ignition system removed, engine designers and manufacturers can cost-effectively meet the increasingly challenging requirements being placed on engines. It is no longer the case that meeting one set of requirements comes at the expense of others. The KSI system is the solution that produces internal combustion engines that can be made more fuel-efficient, environmentally-friendlier, and more powerful.

Benefits of KSI

• Improved fuel efficiency

  The substantially larger spark produces a quicker, more complete combustion enabling the engine to operate at significantly leaner mixtures.

• Reduced combustion emissions

  Faster and more complete combustion lowers harmful emissions. KSI reduces the need to use expensive and complicated solutions to meet increasingly stringent emission standards.

• Can be retrofitted into existing engines

  KSI is a direct replacement for conventional ignition systems. KSI spark plugs have the same thread pitch and diameter as conventional plugs. KSI aftermarket solutions can be developed to enable retrofit engines. Because the amount of energy required to fire KSI and conventional plugs is similar, a KSI installation can use the charging portion of the engine’s original ignition system.

• Cost effective solution

  An engine can be converted to KSI for a fraction of the cost of other modifications that would be needed to achieve similar improvements

• As application to most engine markets

  KSI is compatible with the size limitations and operational characteristics of automobiles, smaller recreational vehicles such as outboard motors, personal water craft (PWC), snowmobiles, and two-wheel vehicles such as motorcycles and scooters. KSI is beneficial on both 2-stroke and 4-stroke engines.

• An enabling technology for other internal combustion engine technologies.

  KSI solves implementation problems facing Gasoline Direct Injection and other new engine technologies

  KSI improves the performance of Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI), Exhaust Gas Re-circulation (EGR) and alternative fuels.