Having blown one motor up with a failed knock sensor and being painfully aware of the limitations of knock sensors/knock sensor calibration, I just came across a really interesting factoid - modern control systems use "ion-sensing" in the flame front for real time knock sensing.
This looks to be vastly superior to our knock sensors. Much less prone to calibration error and closer to real time. At first take, it looks like this could be built into a sequential COP kit. I think it would need a dedicated board to generate a knock signal for a Chrome or AEM V2 ecu, but later stuff like the Haltech may already have options for this.
I saw this write-up on the Aprilia forum:
Ion Sensing Ignition Systems
Ion sensing systems are based on the principle that electrical current flow in an ionized gas is proportional to the flame electrical conductivity. In other words, by measuring the current flow in the post combustion ion trail between the plug electrodes, engineers can get an idea of the combustion efficiency during combustion itself. This turns the spark plug into an intrusive engine sensor, providing real time information on each cylinder's unique needs.
Originally, ion sensing ignition systems were used primarily for knock detection and misfire detection. Knock creates a pressure oscillation in the combustion chamber that is reflected in the current measurement. It is more sensitive than conventional knock sensors and eliminates the need for the additional sensor(s). In the presence of a misfire, no ions are created and there is no current flow that can be easily detected. Ion sensing misfire detection is more stable and more accurate than the more common method of monitoring crankshaft speed fluctuations.
@Unlogic @familyMAN @RealMcCoy @Chris @ Rvenge Performance @bboyalan
This looks to be vastly superior to our knock sensors. Much less prone to calibration error and closer to real time. At first take, it looks like this could be built into a sequential COP kit. I think it would need a dedicated board to generate a knock signal for a Chrome or AEM V2 ecu, but later stuff like the Haltech may already have options for this.
I saw this write-up on the Aprilia forum:
Ion Sensing Ignition Systems
Ion sensing systems are based on the principle that electrical current flow in an ionized gas is proportional to the flame electrical conductivity. In other words, by measuring the current flow in the post combustion ion trail between the plug electrodes, engineers can get an idea of the combustion efficiency during combustion itself. This turns the spark plug into an intrusive engine sensor, providing real time information on each cylinder's unique needs.
Originally, ion sensing ignition systems were used primarily for knock detection and misfire detection. Knock creates a pressure oscillation in the combustion chamber that is reflected in the current measurement. It is more sensitive than conventional knock sensors and eliminates the need for the additional sensor(s). In the presence of a misfire, no ions are created and there is no current flow that can be easily detected. Ion sensing misfire detection is more stable and more accurate than the more common method of monitoring crankshaft speed fluctuations.
@Unlogic @familyMAN @RealMcCoy @Chris @ Rvenge Performance @bboyalan