DENSO to Release Fuel-saving Spark Plug

Kariya, Dec 24, 2009; DENSO Corporation will launch a fuel-efficient spark plug in the Japanese market on January 6, 2010. DENSO's new spark plug improves fuel efficiency by 1.2 percent, torque by 1.1 percent, and decreases carbon dioxide emissions by 0.8 percent(1) in comparison with the company's conventional nickel spark plug.

The new product, which has been sold under the product name "Twin Tip" in North America(2) and Europe (including Russia), uses a tip shape for the ground electrode, in addition to the tip shape of the center electrode for conventional spark plugs. This unique structure results in improved ignition performance for a more powerful and fuel-efficient combustion.

The new spark plug also uses a newly-developed material, a nickel alloy, for the ground and center electrodes. This material enables the center electrode to be made 40 percent thinner than that of conventional nickel spark plugs. When the spark generated by a spark plug grows during combustion with the air-fuel mixture, it loses heat when it comes into contact with electrodes and ignition performance decreases. Thinner electrodes result in less obstruction of spark growth (quenching), meaning better ignitability.

Spark plugs must also be durable enough to be used in engine combustion chambers and materials such as iridium and platinum have been used to satisfy these conditions. However, due to the high materials cost for these high-performance spark plugs, there has been a gap in both price and performance between these spark plugs and conventional nickel spark plugs. DENSO's new spark plugs are positioned in the middle of high-performance spark plugs and conventional nickel spark plug in its price and performance.

DENSO's goal is to expand the sales of its high-performance nickel spark plug as a replacement to the conventional nickel spark plug. The company currently is considering to sell this spark plug in other countries and regions after carefully studying individual market needs.

(1) Based on DENSO's comparison of the new product with conventional DENSO nickel spark plug. (2) "Twin Tip" sold in North America applies platinum for ground electrode. In other regions, both center and ground electrodes are made by newly developed nickel alloy.