Maintenance Methods for Spark Plugs of Natural Gas Generator Sets

Spark plugs, commonly known as spark igniters, are used to discharge the pulsed high-voltage electricity sent by high-voltage wires (spark plug wires). They break down the air between the two electrodes of the spark plug, generating an electric spark to ignite the air-fuel mixture in the cylinder. The main types include: standard spark plugs, insulator projection spark plugs, electrode spark plugs, seat spark plugs, multi-electrode spark plugs, surface discharge spark plugs, etc. Spark plugs work in conjunction with the ignition system and the fuel supply system to make the engine run, and to a large extent, jointly determine the performance of the engine. How much do you know about the maintenance of spark plugs for 200KW natural gas generator sets?

For 200KW natural gas generator sets, the spark plugs should be maintained every approximately 250 hours of operation. The specific maintenance cycle depends on the actual operating environment of the spark plugs.

Clean the carbon deposits on the spark plugs and adjust the electrode gap

The electrode gap of the spark plug is generally 0.65mm. If the electrode gap is too small, the spark will be weak, and carbon deposits are likely to form, causing electric leakage. If the gap is too large, the breakdown voltage required increases. When the gap value increases to 0.89mm, it is difficult to start the 200KW natural gas generator set, and ignition discontinuity or failure is likely to occur, making the operation of the natural gas generator set unstable or even causing it to stop.

The method for adjusting the spark plug gap of the generator set is as follows:

(1) Remove the spark plug with a special spark plug wrench (22mm).

(2) Clean the carbon deposits and other dirt on the spark plug electrodes and the installation threads.

(3) Use an electrode gap adjustment tool to adjust the electrode gap to the specified value.

(4) Reinstall the spark plug into the cylinder head.

Note:

① If the rotational resistance during the removal or installation of the spark plug is too large, use an M18X1.5 tap to repair the spark plug thread seat hole in the cylinder head.

② When installing the spark plug into the cylinder head, the tightening torque is 43N·m - 52N·m. After the spark plug is tightened, ensure that the threaded end face at the bottom of the spark plug is flush with the bottom surface of the cylinder head.

(5) If the adjusted spark plug still cannot work properly, it should be replaced.

Measure the resistance value of the spark plug

The internal resistance of a new spark plug is generally 1kΩ. With the change of the operating environment (mainly the environmental humidity), the internal resistance will increase. When the resistance value increases to about 20kΩ, it will greatly affect the ignition effect.

The method for measuring the resistance value of the spark plug with a multimeter is: Connect one end of the multimeter to the connection point between the tail of the spark plug and the high-voltage ignition wire, and the other end to the head electrode of the spark plug. When the measured resistance value is too large and affects the ignition effect, the spark plug should be replaced.

The method for measuring whether the spark plug is short-circuited with a multimeter is: Connect one end of the multimeter to the connection point between the tail of the spark plug and the high-voltage ignition wire, and the other end to the outer shell of the spark plug. If there is no resistance value, it indicates that the spark plug is short-circuited and should be replaced.

Note: If the combustible gas is not fully treated, the corrosive gases contained in it (such as H2S) will gradually corrode the spark plug electrodes, making the electrodes shorter and shorter until normal ignition is no longer possible. Therefore, the corrosion condition of the electrodes should be regularly checked, and the spark plugs of the natural gas generator set should be replaced in a timely manner according to the actual situation.

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