Abstract:
A system comprising an electronic control unit configured to provide an intake manifold of an internal combustion engine with a mixture of fuel gas, air and exhaust gas with a lambda (λ) of approximately 1 and an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) content of about 10% to about 45%, wherein the internal combustion engine comprises a prechamber coupled to a main combustion chamber, wherein the main combustion chamber is formed in a cylinder by a piston and at least one cylinder head, wherein a source of a gas-air mixture into the prechamber comprises:
an intake port of the main combustion chamber and a connection line between the intake port and a prechamber gas valve of the prechamber; or an intake manifold and a connection line between the intake manifold and the prechamber gas valve of the prechamber.
Abstract:
A cylinder head for an internal combustion engine comprising a prechamber (3), wherein a prechamber gas valve (5) is fitted into a cavity of the cylinder head (2) and the prechamber gas valve (5) is connected to the prechamber (3) by way of a flow transfer passage (10), wherein the flow transfer passage (10) for a given cross-sectional area immediately downstream of the prechamber gas valve (5) is of such a length that in operation of the cylinder head (2) mounted in an internal combustion engine in a compression stroke of the combustion process propellant gas which flow out of the prechamber gas valve (5) forms a gas cushion at least in a first portion (8) of the flow transfer passage (10), that adjoins the prechamber gas valve (5).
Abstract:
An internal combustion engine has first and second cylinders (12, 14), the first cylinder (12) having a larger swept volume than the second cylinder (14) and the second cylinder being formed in the crown of the first cylinder. First and second pistons (16, 18) are reciprocable respectively in the first and second cylinders (12, 14), the second piston (18) being formed as a protrusion on the crown of the first piston (16). The first cylinder has an air inlet (25) and an exhaust outlet (27) whilst a first fuel source (34) provides fuel to the second cylinder (14). The second piston has a crown (35) which is spaced from and connected to the crown (36) of the first piston and which has an edge (37) which is relatively thin in the axial direction compared to the spacing of the first piston crown from the second piston crown. This defines a combustion space (20) between the piston crowns and a side wall (14a) of the second cylinder (14) when the pistons are substantially at the inner dead center position. The combustion space (20) communicates with both cylinders (12,14) during part of the expansion stroke. Inhibiting means is also provided for inhibiting ingression prior to the pistons (16,18) arriving at or adjacent the inner dead center position. This can take the form of a gap (128) between the second piston crown (35) and the second cylinder side wall (14a) with a peripheral groove (39) in the second cylinder wall at its upper end to enable the fuel/air mixture in the second cylinder (14) above the crown (35) to bypass the piston crown when the latter is at its inner dead center position and enter the combustion space (20).
Abstract:
A method for operating a two cycle, spark ignition, internal combustion engine of the class having a combustion chamber divided into a relatively small ignition region and a larger combustion region in which the piston reciprocates. Substantially the same stoichiometric fuel-air mixtures are independently supplied to the ignition region in substantially fixed quantities and to the combustion region in variable quantities. These mixtures are compressed simultaneously so that they remain completely separated prior to ignition. The mixtures are stratified with respect to excess air supplied to both regions and to exhaust gases in the engine cylinder, and combustion initiated in the ignition region ignites the variable-sized mixture in the larger region. Burning proceeds from stoichiometric mixtures to lean mixtures as the stratified excess air is mixed into the burning gases. When no fuel is supplied to the combustion region, the ignition region functions independently and burns its fuel efficiently. The exhaust gas recycled in the cylinder acts to stabilize the combustion by retaining heat from cycle to cycle at light load and absorbing heat at heavy load. Stratification is obtained partially by providing separate chambers for the ignition region and the combustion region, but principally the stratification is maintained by means of stable dynamic flow patterns established in said regions.
Abstract:
A two cycle, spark ignition, internal combustion engine of the class having a combustion chamber divided into a relatively small ignition region and a larger combustion engine in which the piston reciprocates. Substantially the same stoichiometric fuel-air mixtures are independently supplied to the ignition region in substantially fixed quantities and to the combustion region in variable quantities. These mixtures are compressed simultaneously so that they remain completely separated prior to ignition. The mixtures are stratified with respect to excess air supplied to both regions and to exhaust gases in the engine cylinder, and combustion initiated in the ignition region ignites the variable-sized mixture in the larger region. Burning proceeds from stoichiometric mixtures to lean mixtures as the stratified excess air is mixed into the burning gases. When no fuel is supplied to the combustion region, the ignition region functions independently and burns its fuel efficiently. The exhaust gas recycled in the cylinder acts to stabilize the combustion by retaining heat from cycle to cycle at light load and absorbing heat at heavy load. Stratification is obtained partially by providing separate chambers for the ignition region and the combustion region, but principally the stratification is maintained by means of stable dynamic flow patterns established in said regions.
Abstract:
A torch ignition type internal combustion engine has an auxiliary combustion chamber connected by a torch passage to a compact main combustion chamber. A cavity in the cylinder head forming a part of the main combustion chamber is provided with two intake valves on one side of the cavity and one exhaust valve on the other side. A large squish area is formed between the upper surface of the piston and the lower surface of the cylinder head and one or more suction conduits connect this squish area to the torch passage between its ends. Two torch passages may be provided; one may extend into the cavity near the exhaust valve and the other into the cavity near the remote intake valve. A plug chamber receives the spark plug electrodes and this chamber is in communication with both the auxiliary combustion chamber and the torch passage. In one form of the invention one torch passage extends from the lower end of the auxiliary combustion chamber and the other torch passage extends from the plug chamber.
Abstract:
Internal combustion reciprocating-piston engine precombustion chamber in which a mass of air or air mixed with selective amounts of fuel and a spark-ignitable air-fuel mass are segregatively compressed with the latter mass enveloping spark electrodes preparatory to ignition. The chamber is provided by recessing the air intake valve of an engine cylinder into the cylinder head so that this chamber forms a section of the main air intake passage for the cylinder. Air deflecting means is provided in a vestibule of the chamber in a manner to create a vortex of air forced from the cylinder through the vestibule internally of the chamber pursuant to the compression stroke of the cylinder's piston, and, without incurring significant resistance to the flow of air delivered through the air intake passage into the cylinder pursuant to the preceding air intake stroke of the piston.