Abstract:
A method of operating a rotary engine including a rotor engaged to a shaft and rotationally received in a housing to define a plurality of working chambers of variable volume, including delivering a pilot quantity of fuel into a pilot cavity in successive communication with the working chambers, igniting the pilot quantity of fuel within the pilot cavity, and delivering a main quantity of fuel into the working chambers downstream of the successive communication of the pilot cavity with the working chambers, where at least one of the pilot quantity and the main quantity is varied between successive rotations of the shaft.
Abstract:
An internal combustion engine with at least two movable bodies each being sealingly and movably received within a respective internal cavity to define at least one combustion chamber of variable volume. A pilot fuel injector and a main fuel injector are provided for each movable body. A first chamber of a common rail is in fluid communication with each main fuel injector, and a second chamber of the common rail in fluid communication with each pilot fuel injector. A first metering or pressure regulating valve is in fluid communication with the first chamber. A second metering or pressure regulating valve provides selective fluid communication between the first and second chambers; the metering or pressure regulating valves are settable at different pressure values from one another. The movable bodies may be reciprocating pistons. A method of combusting fuel in an internal combustion engine is also provided.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus for controlling an air input in a rotary engine, including selectively controlling a plurality of inlet ports communicating with an internal combustion cavity of the engine, the ports located serially downstream of the exhaust port relative direction of a revolution of a rotor of the engine. The inlet ports are controlled to alter air intake at various engine operational stages, such as start up, idle, etc., to allow for varying operational requirements to be met. For example: when a power demand on the engine lower than a predetermined threshold, control may be effected by opening a primary inlet port and closing a secondary inlet port; and, when the power demand exceeds the predetermined threshold, control may be effected by opening the primary inlet port and opening the secondary inlet port, the secondary inlet port being located such as to be in communication with the exhaust port throughout portions of the revolution of the engine to purge exhaust gases of the engine.
Abstract:
An internal combustion engine includes first and second common rails each having a metering or pressure regulating valve, with the valves settable at different pressure values from one another. Rotors are each sealingly and rotationally received within a respective cavity to define at least one combustion chamber of variable volume. The engine includes first and second fuel injectors for each of the rotors. Each first fuel injector is in fluid communication with the first common rail and each second fuel injector is in fluid communication with the second common rail. A method of feeding fuel in an internal combustion engine is also provided.
Abstract:
A rotary engine having an outer body having an internal cavity with a peripheral wall having an insert opening defined therethrough in communication with the internal cavity, and a plurality of coolant passages defined through the peripheral wall in proximity of the insert opening, a rotor body rotatable within the internal cavity, and an insert removably received in the insert opening of the peripheral wall, the insert having a subchamber defined therein communicating with the internal cavity, with a minimum width of the insert opening being at least 0.75 inches. An outer body for a rotary engine and a method of inspecting in an internal cavity in an outer body of a rotary engine are also discussed; also, a rotary engine including a fuel injector having a tip received in the injector hole of the peripheral wall without protruding in the insert opening.
Abstract:
An internal combustion engine with at least two rotatable bodies each defining at least one combustion chamber of variable volume and, for each rotatable body: a pilot subchamber, a pilot fuel injector having a tip in communication with the pilot subchamber, an ignition element positioned to ignite fuel within the pilot subchamber, and a main fuel injector spaced apart from the pilot fuel injector. The engine includes a common first fuel conduit in fluid communication with each main fuel injector, and a common second fuel conduit in fluid communication with each pilot fuel injector. First and second pressure regulating mechanisms which are settable at different pressure values from one another respectively regulate a fuel pressure in the first and second conduits. A method of combusting fuel in an internal combustion engine is also provided.
Abstract:
A method of operating an internal combustion engine having pilot subchambers communicating with main combustion chambers, the internal combustion engine configured in use to deliver a main fuel injection of a maximum quantity of fuel to the main combustion chambers when the internal combustion engine is operated at maximum load. The method includes delivering a pilot fuel injection of at most 10% of the maximum quantity to the pilot subchambers, igniting the pilot fuel injection within the pilot subchambers, directing the ignited fuel from the pilot subchambers to the main combustion chambers, and delivering a main fuel injection of a main quantity of fuel to at least one of the main combustion chambers receiving the ignited fuel, with the main quantity being at most 10% of the maximum quantity.
Abstract:
A rotary internal combustion engine including a rotor assembly where at least a first and a second of the combustion chambers have unequal theoretical volumetric ratios. Also, a rotary internal combustion engine including first and second rotor assemblies where at least one of the combustion chambers of the first rotor assembly and at least one of the combustion chambers of the second rotor assembly have unequal effective volumetric compression ratios and/or unequal effective volumetric expansion ratios.
Abstract:
A rotary engine including a rotor sealingly received within an internal cavity of an outer body to define a plurality of combustion chambers having a variable volume, a pilot subchamber located in a wall of the outer body, the pilot subchamber in fluid communication with the internal cavity via at least two spaced apart transfer holes defining a flow restriction between the pilot subchamber and the internal cavity, a pilot fuel injector in fluid communication with the pilot subchamber, an ignition element configured for igniting fuel in the pilot subchamber, and a main fuel injector extending through the stator body and communicating with the cavity at a location spaced apart from the pilot subchamber. A method of combusting fuel in a rotary engine is also discussed.
Abstract:
There is described a system and method for controlling a temperature in the subchamber of a rotary engine. At least one first measurement of at least one engine operating parameter and a second measurement indicative of a present temperature in the subchamber are received. A setpoint for the temperature in the subchamber is computed from the at least one first measurement. In response to the second measurement, at least one control signal indicative of a request to adjust the present temperature towards the setpoint is generated and sent to the engine.