Abstract: An engine system includes an engine housing having a cylinder block and a cylinder head. An intake opening and an exhaust opening and an igniter opening are formed in a fire deck surface of the cylinder head. A plurality of always-open fuel admission ports are fluidly connected to a combustion chamber and arranged in at least one of the cylinder block or the cylinder head. The always-open fuel admission ports convey a gaseous fuel such as a gaseous hydrogen fuel, a gaseous hydrocarbon fuel, or still others, to the combustion chamber.

Abstract: A novel combustion chamber valve and fuel system for driven fastener hand tool is disclosed having a fuel pump disposed parallel to the combustion and piston chambers. Pressure applied a safety at the nose of the tool is activates the fuel pump in a common direction. Pressure applied on a trigger activates the valve system prior to firing in a common direction. The valve system employs a central shaft coupling three valves, an inlet valve using a novel wedged circumferential edge seal, a control valve using a novel edge circumferential seal with a ventilated support, and a charging exhaust valve using a face seal.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a prechamber. In one example, the prechamber comprises one or more valves for optionally adjusting gas flow therethrough. The one or more valves may allow pre-chamber and combustion chamber settings to be modified, thereby enhancing combustion operating parameters.

Abstract: A method for introducing microwave energy into a combustion chamber of a reciprocating internal combustion engine with at least one cylinder with a cylinder head in which the microwaves reach the combustion chamber through a microwave window, wherein the microwaves are run about a circumference of the combustion chamber and radially injected into the combustion chamber through at least a portion of a combustion chamber wall functioning as a microwave window. The method and the internal combustion engine facilitate a precise control of a beginning of a space ignition of a fuel air mix in the combustion chamber so that an optimum low emission combustion of a fuel is achieved with an efficiency that is higher compared to conventional reciprocating piston combustion engines. In general the invention provides safe ignition of lean fuel air mixtures.

Abstract: A system for igniting a mixture in an internal combustion engine includes an elongate plug body generally residing around a center longitudinal axis and adapted to couple to the internal combustion engine. The system also includes a first ignition body residing about an end of the plug body and a second ignition body adjacent the first ignition body to define a flame kernel initiation gap between the second ignition body and the first ignition body. The system also includes a transversely extending cap at the end of the plug body that is longitudinally spaced from the plug body by a support comprising a leg that is radially offset from the center longitudinal axis, the support defining a peripheral opening around a perimeter of the cap where a total radially-facing area of the support is less than a total area of the peripheral opening.

Abstract: A system, comprising, a combustion chamber, and a free-radical injector configured to inject free radicals into the combustion chamber at an ignition timing to trigger combustion of a fuel-air mixture.

Abstract: A rotary engine with an outer body having an insert located in the peripheral offset from the rotor cavity such that a portion of the peripheral wall extends between the insert and the cavity. The insert has a pilot subchamber defined therein and the portion of the peripheral wall has at least one opening defined therethrough in communication with the at least one outlet opening of the insert and with the cavity. A method of combusting fuel into a rotary engine is also discussed.

Abstract: A gas-powered tool motor includes a combustion chamber with an intake valve at one end, an exhaust valve at another end, and a control plate or control valve between two portions of the combustion chamber. A piston or other positive displacement device is in communication with the combustion chamber. The intake and exhaust valves have closure members that are movable along a common axis in tandem between collective open positions for recharging the combustion chamber with the fuel and air mixture and collective closed positions for detonating the fuel and air mixture in the combustion chamber and displacing the positive displacement device. The control plate or control valve supports limited air flows from a first portion of the combustion chamber to a second portion of the combustion chamber even in the closed position of the control valve for supporting two-stage combustion.

Abstract: Method and apparatus to improve the efficiency of internal combustion engines in which compression and combustion of an Air/Fuel mixture is carried out without a compression stroke as used in conventional internal combustion engines and expansion of the combusted mixture is performed to increase the expansion ratio resulting in an increase in the amount of work extracted. An externally compressed Air/Fuel Mixture is combusted in a variable volume combustion chamber and expanded into a conventional cylinder displacing a power piston to produce rotation of a crankshaft to drive a vehicle or other device. Separation of the variable volume combustion chamber from the conventional cylinder eliminates the conventional Otto Cycle compression stroke and provides a substantially larger expansion ratio than the compression ratio in a conventional engine.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for increasing the efficiency of internal combustion engines in which compression and combustion of an Air/Fuel mixture is carried out without a compression stroke as used in conventional internal combustion engines and expansion of the combusted mixture is performed to significantly increase the expansion ratio resulting in a significant increase in the amount of work extracted from the expansion of combusted mixture. Several embodiments are described. In the preferred embodiment externally compressed Air/Fuel Mixture is combusted in a variable volume combustion chamber and then expanded into a conventional cylinder displacing a power piston to produce rotation of a conventional crankshaft to drive a vehicle or other device.

Abstract: This invention provides an internal combustion engine that has a substantially increased expansion ratio, a variable compression ratio, and subsequently a significantly improved thermal efficiency. This improvement in thermal efficiency is attained without involving a complex mechanical structure or an enlarged engine size. The engine comprises at least a piston and cylinder assembly including a piston reciprocatingly mounted within the cylinder space, and at least two combustion chambers associated with said cylinder, each said combustion chamber having a port leading to said cylinder space and a combustion-chamber valve, said valve opens and closes said port to establish or block the communication between said combustion chamber and cylinder space, wherein said internal combustion engine is adapted to operate on preferred cycles in accordance with load conditions to substantially increase the engine's expansion ratio or provide a variable compression ratio mechanism under part load conditions.

Abstract: High vehicle fuel efficiency is achieved by reducing fuel consumption during driving both in the city and on the highway. During driving in the city, the system accumulates the energy derived from vehicle motion during braking, and uses it to assist in vehicle propulsion at a later time. The energy can be stored either in a compressed-air reservoir or in an electric battery. During cruising on the highway, the engine operates in a two-stage gas-expansion cycle. The engine has primary and secondary cylinders. Only primary cylinders operate in internal-combustion mode. After expansion in primary cylinders, combustion gas is subjected to a second stage of expansion in secondary cylinders. This substantially improves the engine efficiency. Whenever heavy engine load is needed, all cylinders operate in internal-combustion mode.

Abstract: The relative combustion phasing of a homogenous charge compression ignition engine is controlled by controlling the introduction of ions and free radicals to cylinders in the engine. The engine has an engine housing with at least a first and second cylinder and an intake system that introduces a combustible mixture of air and fuel to the cylinders. A piston is disposed in each of the cylinders and is operable to compress a combustible mixture until the mixture auto ignites, without the introduction of a spark.

Abstract: A method and system of controlling auto-ignition timing in an internal combustion engine cylinder in which the timing of auto-ignition in prechambers that are coupled to the cylinder is precisely controlled. The auto-ignition in the prechambers produces hot gas jets that are introduced into the charge space of the cylinder and rapidly induce a second auto-ignition of the mixture in the cylinder. By precisely controlling the timing of the auto-ignitions within the prechambers, the timing of the auto-ignition within the cylinders can, in turn, be precisely controlled.

Abstract: High-efficiency combustion engines, including Otto cycle engines, use a steam-diluted fuel charge at elevated pressure. Air is compressed, and water is evaporated into the compressed air via the partial pressure effect using waste heat from the engine. The resultant pressurized air-steam mixture then burned in the engine with fuel, preferably containing hydrogen to maintain flame front propagation. The high-pressure, steam-laden engine exhaust is used to drive an expander to provide additional mechanical power. The exhaust can also be used to reform fuel to provide hydrogen for the engine combustion. The engine advantageously uses the partial pressure effect to convert low-grade waste heat from engine into useful mechanical power. The engine is capable of high efficiencies (e.g. >50%), with minimal emissions.

Abstract: A method and system of controlling auto-ignition timing in an internal combustion engine cylinder in which the timing of auto-ignition in prechambers that are coupled to the cylinder is precisely controlled. The auto-ignition in the prechambers is produced by a compression stroke using pistons situated within the prechambers. Hot gas jets produced by the prechamber auto-ignitions are introduced into the charge space of the cylinder and rapidly induce a second auto-ignition of the mixture in the cylinder. By precisely controlling the timing of the auto-ignitions within the prechambers, the timing of the auto-ignition within the cylinders can, in turn, be precisely controlled.

Abstract: A hybrid air engine includes an engine block, a head with at least one precombustion chamber (head), at least one intake injector, at least one exhaust valve, a routing manifold, and an engine control module. The at least one intake injector, and the at least one exhaust valve are retained by the head. The precombustion chamber formed in the head includes a spark plug and a precombustion injector. A source of compressed air and a source for fuel is supplied to the routing manifold. The routing manifold directs the flow of the compressed air and fuel to the at least one intake injector and at least one precombustion injector. The engine control module controls the operation of the at least one intake injector, at least one exhaust valve, and other engine components.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine comprises a combustion chamber for cyclic combustion of a fuel while forming a combustion gas, a separate expansion chamber which is connected with the combustion chamber by a controllable combustion chamber outlet valve and which has a piston which is mounted so as to be displaceable for converting energy of the combustion gas into mechanical work and energy, and one or more compressor pumps which is/are constructed as piston-cylinder units for filling the combustion chamber with compressed air and which has/have, in each instance, an air inlet valve. The air inlet valve can be throttled and the volume of the cylinder space of the compressor pump or, in case of several compressor pumps, the total volume of the cylinder spaces of the compressor pumps is at least 25%, preferably at least 50%, greater than the volume for filling the combustion chamber with a mixture having an air-fuel ratio of &lgr;=1 with a quantity of fuel to be supplied under full load of the engine.

Abstract: A recuperating four-stroke internal combustion engine obtains improves Carnot efficiency by use of a new and novel cylinder head which captures thermal energy normally thrown away in the exhaust and re-introduces it to the working cycle. This result, long sought by others, has been achieved by incorporating within the head a compact internal recuperative heat exchanger in series with a combustion chamber or pre-chamber. A recuperator-protecting valve segregates the recuperator from hot combustion gases until the gases reach maximum expansion in the cylinder. Recuperators of both common-duct and seperated-duct design are described, the separated duct recuperator permitting higher recuperator temperature and increased efficiency and a reduction in the number of valves necessary to control gas flow. A preferred embodiment employs four valves per cylinder unit, a separated duct recuperator, and an insulating liner that surrounds both the combustion chamber and the recuperator.

Abstract: To minimize an increase in friction during the compression stroke, a part of the force to compress the air in the main combustion chamber is stored as a spring force to prevent an excess rise of compressed air pressure in the main combustion chamber and to keep low the pressure difference between the main combustion chamber and the pre-combustion chamber. The spring force stored in the spring is recovered as a work during the power stroke to reduce the energy that is used in the form of friction and heat, thereby improving the utilization of air in the main combustion chamber, increasing the combustion speed in the main combustion chamber, shortening the combustion period. By applying the spring force stored in the spring to the piston as a work, the fuel cost is reduced.

Abstract: A prechamber type diesel engine is provided with a cutoff valve in the throat connecting the prechamber and main chamber of each cylinder and operable in cyclically timed fashion to close and open communication between these chambers. Methods of engine operation are disclosed which utilize the cutoff valve to (1) trap combustion products in the prechamber from the previous expansion stroke for use in mixing with the fresh charge in the following compression stroke to provide internal EGR preferably stratified in the prechamber and (2) permit low compression ratio starting by trapping compression pressure in the prechamber from a previous compression stroke for addition to combustion chamber pressure developed on the following compression stroke to provide a higher cylinder pressure for starting than that provided by the overall compression ratio. Advantages of improved engine efficiency and reduced emission levels are anticipated.

Abstract: Method of and apparatus for preparation of a combustible mixture of different mixing ration for a main combustion chamber and for a subsidiary combustion chamber for an internal combustion engine. In such apparatus there are a main suction channel terminating into the main combustion chamber and a subsidiary suction channel terminating into the subsidiary combustion chamber, both combustion chambers being separated from their suction channels by suction valves. The fuel is injected via an injection nozzle into the suction tract of the engine and the formed combustible mixture is sucked into the main combustion space of the engine. Simultaneously a part of the fuel is taken away from the injected fuel jet by a stream of sucked-in air, forming a combustible mixture which is sucked into the subsidiary combustion chamber of the combustion engine.

Abstract: A divided chamber internal combustion engine is provided with means to recirculate combustion products from the engine precombustion or auxiliary combustion chamber to the intake prior to or during the main chamber exhaust process. The arrangement limits the exhaust of rich prechamber combustion products to the main chamber and exhaust system and instead recirculates them to the intake for subsequent recombustion and emission control purposes.

Abstract: The diesel engine of this invention is designed to operate on more than one fuel composition. The auto ignition temperature of each fuel composition can be the same, or it can be different. As a typical example, the engine can be operated using diesel fuel oil, as the primary fuel, and a chlorinated hydrocarbon waste liquid, as the secondary fuel. The waste liquid, which has a higher auto ignition temperature than the diesel fuel, is injected into the combustion chamber of the engine an instant before injection of the diesel fuel. Because of its lower auto ignition temperature, the diesel fuel will ignite first and thus provide a "spark" for igniting the secondary fuel.