Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes a main combustion chamber, an auxiliary combustion chamber, a partition wall that separates the main and auxiliary combustion chambers, a first igniter disposed in the auxiliary combustion chamber, a second igniter disposed in the main combustion chamber, and a controller electrically coupled to the first and second igniters. The auxiliary combustion chamber has a capacity smaller than that of the main combustion chamber. The partition wall includes a communication passage. The controller is adapted to send an auxiliary combustion chamber ignition timing signal to the first igniter and is adapted to send a main combustion chamber ignition timing signal to the second igniter. Further, the controller is adapted to send the auxiliary and main combustion chamber ignition timing signals such that, in response to at least one engine operating condition, ignition in the auxiliary combustion chamber occurs after ignition in the main combustion chamber.

Abstract: A reforming catalyst (6) induces an isomerization reforming reaction and a decomposition reforming reaction of a gasoline fuel. Injectors (27, 33, 35, 36) supply an isomerized fuel generated by the isomerization reforming reaction and a decomposed fuel generated by the decomposition reforming reaction respectively to the internal combustion engine (1). The ratio of the isomerization reforming reaction and the decomposition reforming reaction depends on a catalyst temperature, and can be altered arbitrarily by controlling an air supply amount to the catalyst (6) via an air amount regulating valve (14) and a fuel supply amount to the catalyst (6) via a fuel injector (8) and thereby controlling the catalyst temperature.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine (100) comprises a fuel injection valve (21, 22) which supplies a first fuel having a higher self-ignitability than gasoline and a second fuel having a higher combustion speed than gasoline such that an air-fuel mixture containing the first fuel and the second fuel is formed in a combustion chamber (14), a spark plug (25) which ignites the air-fuel mixture, and a programmable controller (41) programmed to control supply proportions of the first fuel and the second fuel such that the ignited air-fuel mixture undergoes flame propagation combustion and then undergoes self-ignition combustion. Thus, a reduction in emissions can be achieved, and high thermal efficiency can be realized through the self-ignition combustion.

Abstract: In an embodiment, the invention provides an internal combustion engine, including a first fuel injector that supplies a first fuel to a first predetermined region in a combustion chamber, and a second fuel injector that supplies a second fuel to a second predetermined region in the combustion chamber. The second fuel has an octane number that is different than an octane number of the first fuel, and the second predetermined region is different from the first predetermined region. An ignition device is configured to start ignition of one of the first and second fuels based on an ignition signal. An operation condition detector detects at least one engine operating condition. A controller is configured to provide the ignition signal to the ignition device and to determine which one of the first and second fuels to ignite by the ignition device based on the engine operation condition.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes neighboring main and auxiliary combustion chambers that are separated by a partition wall including a communicating passage. Ignition of an air/fuel mixture in the auxiliary combustion chamber produces a fuel torch that is jetted into an air/fuel mixture in the main combustion chamber. Under a predetermined operation condition, timing for opening an intake valve is retarded relative to both the timing for closing an exhaust valve and the timing for top dead center of a piston on an exhaust stroke. By retarding the timing for opening the intake valve, residual gas in the auxiliary combustion that is left over from a previous cycle can be reduced.

Abstract: A spark-ignition type internal combustion engine, including a main tank for storing a to-be-determined fuel having an unknown self-ignition property, an auxiliary tank for accumulating a reference fuel having a known self-ignition property, and a controller. The controller is programmed to supply to a combustion chamber a blended fuel prepared by blending the to-be-determined fuel and the reference fuel at a predetermined ratio, measure a self-ignition property of the blended fuel, and determine the unknown self-ignition property of the to-be-determined fuel based on the measured self-ignition property of the blended fuel, the known self-ignition property of the reference fuel and the ratio of the blended fuel. The controller is also programmed to introduce the to-be-determined fuel after the determination from the main tank to the auxiliary tank, and store the to-be-determined fuel in the auxiliary tank such that the to-be-determined fuel serves as a next reference fuel having a known self-ignition property.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine (100) comprises a fuel injection valve (21, 22) which supplies a first fuel having a higher self-ignitability than gasoline and a second fuel having a higher combustion speed than gasoline such that an air-fuel mixture containing the first fuel and the second fuel is formed in a combustion chamber (14), a spark plug (25) which ignites the air-fuel mixture, and a programmable controller (41) programmed to control supply proportions of the first fuel and the second fuel such that the ignited air-fuel mixture undergoes flame propagation combustion and then undergoes self-ignition combustion. Thus, a reduction in emissions can be achieved, and high thermal efficiency can be realized through the self-ignition combustion.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine, including a premixed mixture formation device that forms a premixed mixture of fuel and air in a combustion chamber, a fuel gas supply device that injects fuel gas directly into the combustion chamber, and an ignition device that ignites the fuel gas. The fuel gas supply device is configured to inject the fuel gas into the premixed mixture near a top dead center of a compression stroke such that a spray of the fuel gas passes through a firing position of the ignition device, to produce the spray of the fuel gas in a predetermined area substantially extending from one end of a cylinder bore to the other end as viewed in a cylinder-bore direction defined by a centerline of the cylinder bore. The ignition device is configured to directly ignite the spray of the fuel gas and to ignite and burn the premixed mixture by way of flame propagation along the spray of the fuel gas.

Abstract: In an embodiment, the invention provides an internal combustion engine, including a first fuel injector that supplies a first fuel to a first predetermined region in a combustion chamber, and a second fuel injector that supplies a second fuel to a second predetermined region in the combustion chamber. The second fuel has an octane number that is different than an octane number of the first fuel, and the second predetermined region is different from the first predetermined region. An ignition device is configured to start ignition of one of the first and second fuels based on an ignition signal. An operation condition detector detects at least one engine operating condition. A controller is configured to provide the ignition signal to the ignition device and to determine which one of the first and second fuels to ignite by the ignition device based on the engine operation condition.

Abstract: A spark-ignition type internal combustion engine, including a main tank for storing a to-be-determined fuel having an unknown self-ignition property, an auxiliary tank for accumulating a reference fuel having a known self-ignition property, and a controller. The controller is programmed to supply to a combustion chamber a blended fuel prepared by blending the to-be-determined fuel and the reference fuel at a predetermined ratio, measure a self-ignition property of the blended fuel, and determine the unknown self-ignition property of the to-be-determined fuel based on the measured self-ignition property of the blended fuel, the known self-ignition property of the reference fuel and the ratio of the blended fuel. The controller is also programmed to introduce the to-be-determined fuel after the determination from the main tank to the auxiliary tank, and store the to-be-determined fuel in the auxiliary tank such that the to-be-determined fuel serves as a next reference fuel having a known self-ignition property.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes a main combustion chamber, an auxiliary combustion chamber, a partition wall that separates the main and auxiliary combustion chambers, a first igniter disposed in the auxiliary combustion chamber, a second igniter disposed in the main combustion chamber, and a controller electrically coupled to the first and second igniters. The auxiliary combustion chamber has a capacity smaller than that of the main combustion chamber. The partition wall includes a communication passage. The controller is adapted to send an auxiliary combustion chamber ignition timing signal to the first igniter and is adapted to send a main combustion chamber ignition timing signal to the second igniter. Further, the controller is adapted to send the auxiliary and main combustion chamber ignition timing signals such that, in response to at least one engine operating condition, ignition in the auxiliary combustion chamber occurs after ignition in the main combustion chamber.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes a main combustion chamber, an auxiliary combustion chamber, a fuel reforming unit, and a control unit. The auxiliary combustion chamber is configured and arranged to communicate with the main combustion chamber. The fuel reforming unit is configured and arranged to reform a fuel to produce a reformed gaseous fuel and a reformed liquid fuel. The control unit is configured to execute control such that the reformed gaseous fuel is supplied to the auxiliary combustion chamber when a first operating condition exists and the reformed liquid fuel is supplied to the main combustion chamber when a second operating condition exists.

Abstract: A reforming catalyst (6) induces an isomerization reforming reaction and a decomposition reforming reaction of a gasoline fuel. Injectors (27, 33, 35, 36) supply an isomerized fuel generated by the isomerization reforming reaction and a decomposed fuel generated by the decomposition reforming reaction respectively to the internal combustion engine (1). The ratio of the isomerization reforming reaction and the decomposition reforming reaction depends on a catalyst temperature, and can be altered arbitrarily by controlling an air supply amount to the catalyst (6) via an air amount regulating valve (14) and a fuel supply amount to the catalyst (6) via a fuel injector (8) and thereby controlling the catalyst temperature.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes neighboring main and auxiliary combustion chambers that are separated by a partition wall including a communicating passage. Ignition of an air/fuel mixture in the auxiliary combustion chamber produces a fuel torch that is jetted into an air/fuel mixture in the main combustion chamber. Under a predetermined operation condition, timing for opening an intake valve is retarded relative to both the timing for closing an exhaust valve and the timing for top dead center of a piston on an exhaust stroke. By retarding the timing for opening the intake valve, residual gas in the auxiliary combustion that is left over from a previous cycle can be reduced.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes a main combustion chamber, an auxiliary combustion chamber, a fuel reforming unit, and a control unit. The auxiliary combustion chamber is configured and arranged to communicate with the main combustion chamber. The fuel reforming unit is configured and arranged to reform a fuel to produce a reformed gaseous fuel and a reformed liquid fuel. The control unit is configured to execute control such that the reformed gaseous fuel is supplied to the auxiliary combustion chamber when a first operating condition exists and the reformed liquid fuel is supplied to the main combustion chamber when a second operating condition exists.