Abstract: A fuel injection control system of an internal combustion engine includes a required injection setting mechanism, a rapid rotational speed change detector, and an injection controller. The required injection setting mechanism calculates a required number of injections and required injection times with regard to a plurality of fuel injections, based on operating conditions of the engine. The rapid rotational speed change detector determines whether the amount of change of the engine speed is equal to or larger than a predetermined value. When it is determined that the amount of change of the engine speed is equal to or larger than the predetermined value, the injection controller controls a fuel injection valve so as to reduce or eliminate differences between the actual injection times and the required injection times. Thereby, even when the engine speed changes rapidly, deteriorations in the driveability and exhaust emissions are prevented.

Abstract: A multi-cylinder spark-ignition direct-injection internal combustion engine is re-fired subsequent to a fuel cutoff event wherein fuel to all cylinders is cutoff. Re-firing the engine includes selectively firing individual cylinders during re-firing engine cycles exclusively at a predetermined fixed fuel mass until all cylinders have been fired at least once, whereafter subsequent firing of individual cylinders is not limited to the predetermined fixed fuel mass.

Abstract: A fuel system includes a plurality of fuel injectors each defining a nozzle supply passage, a nozzle outlet and a low pressure space. The fuel system includes a plurality of mechanically actuated pressure intensifiers each including a tappet and being positioned partially within one of the fuel injectors, and a common rail fluidly connecting with each of the fuel injectors. Each of the fuel injectors further includes an injection pressure control mechanism having an injection pressure control valve. Each injection pressure control valve blocks the corresponding pressure intensifier from the common rail and fluidly connects the pressure intensifier with the low pressure space at a first position, and fluidly connects the pressure intensifier with the common rail and blocks the pressure intensifier from the low pressure space at a second position.

Abstract: A fuel injection apparatus including a plurality of throttle bodies, a fuel supply pipe to supply fuel to upstream and downstream side injectors; connecting pipes to connect the fuel supply pipe to the upstream side injectors and the downstream side injectors; upstream side branch passages to supply fuel branched from the fuel supply pipe to the respective upstream side injectors; downstream side branch passages to supply fuel branched from the fuel supply pipe to the respective downstream side injectors; a nip angle of the upstream side injectors is larger than a nip angle of the downstream side branch passages against the intake flow direction of the intake passage; and the nip angle of the downstream side branch passages is larger than a nip angle of the downstream side injectors against the intake flow direction of the intake passage.

Abstract: When a direct injection type internal combustion engine is in an operating state, a fuel is split and jetted into a cylinder of the internal combustion engine and split injections are performed in a manner to make a ratio of a piston travel and an injection pulse width of split injection constant in a cycle whereby a rich mixture is not locally generated and a mixture in a cylinder of the internal combustion engine is put in a condition near stoichiometry. Also, when the internal combustion engine is in cold condition, a fuel is split and jetted and split injections are performed so that the ratio of the piston travel and the injection pulse width of split injections monotonously increases in a cycle.

Abstract: Fuel management system for efficient operation of a spark ignition gasoline engine. Injectors inject an anti-knock agent such as ethanol directly into a cylinder of the engine. A fuel management microprocessor system controls injection of the anti-knock agent so as to control knock and minimize that amount of the anti-knock agent that is used in a drive cycle. It is preferred that the anti-knock agent is ethanol. The use of ethanol can be further minimized by injection in a non-uniform manner within a cylinder. The ethanol injection suppresses knock so that higher compression ratio and/or engine downsizing from increased tubocharging or supercharging can be used to increase the efficiency of the engine.

Abstract: A fuel injection method is provided for diesel engines, particularly diesel engines working according to the opposed piston principle, comprising several injection nozzles arranged in a tangential manner on the periphery of the cylinder. An approximately homogeneous mixing step is achieved by the geometric arrangement of the injection nozzles and by the individual control of the injection amount and of the temporal injection process.

Abstract: A method for determining a fuel mass of a single injection that has been injected into at least one combustion chamber of a combustion engine with at least one injection under high pressure. The method includes determining a correction variable for the single injection with the aid of a comparison of a measure for the actual amount of the injected fuel of at least one test injection, which takes place due to a measure for a default nominal amount of a desired single injection, and a measure for the nominal amount of the test injection. The method additionally includes executing a plurality of timely directly successive test injections.

Abstract: A method for the determination of a fuel mass of a pre-injection injected into at least one combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine by means of at least one injection under high pressure is characterized in that a corrective variable is determined for the pre-injection by means of a comparison between a measure for the actual amount of injected fuel of at least one test post-injection carried out for a predetermined target amount of a desired pre-injection due to a measure, and the measure for the target amount.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to control the discharge amount of unburned fuel components in the internal combustion engine. According the present invention, the number of times of execution of sub fuel injection is changed based on the operation range within which the operation state of the internal combustion engine falls so that the lower the engine load of the internal combustion engine is, and the lower the number of engine revolutions of the internal combustion engine is, the more the number of times of execution of sub fuel injection is increased. Furthermore, the lower the atmospheric pressure is, the lower the temperature of the cooling water of the internal combustion engine is, or the lower the temperature of the intake air of the internal combustion engine is, the more an operation range in which the number of times of execution of sub fuel injection is large is expanded to higher loads and higher revolutions.

Abstract: For the direct re-entry in the CAI operating mode following a pull fuel cut off phase the CAI specific valve lift is maintained during its pull fuel cut off phase. Upon a request signal for the CAI re-entry after the closing time of the particular cylinder, an advance fuel injection quantity is injected in the combustion chamber and externally ignited and combusted in the following CAI interim compression phase of the exhaust stroke, as a result of which hot exhaust gas is formed in the combustion chamber, fresh air is drawn into the combustion chamber during the following intake stroke, a main fuel injection quantity is injected in a main compression phase during the following compression stroke, and the exhaust gas content brought about from the earlier auxiliary fuel injection, is mixed with the air-fuel mixture newly introduced for the main ignition to form a self-ignitable, homogenous fresh air-exhaust gas-fuel mixture.

Abstract: Procedure for the transition of an internal combustion engine, particularly a gasoline engine with direct gasoline injection and with a partially variable valve-train assembly, from an initial mode of operation into a target mode of operation, whereby the initial mode of operation and the target mode of operation are either a mode of operation with an externally-supplied ignition or one with self-ignition. The procedure comprises the procedural steps: Adaptation of the operating parameters of the initial mode of operation to the required values for the target mode of operation in a map-based pilot control phase Changeover of the mode of operation after the map-based pilot control phase Closed-loop control of the operating parameters after the changeover.

Abstract: At each engine cycle, nearby the TDCC, an injector is driven so as to perform a fuel injection sequence according to a predetermined pattern (A-Z), including a plurality of successive, separate fuel injection pulses (pulse 1-pulse N) having respective predetermined durations. The start of the first injection pulse (Pulse 1) of the sequence is defined as a predetermined angular distance from the TDCC. For each injection pulse (pulse 2-pulse N) following the first one (pulse 1) the respective start is selectively determined either as a time distance from the end of the immediately preceding injection pulse (pulse 1-pulse N?1) or as an angular distance from the relevant TDCC, in dependence on the instantaneous value of at least one predetermined parameter.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining the ignitability of fuel, particularly of diesel, biodiesel, gas-to-liquid or biomass-to-liquid fuel, with an unknown fuel quality for an internal combustion engine. Provision is made for the density of the fuel to be ascertained and for the ignitability to be derived from this.

Abstract: Various embodiments of an apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for managing regeneration event characteristics. For example, according to one embodiment, an apparatus for controlling the temperature of the outlet exhaust of an internal combustion engine for a regeneration event on a particulate matter filter includes a regeneration module and a fuel injection strategy module. The regeneration module is configured to determine a desired engine outlet exhaust gas temperature for a regeneration event. The fuel injection strategy module is configured to determine a regeneration fuel injection strategy for achieving the desired engine outlet exhaust gas temperature. The regeneration fuel injection strategy includes a main fuel injection, a first heat post-injection, and a second heat post-injection. In certain implementations, the fuel injection strategy also includes at least one or two non-heat post-injections for achieving a desired particulate filter inlet exhaust gas temperature.

Abstract: A fuel delivery system for an engine is described. The system includes a controller for adjusting injection timing when switching between two injectors of a cylinder. The system can improve engine air-fuel control when switching between two injectors of a cylinder.

Abstract: In order to operate an internal combustion engine, a fresh-air quantity, a residual-gas quantity and a fuel quantity are provided as a function of a load demand. During a change of load from a first to a second load demand, provision is made for the residual-gas quantity to first be provided according to the first load demand and for the fuel quantity to first be provided according to the second load demand.

Abstract: In a fuel injection system of an internal combustion engine that includes, but is not limited to injectors (I1-I4), each of which is adapted to deliver a predetermined amount of pressurized fuel to a combustion chamber of a respective cylinder (C1-C4) of the engine, a high-pressure accumulator volume common to the injectors (I1-I4) and arranged to maintain the fuel at high-pressure, a pressure sensor for measuring fuel pressure in the accumulator volume, a metering unit for adjusting the fuel pressure in the accumulator volume as a function of the measured pressure, so as to maintain a predetermined target injection pressure set-point dependent on the engine operating point by returning excess fuel to a fuel tank; and an electronic control unit arranged for controlling fuel injection timing and quantity by operating injectors control valves, the operating pressure is controlled by triggering retarded injections (INJpost) of a predetermined quantity of fuel to the combustion chamber of the cylinders (C1-C4) of

Abstract: According to an internal combustion engine fuel injection control apparatus and control method, when an operating region of the engine shifts from a fuel cut region in which no fuel is injected to a low load region in which a small amount of fuel is injected, or visa versa, at least one pilot injection is executed ahead of a main injection in the low load region, and the number of pilot injections is determined according to the engine coolant temperature. This injection control makes it possible to ensure drivability while suppressing the amount of HC produced.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine is provided with a control arrangement for influencing exhaust gas pressures and the level of In-Cylinder-Charge-Dilution (ICCD) so as to provide cycles with different emission characteristics. The exhaust gas pressure may be influenced by adjusting a combustion parameter between various cycles. The adjustment of the combustion parameter may, for example, include an adjustment of the injection timing, a change in shot mode, or a change in fuel quantity. By making such adjustments, cycle-to-cycle exhaust gas pressure variations may be introduced so as to influence future combustion events and reduce overall emissions and noise levels.

Abstract: A multifuel internal combustion engine includes: fuel characteristics determining unit that determines ignitability and anti-knocking performance of the fuel introduced into the combustion chamber CC; combustion mode setting unit that sets a compression hypergolic diffusion combustion mode when ignitability of the fuel is excellent, sets a premixed spark-ignition flame propagation combustion mode when the ignitability of the fuel is poor and anti-knocking performance is excellent, and sets a spark assist compression hypergolic diffusion combustion mode when both the ignitability and anti-knocking performance of the fuel are poor; and combustion control execution unit that makes the engine to drive in a combustion mode which is set by the combustion mode setting unit.

Abstract: A control device is provided that controls the injection quantity and injection timing of fuel injected into the cylinder of a diesel engine, in which are provided two control modes of: a normal injection mode in which the injection quantity and injection timing are controlled so that the injected fuel ignites near compression top dead center during an injection period; and a premixed injection mode in which the injection quantity and injection timing are controlled so that fuel injection is completed before compression top dead center and the injected fuel ignites near compression top dead center after a premixing period, and target values of control parameters (pilot injection timing, and the like) are set in advance separately for each control mode, the control device comprising change means for gradually changing target values V1 of one control mode into the target values V2 of the other control mode when switching from one control mode to the other control mode.

Abstract: An injection nozzle for a compression ignition internal combustion engine, the injection nozzle comprising: a nozzle body provided with a bore, within which a unitary valve needle is movable along a primary valve needle axis, the valve needle being engageable with a valve seating defined by the bore to control fuel delivery through first and second outlets, and including a first valve region, a second valve region and a first seat region defined by a transition between the first and second valve regions that seats against the valve seating when the nozzle is in a non-injecting state, wherein the valve needle comprises a third valve region, a relieved region defined by a transition between said second and third valve regions, the relieved region defining a first exit volume between the valve needle and the bore adjacent to the first outlet when the valve needle is lifted from the valve seating into an injecting state, and a fourth valve region having at least a part in closer proximity to the bore than said re

Abstract: In an engine (10) comprising a fuel injector (12) which performs a post injection after performing a main injection into a cylinder and an exhaust valve (15) which opens and closes to discharge an exhaust gas, a controller (70) controls the fuel injector (12) to start the post injection during a period where a gas velocity in the cylinder along a cylinder axis increases after the exhaust valve (15) opens. A duration (t) of the post injection is controlled according to a crank angle at which the post injection is to be performed such that a breakup distance (L) at the end of which the injected fuel atomizes does not become larger than a distance (S) from an injection hole (12a) to a cylinder liner (10c), thereby ensuring that the injected fuel is supplied to an exhaust passage (23) without adhering to the cylinder liner (10c).

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: System for controlling the operation of a motor vehicle diesel engine in which the supply of fuel to the cylinders is controlled as a function of the pressure of a reference cylinder acquired and a predetermined desired fuel supply value for each cylinder, the supply of fuel to the reference cylinder is slaved to its desired supply value as a function of the pressure acquired, the drive shaft rotation speed generated by the displacement of the piston of the reference cylinder and the drive shaft rotation speed generated by the displacement of the piston of at least one other cylinder are acquired, and the supply of fuel to this at least one other cylinder is actuated as a function of the speeds acquired by slaving the drive shaft rotation speed related to the at least one other cylinder to the drive shaft rotation speed related to the reference cylinder.

Abstract: A direct injection spark ignition internal combustion engine including a controller that controls a fuel injector to perform a plurality of fuel injections to inject a necessary amount of fuel during an intake stroke, or from an intake stroke to a first half of a compression stroke, when homogeneous combustion is to be performed. The fuel injection control sets an injection prohibition period, in which injection of the fuel is prohibited, to a middle of the intake stroke. The injection prohibition period is decreased as the engine speed and as the intake air pressure increase. In addition, the amount of fuel injected before the injection prohibition period is reduced, and the amount of fuel injected after the injection prohibition period is increased, as the engine speed decreases.

Abstract: A system for an engine of a vehicle traveling on the road, the system comprising a cylinder of the engine; an emission control device coupled in an exhaust downstream of the cylinder; a first injector configured to directly inject into the cylinder and coupled in a cylinder of the engine; a second injector configured to inject into a port of the cylinder and coupled to a port of the cylinder; and a controller for, in response to a driver pedal tip-in condition, increasing an amount of injection from the first injector.

Abstract: A system and method to heat a fuel injector is described. Resistive heating may be selectively applied to improve the performance of a fuel injector. Specifically, current can be supplied to an electrically operable mechanical valve to improve the operation of the valve at lower temperatures. The method can improve engine performance and lower emissions, at least under some conditions.

Abstract: In a method for controlling the air ratio lambda and for controlling the torque of an internal combustion engine, e.g. of a diesel engine, a fuel is supplied in at least two injection processes, including a main injection of a main injection quantity and a post-injection of a post-injection quantity, and the main injection quantity is influenced to control the torque and the post-injection quantity is influenced to control the lambda value. A corrective main injection quantity ascertained for the torque control is at least proportionally subtracted from the post-injection quantity.

Abstract: A system, method, and software for controlling regeneration and desulfurization of a NOx adsorber is disclosed. An electronic control unit is connected with an engine for selectively controlling operation of the engine between a rich operating mode and a lean operating mode. A NOx adsorber is in fluid communication with a flow of exhaust from the engine. A NOx adsorber manager module is executable by the electronic control unit to determine the need to operate in a de-NOx mode or a de-SOx mode. If the NOx adsorber manager module determines a need exists to operate in the de-NOx mode and the de-SOx mode at the same time, the NOx adsorber manager module executes the de-SOx mode.

Abstract: A method and article of manufacture are provided to operate a spray-guided, spark-ignition, direct fuel injection engine, including injecting a first fuel pulse during a combustion cycle, and initiating spark ignition by energizing a spark igniter. A second fuel pulse is injected during the combustion cycle effective to form an ignitable fuel-air mixture proximal to the spark igniter during a period in time whereat the spark igniter is energized. A preferred elapsed time between an end of the first fuel pulse and start of the spark ignition is determined based upon engine load.

Abstract: A fuel injection system for a direct fuel injection engine is provided. The system includes an injection mode module that selects a fuel injection mode to be one of a single injection mode and a dual injection mode during engine operation and a fuel injection command module that commands fuel injection events based on a crankshaft position, the fuel injection mode and a fuel percentage blending schedule.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes an engine block, at least one combustion cylinder carried by the engine block, and at least one fuel injector. Each fuel injector is associated with a respective combustion cylinder. Each fuel injector includes a plurality of injector nozzles for selectively injecting fuel into a respective combustion cylinder. A single control valve is fluidly coupled with each of the plurality of injector nozzles.

Abstract: A fuel injection control apparatus and method for an internal combustion engine are provided for appropriately calculating fuel injection times for an in-cylinder fuel injection valve and a port fuel injection valve, thereby accurately controlling the amounts of fuel supplied to the internal combustion engine from the in-cylinder fuel injection valve and the port fuel injection valve, respectively. The fuel injection control apparatus calculates an in-cylinder fuel injection amount which should be injected by the in-cylinder fuel injection valve, and calculates an in-cylinder fuel injection time which is a valve opening time of the in-cylinder fuel injection valve in accordance with the calculated in-cylinder fuel injection amount and an acquired cylinder internal pressure.

Abstract: A fuel system for an engine is disclosed. The fuel system has a common source of pressurized fuel, at least one injection device, an exhaust treatment device, and a regeneration device. The at least one injection device is configured to inject fuel from the common source into a combustion chamber of the engine. The exhaust treatment device is configured to remove particulate matter from an exhaust flow of the engine. The regeneration device is configured to inject fuel from the common source into at least one of the exhaust treatment device and the exhaust flow.

Abstract: An internal combustion cylinder assembly includes a cylinder having a cylinder head at an end thereof, a combustion chamber disposed in the cylinder head, a piston disposed slidably within the cylinder, the piston having a bottom dead center position distal from the combustion chamber and a top dead center position proximate to the combustion chamber, a pilot quantity of fuel disposed substantially dispersably within the cylinder, a working fluid disposed compressably within the cylinder, the piston compressing the working fluid and the pilot quantity of fuel as it slides from the bottom dead center position to the top dead center position, and wherein the pilot quantity of fuel is substantially a maximum quantity that will not support auto-ignition when the working fluid and the pilot quantity of fuel have been compressed.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine having a plurality of combustion cylinders and a fuel delivery system. The plurality of combustion cylinders are configured to receive a mixture of gasoline and air and combust such mixture, where some of the combustion cylinders are configured to operate in a spark ignition mode, with the remaining cylinders being configured to operate in a compression ignition mode. The engine may be configured to operate so that fuel vapor purge is added only to cylinders operating in the spark ignition mode. Alternatively, the engine may be operated in either a first purge mode, in which fuel vapor purge is added only to spark ignition cylinders, or a second purge mode, in which fuel vapor purge is added to spark ignition cylinders and compression ignition cylinders.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine having combustion cylinders capable of running on gasoline in either a spark ignition mode or in a homogenous charge compression mode. The allocation of cylinders in each mode is dynamic and may be dynamically controlled and varied during operating of the engine. Also, the engine may include plural aftertreatment systems which may be dynamically selected, typically based on the combustion mode(s) in which the cylinders are operating.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for controlling fuel injection in an internal combustion engine (10) having at least one electric machine (26), wherein a direct injection system (18) for direct injection of fuel into at least one combustion chamber (54) of the internal combustion engine (10) is associated with the internal combustion engine (10), the direct injection system (18) including a mechanically driven high-pressure fuel pump (22) for generating a fuel pressure in an accumulator volume (20) upstream of the at least one combustion chamber (54).

Abstract: A method for controlling direct fuel injection into an engine is detailed. The method comprises determining a quantity of fuel to inject into a combustion chamber during a combustion cycle, and, executing three fuel injection events during the combustion cycle. The first fuel injection event is initiated during a compression stroke immediately before top-dead-center point of piston travel. A first dwell time is substantially equal to a second dwell time. Quantities of fuel injected during each of the three fuel injection events are substantially equal. An aspect of the invention includes the first and second dwell times determined based upon emissions and engine thermal efficiency. The invention facilitates improved engine-out emissions, without substantial changes in engine or aftertreatment hardware.

Abstract: NOx and soot emissions from internal combustion engines, and in particular compression ignition (diesel) engines, are reduced by varying fuel injection timing, fuel injection pressure, and injected fuel volume between low and greater engine loads. At low loads, fuel is injected during one or more low-pressure injections occurring at low injection pressures between the start of the intake stroke and approximately 40 degrees before top dead center during the compression stroke. At higher loads, similar injections are used early in each combustion cycle, in addition to later injections which preferably occur between about 90 degrees before top dead center during the compression stroke, and about 90 degrees after top dead center during the expansion stroke (and which most preferably begin at or closely adjacent the end of the compression stroke). These later injections have higher injection pressure, and also lower injected fuel volume, than the earlier injections.

Abstract: The invention relates to a shape of a combustion chamber for a direct-injection diesel engine, in which a mixture in, particularly, an expansion stroke is promoted by optimally designing the shape of the combustion chamber, and further, the compatibility between PM reduction and NOx reduction can be achieved by improving a retardation limit and speeding up combustion at a high EGR. The inside of a combustion chamber 12 formed at a top of a piston is formed in such a manner that a vertically cross-sectional shape passing a center axis O2 inside of the combustion chamber is symmetric with respect to the center axis. Furthermore, an opening 18 at an upper end of the combustion chamber 12 is formed into a substantially polygonal shape in combination of round portions 21 and straight portions 22.

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: A method to control injection timing for an internal combustion engine having a plurality of injectors in at least a cylinder, the method comprising of boosting intake air delivered to the engine, directly injecting a fuel to at least a cylinder of an internal combustion engine, adjusting each of a timing and number of direct injections for a cylinder cycle as an alcohol amount in the fuel varies, where said adjusting includes advancing direct injection timing relative to intake valve timing as said alcohol amount increases.

Abstract: The invention relates to a direct-injection internal combustion engine that is operated in a first operating range associated with the low part load, with largely homogeneous combustion of the mixture and subsequent injection. Said internal combustion engine is operated in a second operating range associated with the middle part load, with low-temperature combustion of the mixture. In this way, minimum nitrogen oxide and soot emissions and a high degree of efficiency can be achieved both in the lower part load region and up to the full load region.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine that can be operated in compression ignition mode, comprising a fuel injector (2) for each cylinder; a fuel injection control unit (4) for controlling fuel injection quantity and a piston (5) in each cylinder whose compression action causes a mixture of air and fuel to be ignited. The engine is further provided with inlet and outlet valves (6, 7) and sensors (12-16) for measuring various engine operating parameters, is disclosed. During compression ignition mode, the control unit controls the fuel injector to perform a first fuel injection before, and a second fuel injection after top dead center of the piston stroke during or after a negative valve overlap period. A method for operating the engine and a computer readable storage device (4) having stored therein data representing instructions executable by a computer to implement a compression ignition for an internal combustion engine is also described.

Abstract: A method for operating an internal combustion engine in controlled self-ignition, a fuel-air mixture being introduced into a combustion chamber at least partially in a gas-exchange cycle, and being compressed in a compression stroke, the load range usable for the Otto engine self-ignition is broadened in that, in the fuel-air mixture, during the gas-exchange cycle, a flame front is generated at one or a plurality of places by spark ignition, which compresses and/or heats up the remaining fuel-air mixture, and converts the latter thereby at least partially to intermediate combustion products.

Abstract: An electroinjector is provided for controlling fuel injection in an internal-combustion engine. The electroinjector includes an electroactuator, an injection nozzle, and a pin, which is movable along an opening stroke and a closing stroke for opening/closing the nozzle under the control of the electroactuator and according to the supply pressure of the fuel into the electroinjector. A first electrical command and at least a second electrical command, which are sufficiently close to one another as to displace the pin with a profile of motion without any discontinuity in time, and such as to cause the pin to perform a first opening displacement and, respectively, a second opening displacement, are supplied to the electroactuator.

Abstract: An engine ECU executes a program including the steps of: calculating a fuel injection ratio of an in-cylinder injector; calculating an amount of spark advance using a first map employed when the in-cylinder injector has a fuel injection ratio of one, said first map providing a timing of ignition with a maximum amount of spark advance; calculating an amount of spark advance using a second map employed for a fuel injection ratio of zero, said second map providing a timing of ignition with a minimum amount of spark advance; and calculating an amount of spark advance using a third map employed for a fuel injection ratio larger than zero and smaller than one, said third map providing a timing of ignition with a larger amount of spark advance for a larger ratio.