An apparatus and method for improving the combustion process of an internal combustion engine is disclosed. A prechamber containing a combustible mixture is designed to generate a torch eminating therefrom upon ignition; the torch is controlled to extend and penetrate deeply into the main combustion at a predetermined orientation without contact with the chamber walls. The swirling flame front of the sustained torch produces superior mixing with the unburned combustible mixture in the main combustion, particularly of a rotary engine. The prechamber is located outside the epitrochoid chamber of the rotary engine; in a nonstratified charge mode of this invention, the prechamber serves to receive a portion of the main chamber inducted charge during the compression cycle, which may lean and difficult to ignite in the main chamber. In the prechamber, concentrated hot walls and a localized spark facilitate ready ignition, which in turn permits generation of a torch therefrom. A scavenging system and method is disclosed which serves to drive residual gas elements from the prechamber after the completion of each combustion cycle; the scavenging apparatus may be operated with an independent gas supply, a supply derived from the carburetor or intake of the engine, or from the inducted mixture within the main chamber. The scavenging system may have fuel enrichment to create a predetermined charge stratification. A fuel injection system and method is disclosed which serves to augment or act as the sole prechamber charge. Prechamber design, chamber shape, compression ratios and engine controls are arranged to reduce combustion heat losses and selected emission constituents.

Internal combustion engine control system

The system and method of this invention is directed to effecting combustion of fuel in a rotary piston, internal combustion engine having a housing defining a trochoidal-shaped, multi-lobe cavity in which a rotor is mounted for planetary rotation and defines with the housing working chambers that successively expand and contract in volumetric size as the rotor orbits within the housing cavity. The system and method comprises a precombustion chamber which communicates with successive working chambers through an outlet port. When the outlet port is open to the working chamber at approximately the initiation of the expansion cycle of the working chamber, all the fuel for a particular engine operating condition of speed and load is mixed in the precombustion chamber with a relatively small quantity of air at a pressure substantially greater than the pressure in the working chamber to thereby cause ignition and flash of the fuel into the working chamber. Complete combustion of the fuel rich mixture flashed into the working chamber is supported by the air compressed in the working chambers.

Precombustion chamber rotary piston diesel engine

The disclosed internal combustion engine comprises a single piston compressor (13) associated to each of the combustion chambers (1), said compressor sucking an air/fuel mixture and, due to the action of its discharge strokes, injects said mixture directly inside the combustion chamber (1) at an instant which is appropriately determinated by the synchronization of said compressor (13), the discharge valve (23) of the compressor being arranged inside the combustion chamber (1).

Internal combustion engine provided with a system for direct fuel injection with pneumatic assistance

A rotary internal combustion engine having an even number of rotors planetating relative to and cooperating to drive a crankshaft within an engine housing. An axially extending auxiliary chamber is provided in the housing with each end connecting with a corresponding separate engine rotor cavity through an ignition throat passage. A piston freely reciprocates within the chamber dividing it into separate precombustion chambers for the corresponding rotor cavities. The precombustion chambers receive a rich air fuel charge which is ignited and expands into their corresponding rotor cavity igniting a main air fuel charge. The free piston is responsive to pressure differentials existing between the rotor cavities in which the rotors are phased to provide specific pressure differentials reciprocating the piston after ignition in each cavity. Movement of the piston in response to the pressure differentials is effective to sweep out the burned gases in the particular precombustion chamber into the rotor cavity. The rotor them moves the burned gases discharging them through the engine exhaust system.

Rotary engine with piston scavenged precombustion chambers

A stratified charge rotary internal combustion engine having a housing including opposed end walls in conjunction with a central peripheral wall defining a rotor cavity. A rotor having opposite side walls and a peripheral surface planetates upon an eccentric on an output shaft defining work chambers of varying volume and compressing a regular air-fuel mixture for combustion as it rotates within the cavity. Precombustion chambers are positioned at predetermined locations in one of the rotor side walls and sequentially periodically connect with an inlet port in the adjacent housing end wall. The inlet port is positioned in the engine cycle in constant contact with an inlet vacuum supplying a carbureted rich air-fuel mixture to the precombustion chambers. A throat passage in the rotor connects each chamber with a peripheral surface of the rotor. A spark plug mounted in the adjacent housing end wall ignites the rich air-fuel mixture as the precombustion chambers sequentially periodically align with a sparking port in the wall. The ignited rich mixture burns through the throat passage and ignites the compressed regular air-fuel mixture on the rotor periphery within the rotor cavity.

Stratified charge rotary engine

Arrangement in a rotary piston engine of a main and an auxiliary combustion chamber communicating with each other and an air compressor connected to the auxiliary combustion chamber to serve the purpose of scavenging the latter. The arrangement gives an improved ignition characteristic while ensuring stable and economic engine operation forming clean exhaust gases.

K Nakagawa

Papers

Combustion chamber device for a rotary piston internal combustion engine