Torque fluctuations caused by misfire and abnormal combustion are prevented appropriately at the time of switching from SI to HCCI, and exhaust of NOx is restricted at the time of switching. Provided is a control apparatus for an internal combustion engine performing a plurality of combustion modes each having a different air-fuel ratio and compression end temperature in a cylinder 7 from each other. In the middle of switching from a first combustion mode to a second combustion mode, an intermediate combustion mode in which the compression end temperature is increased while keeping a different air-fuel ratio from the air-fuel ratio of the first combustion mode and the air-fuel ratio of the second combustion mode is performed. Accordingly, at the time of switching between an operation mode performing SI and an operation mode performing HCCI, a temperature in the cylinder 7 and an air-fuel ratio are controlled appropriately, torque fluctuations caused by misfire and abnormal combustion can be prevented appropriately, and exhaust of NOx can be restricted.

Methods and systems are disclosed for operating an engine that includes fuel injectors that supply fuel to cylinders of the engine. According to the methods and system, variation of individual fuel injection amounts injected by a sole fuel injector are determined so that it may be determined if individual fuel injector variation may be contributing to engine air-fuel ratio variation.

A cylinder deactivation change apparatus including fuel supply parts supplying fuel into a first and second combustion chambers of a first and second cylinders, ignition parts igniting fuel-air mixture in the first and the second combustion chambers and a microprocessor. The microprocessor is configured to perform determining whether changing the operation mode is necessary, and controlling the fuel supply parts and ignition parts so as to ignite at first ignition timing before it is determined that changing the operation mode to the first mode is necessary, and so as to ignite at second ignition timing retarded in comparison with the first ignition timing and so as to supply the fuel into the first combustion chamber in a manner that causes a stratified charge combustion in the first combustion chamber, when it is determined that changing the operation mode to the first mode is necessary.

In an internal combustion engine which performs a homogeneous lean combustion mode and a stratified lean combustion mode, there is provided a new internal combustion engine control device capable of obtaining a stable combustion state by decreasing influences of delay of an air flow and a degree of change of a transient state and smoothly performing switching between the homogeneous lean combustion mode and the stratified lean combustion mode. Accordingly, in the present invention, when switching between the stratified lean mode in which a compression stroke injection is performed by a direct injection injector 7 and the homogeneous lean combustion mode in which an intake stroke injection is performed by the direct injection injector 7 is performed, a predetermined delay time t is provided from at least a switching operation of a tumble control valve 6, a switching operation between the compression stroke injection and the intake stroke injection is performed, and the delay time t is set so as to correspond to a magnitude of the degree of change L of the transient state. A switching timing between the compression stroke injection and the intake stroke injection is controlled according to the flow delay of an air control system such as the tumble control valve 6 and the degree of change L of the transient state, and thus, it is possible to improve combustion stability in a combustion chamber.

A fuel injector includes an injector body with a fuel chamber configured to receive fuel from a fuel line, an injector tip provided at an end of the injector body, and one or more nozzle assemblies provided in the injector tip. The one or more nozzle assemblies have a fuel channel in fluid communication with the fuel chamber, a premixing tube fluidly connected to the fuel channel, and a port fluidly connected to the premixing tube. The premixing tube has an orifice providing an outlet for the injector tip.

The magnetic valve recoil device is intended for a valve-type ignition pre-chamber having a stratification cavity connected by a stratification pipe, which a stratification valve can close, to a combustion chamber housing a primary charge, a stratification injector, and an ignition unit leading to the cavity in order to inject and ignite an initiator charge so as to ignite the primary charge via a torch ignition pre-chamber formed by the stratification valve with the stratification pipe when it is not closing the latter, the valve being otherwise kept in contact with the pipe by a magnetic field created by a magnetic field source.

The magnetic valve recoil device is intended for a valve-type ignition pre-chamber having a stratification cavity connected by a stratification pipe, which a stratification valve can close, to a combustion chamber housing a primary charge, a stratification injector, and an ignition unit leading to the cavity in order to inject and ignite an initiator charge so as to ignite the primary charge via a torch ignition pre-chamber formed by the stratification valve with the stratification pipe when it is not closing the latter, the valve being otherwise kept in contact with the pipe by a magnetic field created by a magnetic field source.

Fuel management system for enhanced operation of a spark ignition gasoline engine. Injectors inject an anti-knock agent such as ethanol directly into a cylinder. It is preferred that the direct injection occur after the inlet valve is closed. It is also preferred that stoichiometric operation with a three way catalyst be used to minimize emissions. In addition, it is also preferred that the anti-knock agents have a heat of vaporization per unit of combustion energy that is at least three times that of gasoline.

An internal combustion engine includes an auxiliary chamber bulkhead, the auxiliary chamber bulkhead including: a peripheral wall portion that is inserted in a vertical hole extending from a combustion chamber along a reference axis and that is in contact with an inner wall of the vertical hole about the reference axis; and a bottom wall portion that is continuous from the peripheral wall portion and that bulges from the vertical hole toward the combustion chamber, the peripheral wall portion and the bottom wall portion defining an auxiliary chamber that communicates with the combustion chamber. An ignition plug is disposed above the peripheral wall portion along the reference axis. A fuel injection valve is disposed in a position inclined with respect to the reference axis toward an opening formed in an inner surface of the peripheral wall portion.

Methods and systems are provided for a fuel injector. In one example, a system may include a fuel injector having a half-annular venturi shaped outlet passage arranged between an outlet surface of the fuel injector and a half-cone shaped end portion of a nozzle. The nozzle may further comprise one or more air entraining features working in tandem with the half-annular venturi outlet passage to promote air-fuel mixing.