Internal combustion engines, including engines producing power from solid or slow burning fuel(s), such as biological-based or petroleum-based fuels, wood, corn, biomass, coal, and waste products, and/or possibly other liquid or gaseous fluids, as well as methods for operating or implementing such engines, are disclosed herein. In an example embodiment, the engine includes a crankshaft, a piston, a cylinder having an internal cavity and several ports, and an assembly having a chamber having a first region within which solid fuel can be situated and combusted. The assembly further includes a diverter valve so that, depending upon a setting of the valve and during engine operation, first and second amounts of compressed air respectively proceed to the first region and to bypass the first region, and a combination of combustion products and the second amount proceeds via one of the ports to the part of the internal cavity.

Internal combustion engines, including engines producing power from solid or slow burning fuel(s), such as biological-based or petroleum-based fuels, wood, corn, biomass, coal, and waste products, and/or possibly other liquid or gaseous fluids, as well as methods for operating or implementing such engines, are disclosed herein. In an example embodiment, the engine includes a crankshaft, a piston, a cylinder having an internal cavity and several ports, and an assembly having a chamber having a first region within which solid fuel can be situated and combusted. The assembly further includes a diverter valve so that, depending upon a setting of the valve and during engine operation, first and second amounts of compressed air respectively proceed to the first region and to bypass the first region, and a combination of combustion products and the second amount proceeds via one of the ports to the part of the internal cavity.

A hydraulics unit for an internal combustion engine with a hydraulically variable gas exchange valve gear, is provided that includes a hydraulic housing having a pressure chamber, a pressure relief chamber and a venting duct. The venting duct is connected, on a hydraulic housing inner side, to the pressure relief chamber via a restriction and opens on a hydraulic housing outer side. The venting duct has a siphon with a downward first duct section and an upward second duct section, respectively in the direction of gravity and in the venting direction. When a gas exchange valve is closed, a lowermost section of the siphon is below a boundary of a pressure chamber defined by a slave piston.

A variable valve timing assembly is provided for extending a duration of an intake valve opening. The variable valve timing assembly includes an intake rocker mounted on a pedestal and operable by a cam lobe to open and close the intake valve. The intake rocker includes a lever extension, and a holding member in the pedestal is lockable in position by a hydraulic circuit in the pedestal to contact the lever extension of the intake rocker and hold the intake valve in the open position. A reset pin in the pedestal is actuatable by the cam lobe to release the holding member to allow the intake valve to close.

An oil control valve for controlling a cam phaser includes a valve housing, a recirculation housing, a spool guide, a spool, a first and second recirculation valve, and a one-way inlet valve. The valve housing has a pressure inlet port, a first bore having a first inner surface, a first port, and a second port. The recirculation housing has a first slot, a second slot, a second bore having a second inner surface, and a first outer surface. A first recirculation valve is disposed in the first slot of the recirculation housing. A second recirculation valve is disposed in the second slot of the recirculation housing. The one-way inlet valve disposed in the pressure inlet port. The recirculation housing and spool are each slidingly disposed to have a first, second, and third modes.

An oil control valve for controlling a cam phaser includes a valve housing, a recirculation housing, a spool guide, a spool, a first and second recirculation valve, and a one-way inlet valve. The valve housing has a pressure inlet port, a first bore having a first inner surface, a first port, and a second port. The recirculation housing has a first slot, a second slot, a second bore having a second inner surface, and a first outer surface. A first recirculation valve is disposed in the first slot of the recirculation housing. A second recirculation valve is disposed in the second slot of the recirculation housing. The one-way inlet valve disposed in the pressure inlet port. The recirculation housing and spool are each slidingly disposed to have a first, second, and third modes.

Methods and systems are provided for providing compression release during a stop/start event in an engine. In one example, a method includes: responsive to a request for a stop/start event in an engine with a continuously variable valve lift (CVVL) system including a compression release hydraulic valve actuator coupled to a valve of a first cylinder, determining a desired stop position of the engine; and prior to restarting the engine during the stop/start event, adjusting the compression release hydraulic valve actuator to open the valve during a compression stroke of the first cylinder. In this way, an amount of torque used to restart the engine may be reduced.

A valve actuation system comprising a valve actuation motion source configured to provide a main event valve actuation motion to at least one engine valve via a main motion load path that comprises at least one valve train component. The valve actuation system further includes a lost motion component arranged within a first valve train component in the main motion load path, the lost motion component being controllable to operate in a motion conveying state or a motion absorbing state. The valve actuation system also comprises a high lift transfer component arranged in the main motion load path, with the high lift transfer component being configured to permit the main motion load path to convey at least a high lift portion of the main event valve actuation motion when the lost motion component is in the motion absorbing state.

A camless valve control system for an internal combustion engine in disclosed. The system includes a hydraulic distributor, having a rotating distributor shaft timed to the operation of the engine, the rotating distributor shaft comprising an internal flow dividing plug channeling an internal hydraulic flow to first and second portions of the rotating distributor shaft; an opening control ring oriented coaxially with the rotating distributor shaft with at least one hole configured to cyclically align with the rotating distributor shaft and provide opening hydraulic control to open a controlled valve, and a closing control ring oriented coaxially with the rotating distributor shaft with at least one hole configured to cyclically align with the rotating distributor shaft and provide closing hydraulic control to close the controlled valve.

A camless valve control system for an internal combustion engine in disclosed. The system includes a hydraulic distributor, having a rotating distributor shaft timed to the operation of the engine, the rotating distributor shaft comprising an internal flow dividing plug channeling an internal hydraulic flow to first and second portions of the rotating distributor shaft; an opening control ring oriented coaxially with the rotating distributor shaft with at least one hole configured to cyclically align with the rotating distributor shaft and provide opening hydraulic control to open a controlled valve, and a closing control ring oriented coaxially with the rotating distributor shaft with at least one hole configured to cyclically align with the rotating distributor shaft and provide closing hydraulic control to close the controlled valve.