An internal combustion-type engine or powertrain that is capable of burning wet-alcohol fuel mixture and including a piston reciprocating within a cylinder attached to a cylinder head and connecting to a crank shaft via a connecting rod. An intake cam and valve is mounted within an intake port formed in the cylinder head and an exhaust cam and valve is mounted within an exhaust port also formed in the cylinder head. A pressurized fuel source is introduced into the cylinder by a fuel injector and the percentage of water in the alcohol/water mix operates to prolong the cylinder pressure in order to increase a mean effective pressure (IMEP), leading to a higher torque (improved Brake Mean Effective Pressure—BMEP) of the engine via a longer pressure pulse attained during the period of preferred mechanical advantage of the crank-arm of the engine.

A compression ignition engine system allows use of hydrous fuels, in particular hydrous biofuels, with high water content (e.g., 20-85% water). The hydrous fuel is pressurized, and also preferably heated via the engine's exhaust gas, to increase its enthalpy, and is then directly injected into the engine cylinder(s) near top dead center. The system provides brake thermal efficiency increases of 20% or more versus a comparable system using conventional diesel fuel, while allowing the use of inexpensive undistilled or lightly distilled biofuels.

A control system for an aero compression combustion drive assembly, the aero compression combustion drive assembly having an engine member, a transmission member and a propeller member, the control system including a sensor for sensing a pressure parameter in each of a plurality of compression chambers of the engine member, the sensor for providing the sensed pressure parameter to a control system device, the control system device having a plurality of control programs for effecting selected engine control and the control system device acting on the sensed pressure parameter to effect a control strategy in the engine member A control method is further included.

An internal combustion engine may include a first piston reciprocatingly disposed in a first cylinder, a combustion chamber fluidly coupled with the first cylinder, and an ignition source at least partially disposed within the combustion chamber. An intake valve may provide selective fluid communication between an intake system and the combustion chamber, an exhaust valve may provide selective fluid communication between an exhaust system and the combustion chamber. A second piston may be reciprocatingly disposed within a second cylinder, configured to draw a fluid into the second cylinder via a fluid inlet, and expel the fluid via a fluid outlet. A pressure accumulator may receive the fluid from the second cylinder and provide a reservoir of pressurized fluid. A crankshaft may be coupled with the first piston and the second piston for rotational motion associated with reciprocating movement of the first piston and the second piston.

An internal combustion engine may include a first piston reciprocatingly disposed in a first cylinder, a combustion chamber fluidly coupled with the first cylinder, and an ignition source at least partially disposed within the combustion chamber. An intake valve may provide selective fluid communication between an intake system and the combustion chamber, an exhaust valve may provide selective fluid communication between an exhaust system and the combustion chamber. A second piston may be reciprocatingly disposed within a second cylinder, configured to draw a fluid into the second cylinder via a fluid inlet, and expel the fluid via a fluid outlet. A pressure accumulator may receive the fluid from the second cylinder and provide a reservoir of pressurized fluid. A crankshaft may be coupled with the first piston and the second piston for rotational motion associated with reciprocating movement of the first piston and the second piston.

An internal combustion engine may include a first piston reciprocatingly disposed in a first cylinder, a combustion chamber fluidly coupled with the first cylinder, and an ignition source at least partially disposed within the combustion chamber. An intake valve may provide selective fluid communication between an intake system and the combustion chamber, and an exhaust valve may provide selective fluid communication between an exhaust system and the combustion chamber. A second piston may be reciprocatingly disposed within a second cylinder. An inlet associated with the second cylinder may be fluidly coupled with the intake system, and an outlet may be fluidly coupled with one or more of the first cylinder and the combustion chamber. A crankshaft may be coupled with the first piston and the second piston for rotational motion associated with reciprocating movement of the first piston and the second piston.

An internal combustion engine may include a first piston reciprocatingly disposed in a first cylinder, a combustion chamber fluidly coupled with the first cylinder, and an ignition source at least partially disposed within the combustion chamber. An intake valve may provide selective fluid communication between an intake system and the combustion chamber, and an exhaust valve may provide selective fluid communication between an exhaust system and the combustion chamber. A second piston may be reciprocatingly disposed within a second cylinder. An inlet associated with the second cylinder may be fluidly coupled with the intake system, and an outlet may be fluidly coupled with one or more of the first cylinder and the combustion chamber. A crankshaft may be coupled with the first piston and the second piston for rotational motion associated with reciprocating movement of the first piston and the second piston.

An internal combustion may include a cylinder having a first combustion chamber at one end and a second combustion chamber at an opposing end, first and second cylinder heads located at an end of the first and second combustion chambers, respectively, and a double-faced piston slidably mounted therein. The piston may be configured to move in a first stroke that includes an expansion stroke portion and a non-expansion stroke portion. The engine may further include first and second piston rod portions extending from opposite faces of the piston. A recess in the piston rod portions may be configured to communicate gases between a combustion chamber and locations outside the cylinder. There may also be a chamber surrounding the first or second piston rod portion, the chamber configured to be supplied with gas and the chamber being isolated from the first combustion chamber and the second combustion chamber.

A sensor for detecting electrically conductive and/or polarizable particles, in particular for detecting soot particles, includes a substrate and at least two electrode layers, a first electrode layer and at least one second electrode layer, which is arranged between the substrate and the first electrode layer. At least one insulation layer is formed between the first electrode layer and the at least one second electrode layer and at least one opening is formed in both the first electrode layer and the at least one insulation layer. At least some sections of the opening in the first electrode layer and of the opening in the insulation layer are arranged one above the other, such that at least one passage is formed to the second electrode layer.

A sensor for detecting electrically conductive and/or polarizable particles, in particular for detecting soot particles, includes a substrate and at least two electrode layers, a first electrode layer and at least one second electrode layer, which is arranged between the substrate and the first electrode layer. At least one insulation layer is formed between the first electrode layer and the at least one second electrode layer and at least one opening is formed in both the first electrode layer and the at least one insulation layer. At least some sections of the opening in the first electrode layer and of the opening in the insulation layer are arranged one above the other, such that at least one passage is formed to the second electrode layer.