Combustion stability can be improved while HC and PN discharged from a combustion chamber are prevented. In an ECU that controls a fuel injection device installed in a combustion chamber of an internal-combustion engine so as to be able to inject fuel in a direction intersecting with a sliding direction of a piston, a pressure value of the fuel supplied to the fuel injection device is acquired, control is performed such that the fuel injection device injects the fuel at least twice in a compression stroke, and control is performed such that fuel injection timing of at least one time in the compression stroke is advanced earlier than fuel injection timing of a time corresponding to the high pressure value of the fuel when the acquired fuel pressure value is low.

An engine control apparatus includes an ignition control section and an injection control section. When partial compression ignition combustion is carried out, the ignition control section causes an ignition plug to carry out: main ignition in which a spark is generated in a late period of a compression stroke or an initial period of an expansion stroke to initiate the SI combustion; and preceding ignition in which the spark is generated at earlier timing than the main ignition. Also, when the partial compression ignition combustion is carried out, the injection control section causes the injector to inject fuel at such timing that the fuel exists in a cylinder at an earlier time point than the preceding ignition. Energy of the preceding ignition is set to be higher when an engine speed is high than when the engine speed is low.

An engine control apparatus includes an ignition control section and an injection control section. When partial compression ignition combustion is carried out, the ignition control section causes an ignition plug to carry out: main ignition in which a spark is generated in a late period of a compression stroke or an initial period of an expansion stroke to initiate the SI combustion; and preceding ignition in which the spark is generated at earlier timing than the main ignition. Also, when the partial compression ignition combustion is carried out, the injection control section causes the injector to inject fuel at such timing that the fuel exists in a cylinder at an earlier time point than the preceding ignition. Energy of the preceding ignition is set to be higher when an engine speed is high than when the engine speed is low.

The cylinder head includes an intake port communicating with a cylinder of a cylinder block, a cylinder head main body having an exhaust port communicating with the cylinder, and a rocker housing integrally formed on the cylinder head main body and an inner side of which is defined as a valve-system accommodating space. The rocker housing includes a lateral wall having a lateral wall main body and a base end portion which extends along a lower end of the lateral wall main body, connects the lateral wall main body to the cylinder head main body, and has a thickness thicker than that of the lateral wall body. A flow path which extends in an extending direction of the base end portion and through which a fluid flow is formed in the base end portion.

The cylinder head includes an intake port communicating with a cylinder of a cylinder block, a cylinder head main body having an exhaust port communicating with the cylinder, and a rocker housing integrally formed on the cylinder head main body and an inner side of which is defined as a valve-system accommodating space. The rocker housing includes a lateral wall having a lateral wall main body and a base end portion which extends along a lower end of the lateral wall main body, connects the lateral wall main body to the cylinder head main body, and has a thickness thicker than that of the lateral wall body. A flow path which extends in an extending direction of the base end portion and through which a fluid flow is formed in the base end portion.

An engine device having gas injectors attached to an intake manifold fixed to a side surface of a cylinder head. A fuel gas injected from the gas injectors is premixed in the intake manifold, and the resulting gas is supplied to a plurality of cylinders and ignited by ignition devices. The intake manifold has a configuration in which a plurality of intake branch pipes communicating with the cylinders are branched from an intake collecting pipe at an air supply side. The intake branch pipes include bent portions. In the bent portions of the intake branch pipes, inside inner walls near the cylinder head are bent at an acute angle.

An apparatus (201) and method for controlling intake valves (23) in an internal combustion engine (5), as well as an internal combustion engine and a vehicle comprising the apparatus, and an electronic processor for performing the method is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a hydraulic system (3) configured to hydraulically actuate a first intake valve (23a) and a second intake valve (23b) of a first combustion chamber (25) of an internal combustion engine (5). The apparatus also includes a controller (9) configured to control the hydraulic system (3) in at least a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation. In the first mode of operation, the controller (9) is configured to control the hydraulic system (3) to cause lifting of the first and second intake valves (23a, 23b) of the first combustion chamber (25) during each intake stroke of a respective cylinder piston (27). In the second mode of operation, the controller (9) is configured to control the hydraulic system (3) to cause lifting of the first intake valve (23a) of the first combustion chamber (25) during an intake stroke of the respective cylinder piston (27) and disable actuation of the second intake valve (23b) of the first combustion chamber (25) during that intake stroke.

An apparatus (201) and method for controlling intake valves (23) in an internal combustion engine (5), as well as an internal combustion engine and a vehicle comprising the apparatus, and an electronic processor for performing the method is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a hydraulic system (3) configured to hydraulically actuate a first intake valve (23a) and a second intake valve (23b) of a first combustion chamber (25) of an internal combustion engine (5). The apparatus also includes a controller (9) configured to control the hydraulic system (3) in at least a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation. In the first mode of operation, the controller (9) is configured to control the hydraulic system (3) to cause lifting of the first and second intake valves (23a, 23b) of the first combustion chamber (25) during each intake stroke of a respective cylinder piston (27). In the second mode of operation, the controller (9) is configured to control the hydraulic system (3) to cause lifting of the first intake valve (23a) of the first combustion chamber (25) during an intake stroke of the respective cylinder piston (27) and disable actuation of the second intake valve (23b) of the first combustion chamber (25) during that intake stroke.

Provided is a thermally insulated insert member and an engine having the thermally insulated insert member. Thermally insulated insert member is disposed in an intake port of a cylinder head of the engine. The thermally insulated insert member includes a guide member that guides a flow of intake air flowing in t he intake port; and a thermally insulative support member with a shape that can be fitted within the intake port. The guide member is formed of a metal and is supported in the intake port via the thermally insulative support member.

Provided is a thermally insulated insert member and an engine having the thermally insulated insert member. Thermally insulated insert member is disposed in an intake port of a cylinder head of the engine. The thermally insulated insert member includes a guide member that guides a flow of intake air flowing in t he intake port; and a thermally insulative support member with a shape that can be fitted within the intake port. The guide member is formed of a metal and is supported in the intake port via the thermally insulative support member.