In certain embodiments, Lube Oil Controlled Ignition (LOCI) Engine Combustion overcomes the drawbacks of known combustion technologies. First, lubricating oil is already part of any combustion engine; hence, there is no need to carry a secondary fuel and to have to depend on an additional fuel system as in the case of dual-fuel technologies. Second, the ignition and the start of combustion rely on the controlled autoignition of the lubricating oil preventing the occurrence of abnormal combustion as experienced with the Spark Ignition technology. Third, LOCI combustion is characterized by the traveling of a premixed flame; hence, it has a controllable duration resulting in a wide engine load-speed window unlike the Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition technology where the engine load-speed window is narrow. Adaptive Intake Valve Closure may be used to control in-cylinder compression temperature to be high enough to realize the consistent auto ignition of the lubricating oil mist.

A method of thrust control for an airbreathing jet engine includes obtaining a demanded thrust setting, a value of static pressure at a first axial location of a combustion chamber of the airbreathing jet engine and a value of static pressure at a second axial location of the combustion chamber of the airbreathing jet engine. The second axial location is downstream of the first axial location. The method also includes obtaining a ratio of the value of static pressure at the first axial location of the combustion chamber to the value of static pressure at the second axial location of the combustion chamber; and controlling a fuel flow rate of the airbreathing engine based at least in part on the demanded thrust setting and the ratio of the value of the static pressure at the first axial location to the value of the static pressure at the second axial location.

The invention relates to an electromagnetic switching valve for a fuel-injection system of an internal-combustion engine, which has an actuator region, for moving a closing element, with a pole piece and with an armature and also with a solenoid for generating a magnetic flux in the armature and the pole piece, said armature having a region of magnetic-flux concentration.

A hybrid drive system for a motor vehicle, and a method for operating a motor vehicle. The hybrid drive system includes an amplidyne-type generator and a counterpoise engine to provide the power required for charging the storage batteries and providing supplemental drive energy (acceleration) to the motor vehicle.

A combustion chamber comprising an upstream end wall, at least one annular wall, at least one fuel injector and at least one seal. The at least one annular wall being secured to the upstream end wall. The upstream end wall having at least one aperture. Each fuel injector being arranged in a corresponding one of the apertures in the upstream end wall and each seal being arranged in a corresponding one of the apertures in the upstream end wall and around the corresponding one of the fuel injectors. Each seal having an inner surface facing the corresponding one of the fuel injectors and an outer surface facing away from the corresponding one of the fuel injectors. Each seal abutting the corresponding one of the fuel injectors. The downstream end of each seal increasing in diameter in a downstream direction and the upstream end of each seal having a radially extending flange. Each seal having a plurality of coolant apertures extending axially through the radially extending flange and/or each seal having a plurality of thermal conductors extending axially from the radially extending flange to the downstream end of the seal.

Systems and methods are disclosed that include operating an isothermal compression based combustion (IsoC) engine by injecting isothermally compressed air into a combustion engine immediately prior to a combustion event in order to increase the efficiency of the engine, improve emissions, and substantially eliminate autoignition and associated design constraints. The IsoC engine utilizes an intercooled compressor to isothermally compress air that is stored in a plurality of capacitance tanks prior to delivery of the compressed air to the combustion engine. The IsoC engine allows combustion to be selectively terminated to increase fuel efficiency, thereby resulting in a hybrid compressed air-motor and internal combustion operated IsoC engine.

A fuel injector, comprising a nozzle body having a proximal end and a distal end, an upper row of nozzle holes being equally spaced about a first circumference of the nozzle body, and a lower row of nozzle holes located between the distal end and the upper row of nozzle holes, wherein the upper row has a first number of holes that is greater than a second number of holes in the lower row and wherein one of the first number of holes and the second number of holes is odd.

A two-stroke, opposed-piston engine with one or more ported cylinders and uniflow scavenging includes an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) construction that provides a portion of the exhaust gasses produced by the engine for mixture with charge air to control the production of NOx during combustion.

A piston and an engine are provided that includes various precise configuration parameters, including dimensions, shape and/or relative positioning of combustion chamber features. More particularly, configuration parameters for a piston crown and a piston bowl located within the piston crown are provided. The piston bowl configuration results in a combustion process that yields decreased heat transfer to a cylinder head of the internal combustion engine as well as reduced NOx emissions.

A fuel injector, comprising a nozzle body having a proximal end and a distal end, an upper row of nozzle holes being equally spaced about a first circumference of the nozzle body, and a lower row of nozzle holes located between the distal end and the upper row of nozzle holes, wherein the upper row has a first number of holes that is greater than a second number of holes in the lower row and wherein one of the first number of holes and the second number of holes is odd.