An internal combustion engine includes first and second common rails each having a metering or pressure regulating valve, with the valves settable at different pressure values from one another. Rotors are each sealingly and rotationally received within a respective cavity to define at least one combustion chamber of variable volume. The engine includes first and second fuel injectors for each of the rotors. Each first fuel injector is in fluid communication with the first common rail and each second fuel injector is in fluid communication with the second common rail. A method of feeding fuel in an internal combustion engine is also provided.

The present invention relates to an internal-combustion engine comprising a combustion chamber provided with a single intake valve (2), a single exhaust valve (3), two plugs (4a, 4b) and a fuel injector (5). Furthermore, the combustion chamber comprises means for forming an aerodynamic swirling motion structure of the intake gas in the combustion chamber. Besides, fuel injector (5) is oriented so as to inject the fuel into the central area of the combustion chamber in the direction of the aerodynamic swirling motion structure.

The present invention relates to a combustion chamber of a combustion engine. The combustion chamber comprises a single intake valve (2), a single exhaust valve (3), a fuel injector (5) and two plugs (4). According to the invention, the combustion chamber is substantially elliptical (6) and the components of the combustion chamber are arranged as follows: valves (2, 3) are located at the ends of the major axis (8) of ellipse (6), plugs (4) are located close to the minor axis (9) of ellipse (6), fuel injector (5) is located on the periphery of ellipse (6) between intake valve (2) and a plug (4).

A method of operating an engine assembly receiving fuel, including admitting atmospheric air at a temperature T.sub.1 through an inlet of a compressor having a pressure ratio of PR.sub.GT, compressing the air in the compressor, cooling the compressed air from the compressor through an intercooler to cool the air from a temperature T.sub.BIC to a temperature T.sub.AIC, delivering the cooled compressed air from the intercooler to an inlet of an intermittent internal combustion engine having an effective volumetric compression ratio r.sub.VC, and further compressing the air in the intermittent internal combustion engine before igniting the fuel, where (PR.sub.GT).sup.a (r.sub.VC).sup.b (T.sub.AIC/T.sub.BIC)(T.sub.1/T.sub.A)<1. An engine assembly is also discussed.

A method of operating an internal combustion engine having pilot subchambers communicating with main combustion chambers, the internal combustion engine configured in use to deliver a main fuel injection of a maximum quantity of fuel to the main combustion chambers when the internal combustion engine is operated at maximum load. The method includes delivering a pilot fuel injection of at most 10% of the maximum quantity to the pilot subchambers, igniting the pilot fuel injection within the pilot subchambers, directing the ignited fuel from the pilot subchambers to the main combustion chambers, and delivering a main fuel injection of a main quantity of fuel to at least one of the main combustion chambers receiving the ignited fuel, with the main quantity being at most 10% of the maximum quantity.

A method of operating an internal combustion engine having pilot subchambers communicating with main combustion chambers, the internal combustion engine configured in use to deliver a main fuel injection of a maximum quantity of fuel to the main combustion chambers when the internal combustion engine is operated at maximum load. The method includes delivering a pilot fuel injection of at most 10% of the maximum quantity to the pilot subchambers, igniting the pilot fuel injection within the pilot subchambers, directing the ignited fuel from the pilot subchambers to the main combustion chambers, and delivering a main fuel injection of a main quantity of fuel to at least one of the main combustion chambers receiving the ignited fuel, with the main quantity being at most 10% of the maximum quantity.

Method and apparatus for controlling the volume of air or air and non-combusted fuel mixture inside a combustion chamber and cylinder of an internal combustion engine. The apparatus includes an inlet-outlet portal having open and closed states and connected to air or air and non-combusted fuel source(s), and a combustion chamber with reduced volume. The inlet-outlet portal is controlled, when open, to permit air or air and non-combusted fuel mixture to enter or enter and exit the combustion chamber and cylinder and when closed to prevent air or air and non-combusted fuel mixture from entering or exiting the chamber and cylinder, in which the volume of air or air and non-combusted fuel mixture located inside the chamber and cylinder when the inlet-outlet portal closes, is less than the volume of the combustion chamber and cylinder defined when the piston is at the bottom dead center position inside the cylinder when the inlet-outlet portal is closed.

An internal combustion engine includes first and second common rails each having a metering or pressure regulating valve, with the valves settable at different pressure values from one another. Rotors are each sealingly and rotationally received within a respective cavity to define at least one combustion chamber of variable volume. The engine includes first and second fuel injectors for each of the rotors. Each first fuel injector is in fluid communication with the first common rail and each second fuel injector is in fluid communication with the second common rail. A method of feeding fuel in an internal combustion engine is also provided.

A hybrid-electric aerial vehicle is disclosed comprising: an airframe; a plurality of longitudinal booms extending radially from the airframe; a passively charged internal combustion engine operatively coupled with a fuel tank, a generator operatively coupled with the passively charged internal combustion engine; a battery bank operatively coupled with the generator; and a plurality of motors. The passively charged internal combustion engine has an intake engine valve, an exhaust engine valve, and a combustion chamber, wherein the intake engine valve is delayed to provide an expansion ratio in the combustion chamber that is greater than a compression ratio in the combustion chamber. Each of said plurality of motors may be positioned at a distal end of one of said plurality of longitudinal booms and be operatively coupled with a propeller, wherein the plurality of motors is electrically coupled with the battery bank and the generator.

Methods and systems are provided for injecting air from a compressed air source into an intake port of a Miller Cycle engine. In one example, a method may comprise positioning an intake valve, coupled to a cylinder of a four-cycle internal combustion engine, in an open position during a portion of an intake stroke through a portion of a compression stroke of a piston reciprocating within said cylinder. The method may additionally comprise supplying air to said intake valve from a first source, and injecting air against said intake valve from a second source while said intake valve is open during said compression stroke.