A combustion control system and method for a turbulent jet ignition engine is presented. A controller is configured to access a trained feedforward artificial neural network (ANN) configured to model a first spark from a first ignition source and maximum brake torque (MBT) based on measured operating parameters, generate the first spark and MBT using the ANN, generate a second spark from a second ignition device, and determine a target spark timing. The ANN can be further configured to receive an input related to spark stagger.

An internal combustion engine includes a combustion chamber with a cylinder head, a cylinder, and a piston. The internal combustion engine also includes at least one intake valve and at least one exhaust valve that are connected to the combustion chamber, a fuel injector that injects fuel into the combustion chamber, at least two ignition devices arranged in the combustion chamber, and control means that control the valves, the injector, and the ignition means. The control means operate the engine according to different combustion modes including a controlled ignition combustion mode, a compression ignition combustion mode, and an assisted compression ignition combustion mode. The control means activate the ignition means in the assisted compression ignition combustion mode.

An ignition unit improves an air-fuel-ratio, i.e., good mileage and lean burn without changing a gasoline engine structure significantly. The ignition unit comprises a discharge device including a booster and a discharger provided at an output side of the booster, the booster having a resonance structure configured to boost the electromagnetic wave inputted from the electromagnetic wave oscillator so as to cause a discharge from the discharger, and an electromagnetic wave emitter electrically connected to the electromagnetic wave oscillator and configured to emit the electromagnetic wave inputted from the electromagnetic wave oscillator. Moreover, the ignition unit further includes a housing part including a first hole into which the discharge device is inserted and a second hole into which the electromagnetic wave emitter is inserted such that the housing part houses therein both the discharge device and the electromagnetic wave emitter, and the housing part can be inserted into a single hole of a cylinder head of an internal combustion engine.

A compression-ignition type internal combustion engine that burns a gaseous fuel, improves an ignition performance not only at a center part of the combustion chamber but also at an outer edge part. The compression-ignition engine comprises an electromagnetic wave generator configured to generate an electromagnetic wave, a controller configured to control the electromagnetic wave generator, and a plasma generator comprising a boosting circuit that constitutes a resonator configured to boost the electromagnetic wave, a first electrode configured to receive an output from the boosting circuit, and a second electrode provided to a vicinity of the first electrode, and the plasma generator is configured such that the first electrode is extruded and exposed toward a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine, and a plurality of plasma generators are provided.

Methods and systems are provided for reducing emissions during an engine cold start. In one example, a method may include, during emission control device heating, initiating combustion in a cylinder via a spark plug directly coupled to the cylinder and providing secondary air via a turbulent jet ignition system. In this way, an amount of hydrocarbons in feedgas provided to the emission control device prior to the emission control device reaching its light-off temperature may be reduced.

A small-size injector having a built-in ignition device which can surely inject fuel and ignite the fuel with low electric power by the ignition device with a simple configuration is provided. The injector comprises a fuel injecting device 2 having a fuel injecting port 20 that injects the fuel, an ignition device 3 configured to ignite the injected fuel, and a casing 10 inside housing therein the fuel injecting device 2 and the ignition device 3 together. The motion device 3 is constituted of a plasma generator 3 which integrally comprises a booster 5 having a resonation structure capacity-coupled with an electromagnetic wave oscillator MW configured to oscillate an electromagnetic wave, and a discharger 6 configured to cause a discharge of a high voltage generated by the booster 5.

An ignition device is provided, which can boost an electromagnetic wave supplied by a resonance structure, and cause a discharge by enhancing a potential difference between a discharge electrode and a ground electrode, and even though such a structure of the ignition device, a downsize and a thickness reduction, specifically, the thickness reduction can be achieved. On a main surface of a rectangular insulting substrate (2), an input electrode (3), a coupling electrode (4), a discharge electrode (6), and a ground electrode (7), are provided. The input electrode (3) is connected to an outside terminal on one shorter side. The coupling electrode (4) is capacity-coupled with the input electrode (3). The discharge electrode (6) is connected to the coupling electrode (4) on the other shorter side through a coupling line (5). The ground electrode (7) is, on both longer sides of the main surface of the rectangular insulating substrate (2), capacity-coupled with the coupling electrode (4) and capacity-coupled with the coupling line (5), and extended to the other shorter side. A resonance circuit includes a capacitor constituted by the capacity coupling and an inductor constituted by the coupling line (5). Thereby, the electromagnetic wave supplied from the outside terminal into the input electrode is resonated, a potential difference between the discharge electrode (6) and the ground electrode (7) is enhanced, and then, a discharge is caused.

A multipoint spark plug includes side electrodes provided in a pair so as to extend in a lengthwise direction of a tip end portion via a gap, and an intermediate electrode provided in the gap between the pair of side electrodes such that a plurality of ignition gaps are formed in the lengthwise direction of the tip end portion. An electrode holding portion is formed from separate parts that hold the side electrodes and the intermediate electrode, respectively, so as to insulate the side electrodes and the intermediate electrode from the main body portion, and the respective parts thereof project into the combustion chamber from the tip end portion.

A multipoint spark plug for igniting an air-fuel mixture in a combustion chamber of an engine includes a main body portion that is formed in a flattened shape and inserted into an insertion hole of the engine such that a tip end portion thereof opposes the combustion chamber, a pair of side electrodes provided via a gap in a lengthwise direction of the tip end portion, and at least one intermediate electrode provided in the gap between the pair of side electrodes such that a plurality of ignition gaps are formed in the lengthwise direction of the tip end portion.

A multipoint spark plug for igniting an air-fuel mixture in a combustion chamber of an engine includes a main body portion that is formed in a flattened shape and inserted into an insertion hole of the engine such that a tip end portion thereof opposes the combustion chamber, a pair of side electrodes provided via a gap in a lengthwise direction of the tip end portion, and at least one intermediate electrode provided in the gap between the pair of side electrodes such that a plurality of ignition gaps are formed in the lengthwise direction of the tip end portion.