An engine is provided, which includes a combustion chamber defined by a crown surface of a piston, an inner wall surface of a cylinder in which the piston is slidably accommodated, and a pentroof-type ceiling surface formed in a cylinder head and formed with an intake port and an exhaust port. The crown surface includes an exhaust-side bottom part, an intake-side bottom part, an exhaust-side sloped surface rising toward a center part of the crown surface from the exhaust-side bottom part, an intake-side sloped surface rising toward the center part from the intake-side bottom part, and a flat surface provided continuously between upper ends of the exhaust-side and intake-side sloped surfaces, and extending perpendicularly to a cylinder axial direction in the center part of the crown surface. A surface area of the flat surface is larger than a surface area of the exhaust-side sloped surface.

A far square or diamond architecture engine with tumble flow to support spark-ignited fuel usage. The engine may be provided in a configuration generally suited for swirl flow, compression combustion fuel usage. However, the introduction of a unique, replaceable valve head assembly may be utilized to induce tumble flow within a combustion chamber of the engine. Thus, spark-ignited fuel may be utilized without requiring vast overhaul of the engine to accommodate such fuels. Notably, with the addition of such an assembly, diesel fuel may be replaced with natural gas on large scale equipment without the requirement of impractically burdensome or expensive measures.

A far square or diamond architecture engine with tumble flow to support spark-ignited fuel usage. The engine may be provided in a configuration generally suited for swirl flow, compression combustion fuel usage. However, the introduction of a unique, replaceable valve head assembly may be utilized to induce tumble flow within a combustion chamber of the engine. Thus, spark-ignited fuel may be utilized without requiring vast overhaul of the engine to accommodate such fuels. Notably, with the addition of such an assembly, diesel fuel may be replaced with natural gas on large scale equipment without the requirement of impractically burdensome or expensive measures.

The invention is provided with 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 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 an injector to inject fuel at such timing that the fuel exists in a cylinder at an earlier time point than the preceding ignition. Timing of the preceding ignition is more advanced when a swirl flow is gentle than when the swirl flow is strong.

A combustion system is applied to an engine. The combustion system includes an injection device that injects a fuel into a combustion chamber, a spark plug that ignites fuel in the combustion chamber, and a control device that controls the injection device and the spark plug. The control device includes a first control unit that executes predetermined first control. In the first control, control is performed such that, a total injection amount corresponding to all the fuel injected by the injection device in one combustion cycle of the engine is injected within a first period corresponding to a period from valve close timing which brings an intake valve into a closed state until a first half of a compression stroke of the engine ends.

The invention is provided with 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 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 an injector to inject fuel at such timing that the fuel exists in a cylinder at an earlier time point than the preceding ignition. Timing of the preceding ignition is set to be more retarded when an engine speed is high than when the engine speed is low.

A fuel injection control device for an engine is provided. A swirl generator generates a swirl flow inside a combustion chamber. A fuel injector with multiple nozzle holes injects fuel into the combustion chamber, and forms a lean mixture gas inside the combustion chamber. An spark plug ignites the lean mixture gas to cause the mixture gas to start combustion accompanied by flame propagation, and then combust by self-ignition. A first atomized fuel spray injected from a first nozzle hole and a second atomized fuel spray injected from a second nozzle hole separate from each other by the swirl flow. The fuel injector sequentially performs first and second injections in an intake stroke. A ratio of an injection amount of the second injection to the entire amount of fuel required per cycle is increased as an engine load increases.

A fuel injection control device for an engine is provided. A swirl generator generates a swirl flow inside a combustion chamber. A fuel injector with multiple nozzle holes injects fuel into the combustion chamber, and forms a lean mixture gas inside the combustion chamber. An spark plug ignites the lean mixture gas to cause the mixture gas to start combustion accompanied by flame propagation, and then combust by self-ignition. A first atomized fuel spray injected from a first nozzle hole and a second atomized fuel spray injected from a second nozzle hole separate from each other by the swirl flow. The fuel injector sequentially performs first and second injections in an intake stroke. A ratio of an injection amount of the second injection to the entire amount of fuel required per cycle is increased as an engine load increases.

This liquid injection nozzle atomizes and sprays liquid, while reducing loss of kinetic energy, thereby promoting mixing between the liquid and a gas and thus promoting the reaction between the liquid and the gas. In the liquid injection nozzle, a plurality of distal end tips each having an injection hole are provided on a distal end portion of a nozzle body. Each distal end tip has a conical swirling flow chamber. A communication thin hole is formed in the distal end portion. The communication thin hole extends from a hollow chamber to the conical swirling flow chamber of the distal end tip. When the valve needle is lifted, liquid flows through the communication thin hole into the swirling flow chamber in a tangential direction and generates a vortex flow, and the vortex flow is sprayed from the injection hole.

This liquid injection nozzle atomizes and sprays liquid, while reducing loss of kinetic energy, thereby promoting mixing between the liquid and a gas and thus promoting the reaction between the liquid and the gas. In the liquid injection nozzle, a plurality of distal end tips each having an injection hole are provided on a distal end portion of a nozzle body. Each distal end tip has a conical swirling flow chamber. A communication thin hole is formed in the distal end portion. The communication thin hole extends from a hollow chamber to the conical swirling flow chamber of the distal end tip. When the valve needle is lifted, liquid flows through the communication thin hole into the swirling flow chamber in a tangential direction and generates a vortex flow, and the vortex flow is sprayed from the injection hole.