An internal combustion engine includes a pre-chamber assembly including a wall having an internal surface opposite an external surface, the internal surface of the wall defining a combustion pre-chamber and at least one orifice extending to an aperture through the external surface of the wall; a block having an internal surface defining a bore therein; a piston disposed within the bore and configured for reciprocal translation within the bore, the piston, the bore, and the external surface of the wall at least partly defining a main combustion chamber, and the combustion pre-chamber being in fluid communication with the main combustion chamber via the at least one orifice; an energy source operatively coupled to the combustion pre-chamber; and an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve fluidly coupled to the combustion pre-chamber and an exhaust conduit of the internal combustion engine.

The invention discloses systems and methods for predicting and controlling lean blowout in combustion systems such as turbines, engines and combustors. The system 100 is configured to detect and predict time of occurrence of blowout using a computer 105 and to take control action by a controller 110 through actuators 103, to prevent the blowout. The method 200 involves acquiring time series data (202) of combustion in the combustion system, including acoustic pressure amplitude, chemiluminescence intensity, or global heat release rate, fitting a log periodic power law equation to the time series data (208), computing a time of impending blowout using the fit equation (210), and controlling the combustion unit (212) to move away from impending blowout and prevent the blowout. The invention provides for predicting exact blowout times significantly earlier, and to control the combustion unit to prevent blowout, thus enabling reduction in emissions.

Systems and methods are provided for a camless reciprocating engine control system that uses laser absorption spectroscopy (LAS) sensors and artificial intelligence/machine learning to optimize engine operation. The control system evaluates LAS data in real time or substantially real time to optimize the operation of the engine through dynamic management of camless engine components such as intake valves, exhaust valves, fuel injectors, spark plugs, and variable compression mechanisms.