In a method, dynamic pressure oscillations in the intake tract or outlet tract of a respective internal combustion engine are measured during normal operation, and from these measured oscillations, a corresponding pressure oscillation signal is generated. A crankshaft phase angle signal is determined at the same time. From the pressure oscillation signal, an actual value of at least one characteristic of at least one selected signal frequency of the measured pressure oscillations in relation to the crankshaft phase angle signal is determined, and the current trimming of the intake tract is determined on the basis of the determined actual value, taking into consideration reference values of the corresponding characteristic of the respectively identical signal frequency for different trimmings of the intake tract.

An air conduction system includes an air collecting chamber, a first air inlet, an additional air inlet, and a buoyancy body. Air is supplyable to the air collecting chamber by said air inlets. The first air inlet has an air control valve via which the air inlet is selectively closed. The additional air inlet has an additional air control valve via which the additional air inlet is selectively closed. A buoyancy body is provided which is movable via a geodetically rising water level and which is operatively connected to a closure element of the air control valve of the first air inlet. The closure element is convertible from an open state, in which the first air inlet is fluidically connected to the air collecting chamber, into a closed state, in which said fluidic connection is interrupted, when the water level rises. The closure element comprises the buoyancy body.

This invention provides a method and system for providing an oxygen-enriched air stream to the cabin and/or internal combustion engine of a vehicle. The benefits of such an approach include increased fuel efficiency and reduced emissions in the internal combustion engine and increased driver alertness and comfort for the vehicle operator. The oxygen-enriched air stream is provided by a membrane separation system, a pressure swing adsorption system, vacuum swing adsorption, or other methods. The delivered oxygen-enriched air is controlled to a prescribed level using sensors, valves, and controllers.

An elastic connecting support for arrangement between a combustion engine and an air filter of a handheld work apparatus is disclosed. The connecting support has a first channel for largely fuel-free air and a second channel for a fuel/air mixture. The connecting support is realized as a single piece, and has, on a first side, an engine connecting flange, at which the first and second channel end, for connection to the combustion engine. The first channel has a first peripheral wall and the second channel has a second peripheral wall. The first peripheral wall and the second peripheral wall are arranged at a distance in relation to each other in a longitudinal section of the connecting support. The channels extend from the first side to a second side of the connecting support. On the second side, the first channel and the second channel end at a common connecting flange.

A fuel injection system for an engine of a vehicle may include an injector nozzle mounted in an injector bore formed in a cylinder head of the engine, wherein a tip portion of the injector nozzle is protrudingly formed into a combustion chamber, and having a positioning system configured to adjust an axial position of the injector nozzle in the injector bore. The invention further provides a method of operating the fuel injection system.

A combustion system including an ion transport membrane assembly coupled to an internal combustion engine to generate power via oxy-combusting a fuel stream in a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine, and a method of combusting the fuel stream via the combustion system, wherein a portion of an exhaust stream is recycled to the ion transport membrane assembly. Various embodiments of the combustion system and the method of combusting the fuel stream are disclosed.

A gasoline compression ignition engine, a vehicle and a method of operating a gasoline compression ignition engine. An inlet air management system includes a membrane-based separator and an exhaust gas recirculation flowpath that cooperate to deliver a nitrogen enriched air stream to the engine to help reduce exhaust gas emissions. The separator segregates the incoming air into the nitrogen enriched air stream as well as an oxygen enriched air stream such that the latter can be used for various engine load conditions, as well as for supplemental air for a cabin or related passenger compartment within a vehicle that is powered by the engine. Significantly, during an increase in engine load not associated with the cold start and warm-up conditions, the nitrogen enriched air supply that is used for the exhaust gas emissions reduction is provided at least partially by the nitrogen enriched air stream from the separator, as well as increasingly by the nitrogen enriched combustion product stream from the exhaust gas recirculation flowpath.

A combustion system including an ion transport membrane assembly coupled to an internal combustion engine to generate power via oxy-combusting a fuel stream in a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine, and a method of combusting the fuel stream via the combustion system, wherein a portion of an exhaust stream is recycled to the ion transport membrane assembly. Various embodiments of the combustion system and the method of combusting the fuel stream are disclosed.

A combustion system including an ion transport membrane assembly coupled to an internal combustion engine to generate power via oxy-combusting a fuel stream in a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine, and a method of combusting the fuel stream via the combustion system, wherein a portion of an exhaust stream is recycled to the ion transport membrane assembly. Various embodiments of the combustion system and the method of combusting the fuel stream are disclosed.

A fuel injection system for an engine of a vehicle may include an injector nozzle mounted in an injector bore formed in a cylinder head of the engine, wherein a tip portion of the injector nozzle is protrudingly formed into a combustion chamber, and having a positioning system configured to adjust an axial position of the injector nozzle in the injector bore. The invention further provides a method of operating the fuel injection system.