The invention relates to an engine having prechamber ignition, in particular a gas engine, that comprises a main combustion space in a cylinder of the engine for combusting an air-fuel mixture and a prechamber having an ignition device arranged therein and a fuel injector arranged therein, wherein the prechamber has at least one transfer port that fluidically connects the prechamber to the main combustion space. The engine is characterized in that the fuel injector arranged in the prechamber is the only fuel injector via which fuel can be introduced into the associated main combustion space.

The invention relates to an engine having prechamber ignition, in particular a gas engine, that comprises a main combustion space in a cylinder of the engine for combusting an air-fuel mixture and a prechamber having an ignition device arranged therein and a fuel injector arranged therein, wherein the prechamber has at least one transfer port that fluidically connects the prechamber to the main combustion space. The engine is characterized in that the fuel injector arranged in the prechamber is the only fuel injector via which fuel can be introduced into the associated main combustion space.

The present invention provides systems, methods and apparatus to overcome limitations of liquid fuel engine combustion. Liquid fuel is mixed with superheated water which vaporizes, mixes with air and ignites within the injector nozzle. The injector nozzles then accelerate the mixture into the engine combustion chamber where unburned fuel vapor mixes and burns. Combustion begins the instant of injection and increases uniformly. Combustion pressure builds progressively. Combustion of fuel vapor is more ideal, and better controlled. As part of the system and apparatus, the present disclosure also includes a low-cost high-speed solenoid valve which produces shorter injection pulses. It also includes a high-speed, high-air-volume solenoid fuel valve. In addition, the present invention and its disclosure create tools to develop and optimize this new method of fuel vapor injection.

An igniter system for a reciprocating piston internal combustion engine having one or more cylinders including at least one igniter per cylinder is disclosed. The igniter system can comprise: a combustion chamber connected to a main cylinder of the engine by a restricted diameter bore, wherein a lean burn fuel mixture is introduced into the combustion chamber by the normal compression stroke of the engine; a hydrogen valve that injects a hydrogen rich gas into the combustion chamber forming a mixture of hydrogen and air having a hydrogen concentration above the stoichiometric ratio for hydrogen and air in the combustion chamber; and a spark ignition source that injects hot unburned hydrogen into the main cylinder, thereby initiating ignition.

A residual gas ignitor for use in igniting a fuel-air mixture within a main combustion chamber of an engine. The residual gas ignitor includes at least one inlet/outlet port, a residual gas ignitor chamber for receiving a combustion gas from the main combustion chamber, an ignitor valve for opening and closing the at least one inlet/outlet port, an actuator for actuating the ignitor valve to open and close the at least one inlet/outlet port, a valve guide for keeping the ignitor valve in a correct orientation within the residual gas ignitor, a preload spring for being in compression when the actuator disposes the ignitor valve into the closed position, and a heating element for maintaining or increasing a temperature of the combustion gas while the combustion gas is in the residual gas ignitor chamber. The residual gas ignitor may be used in engines for initiating combustion of fuel-air mixtures.

A residual gas ignitor for use in igniting a fuel-air mixture within a main combustion chamber of an engine. The residual gas ignitor includes at least one inlet/outlet port, a residual gas ignitor chamber for receiving a combustion gas from the main combustion chamber, an ignitor valve for opening and closing the at least one inlet/outlet port, an actuator for actuating the ignitor valve to open and close the at least one inlet/outlet port, a valve guide for keeping the ignitor valve in a correct orientation within the residual gas ignitor, a preload spring for being in compression when the actuator disposes the ignitor valve into the closed position, and a heating element for maintaining or increasing a temperature of the combustion gas while the combustion gas is in the residual gas ignitor chamber. The residual gas ignitor may be used in engines for initiating combustion of fuel-air mixtures.

The valve ignition prechamber (1) with a reversed direction of combustion includes a lamination cavity (6) in which opens a pilot charge injector (32), and said cavity (6) being connected to a combustion chamber (5) of an internal combustion engine by a lamination duct (7), which, when opened by a lamination valve (13), forms with the latter a torch-ignition prechamber while an inverter housing (93) containing an ignition pilot charge (27) and accommodating ignition means (11) is housed in the lamination cavity (6) with which it forms a late combustion volume, said housing (93) comprising a main ejection nozzle (94) which can emit a pre-ignition torch in the direction of the lamination duct (7), the volume swept by said torch forming an early combustion volume.

The valve ignition prechamber (1) with a reversed direction of combustion includes a lamination cavity (6) in which opens a pilot charge injector (32), and said cavity (6) being connected to a combustion chamber (5) of an internal combustion engine by a lamination duct (7), which, when opened by a lamination valve (13), forms with the latter a torch-ignition prechamber while an inverter housing (93) containing an ignition pilot charge (27) and accommodating ignition means (11) is housed in the lamination cavity (6) with which it forms a late combustion volume, said housing (93) comprising a main ejection nozzle (94) which can emit a pre-ignition torch in the direction of the lamination duct (7), the volume swept by said torch forming an early combustion volume.

The stud-oriented valve (50) includes a valve main body (8) which is housed in a lamination duct (7) and which exhibits a closure axial face (10) which can rest on a duct closure seat (11) for isolating a lamination cavity (4) from a combustion chamber (5), said body (8) also having a centering peripheral surface (12), an opening axial face (13) which may rest on a chamber-side valve stop (14), and at least one orientation stud (15) which protrudes from the opening axial face (13), said stud (15) being capable to slide through a guide axial orifice (17) that is fixed to the lamination duct (7).

The stud-oriented valve (50) includes a valve main body (8) which is housed in a lamination duct (7) and which exhibits a closure axial face (10) which can rest on a duct closure seat (11) for isolating a lamination cavity (4) from a combustion chamber (5), said body (8) also having a centering peripheral surface (12), an opening axial face (13) which may rest on a chamber-side valve stop (14), and at least one orientation stud (15) which protrudes from the opening axial face (13), said stud (15) being capable to slide through a guide axial orifice (17) that is fixed to the lamination duct (7).