Operating an engine includes injecting a first charge of liquid fuel using a first set of nozzle outlets in a fuel injector, and injecting a second charge of liquid fuel using a second set of nozzle outlets in a fuel injector. The first charge is autoignited in a first engine cycle, and the second charge is autoignited in a second engine cycle, and may be used to pilot ignite a charge of gaseous fuel. Operating the engine further includes limiting errors in targeting of the second charge of liquid fuel caused by transitioning the engine from a first combination to a second combination of speed, load, and boost, by varying an injection pressure of the liquid fuel from the first engine cycle to the second engine cycle.

An internal combustion engine includes a fuel injection nozzle in which a nozzle hole that injects fuel is provided to be exposed to a combustion chamber from a cylinder head of the internal combustion engine, and a hollow duct in which an inlet and an outlet are exposed to the combustion chamber. The duct is provided to penetrate through an inside of the cylinder head so that fuel spray injected from the nozzle hole of the fuel injection nozzle passes from the inlet to the outlet. The duct is preferably configured so that a direction from the inlet to the outlet corresponds to a direction of the fuel spray injected from the nozzle hole.

Operating an engine includes injecting a first charge of liquid fuel using a first set of nozzle outlets in a fuel injector, and injecting a second charge of liquid fuel using a second set of nozzle outlets in a fuel injector. The first charge is autoignited in a first engine cycle, and the second charge is autoignited in a second engine cycle, and may be used to pilot ignite a charge of gaseous fuel. Operating the engine further includes limiting errors in targeting of the second charge of liquid fuel caused by transitioning the engine from a first combination to a second combination of speed, load, and boost, by varying an injection pressure of the liquid fuel from the first engine cycle to the second engine cycle.

Operating an engine includes injecting a first charge of liquid fuel using a first set of nozzle outlets in a fuel injector, and injecting a second charge of liquid fuel using a second set of nozzle outlets in a fuel injector. The first charge is autoignited in a first engine cycle, and the second charge is autoignited in a second engine cycle, and may be used to pilot ignite a charge of gaseous fuel. Operating the engine further includes limiting errors in targeting of the second charge of liquid fuel caused by transitioning the engine from a first combination to a second combination of speed, load, and boost, by varying an injection pressure of the liquid fuel from the first engine cycle to the second engine cycle.

A piston for an internal combustion engine includes a crown portion having a bowl that includes a plurality of protrusions. Each of the plurality of protrusions includes a first side surface and a second side surface. Other features including at least one ledge formed between protrusions in segments, and a generally flat, inward facing surface on the protrusions may also be used.

A piston for an internal combustion engine includes a crown portion having a bowl that includes a plurality of protrusions. Each of the plurality of protrusions includes a first side surface and a second side surface. Other features including at least one ledge formed between protrusions in segments, and a generally flat, inward facing surface on the protrusions may also be used.

Operating an engine includes injecting a first charge of liquid fuel using a first set of nozzle outlets in a fuel injector, and injecting a second charge of liquid fuel using a second set of nozzle outlets in a fuel injector. The first charge is autoignited in a first engine cycle, and the second charge is autoignited in a second engine cycle, and may be used to pilot ignite a charge of gaseous fuel. Operating the engine further includes limiting errors in targeting of the second charge of liquid fuel caused by transitioning the engine from a first combination to a second combination of speed, load, and boost, by varying an injection pressure of the liquid fuel from the first engine cycle to the second engine cycle.

An engine includes a combustion chamber including a cylinder wall defining a cylinder, a fuel injector disposed in a first opening in the cylinder wall and a piston head disposed in the cylinder. A piston bowl at least partially defined by a wall having a generally spiral shape is provided in a top of the piston head.

An internal combustion engine includes a fuel injection nozzle in which a nozzle hole that injects fuel is provided to be exposed to a combustion chamber from a cylinder head of the internal combustion engine, and a hollow duct in which an inlet and an outlet are exposed to the combustion chamber. The duct is provided to penetrate through an inside of the cylinder head so that fuel spray injected from the nozzle hole of the fuel injection nozzle passes from the inlet to the outlet. The duct is preferably configured so that a direction from the inlet to the outlet corresponds to a direction of the fuel spray injected from the nozzle hole.

A variable-compression ratio direct-injection internal-combustion engine comprising at least a cylinder (10), a cylinder head (12) carrying a fuel injection means (14) spraying fuel in a single sheet (34) of fuel jets (36), a piston (16) sliding in this cylinder, and a combustion chamber (32) delimited on one side by upper face (42) of the piston comprising a projection (46) rising up towards the cylinder head and arranged in the cent of a concave bowl (44). According to the invention, the combustion chamber comprises at least two mixing zones (Z1, Z2) into which fuel jets (36) are injected, one (Z1) of the zones being used for a maximum compression ratio (Tmax) and the other (Z2) zone being used for a minimum compression ratio (Tmini).