Typically, an engine-compressor for compressing natural gas for use as a fuel has a single cooling circuit to cool both its combustion unit and compression unit. A single cooling circuit design is not ideal because the optimal temperature for the combustion unit is higher than the compression unit of the engine-compressor. The present invention provides a dual zone cooling system to cool the combustion unit separately from the compression unit.

Typically, an engine-compressor for compressing natural gas for use as a fuel has a single cooling circuit to cool both its combustion unit and compression unit. A single cooling circuit design is not ideal because the optimal temperature for the combustion unit is higher than the compression unit of the engine-compressor. The present invention provides a dual zone cooling system to cool the combustion unit separately from the compression unit.

An engine including an exhaust bypass valve and an intake bypass valve. The exhaust bypass valve is disposed in an exhaust bypass channel connecting an outlet of an exhaust manifold and an exhaust outlet of a turbocharger to each other. The intake bypass valve is disposed in an intake bypass channel connecting an inlet of an intake manifold and an inlet of the turbocharger. An intake pressure sensor detects a pressure of the intake manifold. If an instruction value indicating an upper limit or a lower limit of the valve opening degree of the intake bypass valve is continuously output for a predetermined time or more, an engine control device determines that an abnormality occurs in at least one of the exhaust bypass valve and the intake bypass valve.

An engine including an exhaust bypass valve and an intake bypass valve. The exhaust bypass valve is disposed in an exhaust bypass channel connecting an outlet of an exhaust manifold and an exhaust outlet of a turbocharger to each other. The intake bypass valve is disposed in an intake bypass channel connecting an inlet of an intake manifold and an inlet of the turbocharger. An intake pressure sensor detects a pressure of the intake manifold. If an instruction value indicating an upper limit or a lower limit of the valve opening degree of the intake bypass valve is continuously output for a predetermined time or more, an engine control device determines that an abnormality occurs in at least one of the exhaust bypass valve and the intake bypass valve.

An engine including an exhaust bypass valve and an intake bypass valve. The exhaust bypass valve is disposed in an exhaust bypass channel connecting an outlet of an exhaust manifold and an exhaust outlet of a turbocharger to each other. The intake bypass valve is disposed in an intake bypass channel connecting an inlet of an intake manifold and an inlet of the turbocharger. An intake pressure sensor detects a pressure of the intake manifold. If an instruction value indicating an upper limit or a lower limit of the valve opening degree of the intake bypass valve is continuously output for a predetermined time or more, an engine control device determines that an abnormality occurs in at least one of the exhaust bypass valve and the intake bypass valve.

An engine including an exhaust bypass valve and an intake bypass valve. The exhaust bypass valve is disposed in an exhaust bypass channel connecting an outlet of an exhaust manifold and an exhaust outlet of a turbocharger to each other. The intake bypass valve is disposed in an intake bypass channel connecting an inlet of an intake manifold and an inlet of the turbocharger. An intake pressure sensor detects a pressure of the intake manifold. If an instruction value indicating an upper limit or a lower limit of the valve opening degree of the intake bypass valve is continuously output for a predetermined time or more, an engine control device determines that an abnormality occurs in at least one of the exhaust bypass valve and the intake bypass valve.

An air/fuel mixture is ignited in an internal combustion engine by receiving the air/fuel mixture as an incoming air/fuel mixture flow from a main combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine into an enclosure adjacent the main combustion chamber. The enclosure defines a first chamber enclosing first and second ignition bodies and the enclosure defines a second chamber adjacent the first chamber and connected to the first chamber via a passage. A portion of the air/fuel mixture received in the enclosure is directed toward an ignition gap between the first and second ignition bodies and another portion is directed into the second chamber. The air/fuel mixture is then ignited in the ignition gap, and flame from combustion in the first chamber is ejected into the main combustion chamber. Then, flame from combustion in the second chamber is ejected into the main combustion chamber.

An air/fuel mixture is ignited in an internal combustion engine by receiving the air/fuel mixture as an incoming air/fuel mixture flow from a main combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine into an enclosure adjacent the main combustion chamber. The enclosure defines a first chamber enclosing first and second ignition bodies and the enclosure defines a second chamber adjacent the first chamber and connected to the first chamber via a passage. A portion of the air/fuel mixture received in the enclosure is directed toward an ignition gap between the first and second ignition bodies and another portion is directed into the second chamber. The air/fuel mixture is then ignited in the ignition gap, and flame from combustion in the first chamber is ejected into the main combustion chamber. Then, flame from combustion in the second chamber is ejected into the main combustion chamber.

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.

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.