COMBUSTION CYLINDER OF AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE

Abstract

Combustion cylinder (10) of an internal combustion engine, having a combustion chamber wall (20), which surrounds a combustion chamber (30), and a combustion chamber cover (40), which closes off the combustion chamber (30) on the upper side, wherein at least one inlet valve (50) for letting in a fluid is arranged on an inlet side (42) in the combustion chamber cover (40), and at least one outlet valve (60) for letting out a fluid is arranged on an outlet side (44) in the combustion chamber cover (40), wherein, furthermore, a prechamber spark plug (70) is arranged between the at least one inlet valve (50) and the at least one outlet valve (60) in the combustion chamber cover (40), which prechamber spark plug is arranged between the at least one inlet valve (50) and an injector (80) for injecting combustion fluid.

Claims

1. A combustion cylinder of an internal combustion engine, having a combustion chamber wall that surrounds a combustion chamber, and a combustion chamber cover that closes off the combustion chamber on an upper side, at least one inlet valve for letting in a fluid being arranged on an inlet side in the combustion chamber cover, and at least one outlet valve for letting out a fluid being arranged on an outlet side in the combustion chamber cover, and a prechamber spark plug being arranged between the at least one inlet valve and the at least one outlet valve in the combustion chamber cover and the prechamber spark plug being arranged between the at least one inlet valve and an injector that injects combustion fluid.

2. The combustion cylinder of claim 1, wherein the injector is between the prechamber spark plug and the at least one outlet valve.

3. The combustion cylinder of claim 1, wherein the at least one outlet valve (60) is arranged between the prechamber spark plug and the injector.

4. The combustion cylinder of claim 1, wherein the outlet valve is arranged between the prechamber spark plug and an auxiliary spark plug.

5. The combustion cylinder of claim 4, wherein the auxiliary spark plug, the injector and the prechamber spark plug are arranged on a common straight line.

6. The combustion cylinder of claim 4, wherein the injector is closer to the prechamber spark plug than to the auxiliary spark plug.

7. The combustion cylinder of claim 1, wherein the injector has an injection direction that has a point of intersection in the combustion chamber with an ignition direction of the prechamber spark plug.

8. The combustion cylinder of claim 1, wherein at least two of the inlet valves are arranged on the inlet side and/or at least two of the outlet valves are arranged on the outlet side symmetrically to one another.

9. A method for the operation of a combustion cylinder: opening at least one inlet valve to let fluid into the combustion chamber, injecting fuel by an injector into the combustion chamber, igniting the fuel in the combustion chamber by means of the prechamber spark plug, letting the fluid out of the combustion chamber through at least one outlet valve.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the steps of injection and of ignition are carried out in a temporally coupled manner.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a combustion cylinder according to the invention, with a view of the combustion chamber cover.

[0028] FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the combustion chamber cover of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] FIGS. 1 and 2 show a combustion cylinder 10 of an internal combustion engine having a corresponding combustion chamber 30. This combustion chamber 30 is surrounded by a combustion chamber wall 20 which (although not shown in further detail in FIG. 1) continues farther down cylindrically. To the bottom, and not shown either, this combustion chamber 30 is closed off by a piston which can movably vary the volume of the combustion chamber 30.

[0030] For the operation of the internal combustion engine, two inlet valves 50 are arranged on the inlet side 42 of the combustion chamber cover 40. During the start of a combustion operation, combustion air or combustion fluid is let into the combustion chamber 30 through these two inlet valves 50 in the opened state.

[0031] An injector 80 is provided to achieve a direct injection of fuel into the combustion chamber 30 in addition to the combustion air or in addition to the combustion fluid. This injector 80 is arranged in the central or mid-region between the inlet valves 50 and the outlet valves 60. If this combustion fluid isw is injected via the inlet valves 50 and fuel via the injector 80 during the operation of the internal combustion engine, an ignitable mixture arises within the combustion chamber 30. A prechamber spark plug 70 is arranged in the central or mid-region to make available an ignition spark and hence the starting point for the desired explosion-like combustion in the combustion chamber 30. The close proximity in the adjacent arrangement between the injector 80 and the prechamber spark plug 70 makes it possible to carry out an ignition-coupled injection herein. Thus, a precise time setting as to the time of injection and as to the time of ignition is conceivable. By virtue of the fact that the small spacing between injector 80 and prechamber spark plug 70 has only a small influence on the flow situation, the ignition time can also actually be maintained in reality here in a very precise and predefined manner.

[0032] As soon as the combustion is completed, the outlet valves 60 are opened such that corresponding exhaust-gas fluid can leave the combustion chamber 30 again on the outlet side 44.

[0033] FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate, in an optional manner an additional alternative. Thus, in this embodiment, an auxiliary spark plug 90 also is arranged on the outer side 44, that is to say outside of the outlet valves 60. The auxiliary spark plug is situated in the outer region since it is not in use, or only in use to a limited degree, during the normal operation of the combustion cylinder 10. If, however, the combustion cylinder 10 or the entire internal combustion engine is in a difficult use situation, for example in a low-load operation or in a cold start situation, this can mean that the operation or the ignition can occur with difficulty or not at all. In such operating modes, the auxiliary spark plug 90 can serve also to actually carry out the ignition in a defined manner and with a high degree of probability. In this auxiliary operation, the auxiliary spark plug 90 thus assists the normal operation of the prechamber spark plug 70.

[0034] The above explanation of the embodiments describes the present invention exclusively within the context of examples. Of course, individual features of the embodiments, where technically meaningful, can be freely combined with one another without departing from the scope of the present invention.