Patent ID: 11933215
Assignee: ACHATES POWER INC.
Field: Engines, pumps, turbines (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC F  Y | IPC F

Claim 6:
7. An opposed-piston engine, comprising:
at least one ported cylinder with a bore;
a pair of pistons disposed for mutually opposing movements in the bore;
an air channel configured to provide a flow of charge air through an intake port of the cylinder in response to movement of a first piston of the pair of pistons past the intake port;
an exhaust channel configured to receive a flow of exhaust gas through an exhaust port of the cylinder in response to movement of a second piston of the pair of pistons past the exhaust port;
a fuel provisioning device configured to provide hydrogen fuel;
at least one fuel injection device coupled to the fuel provisioning device and configured to inject the provided hydrogen fuel directly into the cylinder bore to be mixed with the charge air;
at least one ignition device configured to ignite the mixture of charge air and injected hydrogen fuel in a combustion chamber formed in the bore between end surfaces of the pair of pistons; and,
a control unit coupled to the at least one fuel injection device and the means for adjusting charge air, which is configured to:
cause external ignition of the mixture of hydrogen fuel and charge air using the at least one ignition device to generate an ignition impulse in the bore; and,
cause compression ignition of the mixture of hydrogen fuel and charge air using the at least one fuel injection device to inject a pilot charge of hydrogen fuel followed by a main charge of hydrogen fuel; and,
selectively switch between a first mode of engine operation using external ignition and a second mode of engine operation using compression ignition, based upon a temperature of the cylinder.