Patent ID: 6318310
Filing Date: 2001-11-20
Classification: F02B

Abstract:
A method of operating an internal combustion engine having a compression/expansion chamber, a first combustion chamber, and a second combustion chamber, said method comprising the steps of:operating said internal combustion engine in a first operating mode;inducing a fluid charge into said compression/expansion chamber during said first operating mode;compressing the fluid charge in said compression/expansion chamber;inducing the fluid charge into one of said first combustion chamber or said second combustion chamber from said compression/expansion chamber;further compressing the fluid charge in one of said first combustion chamber or said second combustion chamber;expanding the fluid charge in one of said first combustion chamber or said second combustion chamber;exhausting the fluid charge from one of said first combustion chamber or said second combustion chamber;switching said internal combustion engine to a second operating mode during some predetermined range of operation;inducing the fluid charge into one of said first combustion chamber or second combustion chamber;compressing the fluid charge in one of said first combustion chamber or second combustion chamber;expanding the fluid charge in one of said first combustion chamber or said second combustion chamber;exhausting the fluid charge from said first combustion chamber or said second combustion chamber to said compression/expansion chamber;further expanding the fluid charge in said compression/expansion chamber; and exhausting the fluid charge from said compression expansion chamber.