Patent ID: 6543411
Filing Date: 2003-04-08
Classification: F02B,F02D,F02M,Y02T

Abstract:
A method for generating a homogeneous mixture for an auto-ignition internal combustion engine and for controlling a combustion process, the internal combustion engine including an injection system and at least one cylinder/piston unit connected to an intake device and having a combustion space, wherein the internal combustion engine includes an exhaust gas turbocharger device and the intake device includes a compressor and a charge-air cooler disposed downstream of the compressor, wherein the compressor is configured to compress combustion air and the charge-air cooler is configured to cool the combustion air, the method comprising the steps of:one of recirculating hot exhaust gas from a previous combustion cycle into one of the combustion space and the intake device and retaining hot exhaust gas in one of the combustion space and the intake device; injecting fuel by the injection system into the one of the recirculated hot exhaust gas and the retained hot exhaust gas to generate a homogeneous fuel/air mixture; cooling the homogenized fuel/air mixture by at least one of expansion cooling in the respective cylinder/piston unit, isentropic compression in the respective cylinder/piston unit, expansion cooling of fuel/air mixture homogenized in at least one further cylinder/piston unit, external cooling of a fuel/air mixture homogenized in at least one further cylinder/piston unit; further cooling the combustion air by a selectively single-stage or two-stage expansion turbine disposed downstream of the charge-air cooler; recirculating the cooled fuel/air mixture into the intake device; feeding the homogeneous fuel/air mixture into the intake device selectively in at least one connecting point, one connecting point being arranged upstream of the compressor, one connecting point being disposed between the compressor and the charge-air cooler, and one connecting point being disposed between the charge-air cooler and an intake manifold of the internal combustion engine; and supplying the homogeneous fuel/air mixture to the intake device at an additional connecting point disposed between the charge-air cooler and the expansion turbine.