Patent ID: 6601560
Filing Date: 2003-08-05
Classification: F02B,F02D,F02F,F02N,F02P,Y02T

Abstract:
A method for operating an internal combustion engine, which engine comprises a combustion chamber defined by the inner wall of a cylinder, a cylinder head and the upper surface of a piston moveable longitudinally within the cylinder, the engine further comprising a pre-combustion chamber in communication with the combustion chamber, the method comprising:(a) supplying to the combustion chamber a first hydrocarbon fuel and oxygen to form a first combustible mixture; (b) supplying to the pre-combustion chamber a second hydrocarbon fuel and oxygen to form a second combustible mixture, said second combustible mixture being auto-ignitable; and (c) compressing the first and second combustible mixtures by moving the piston within the cylinder; the method further comprising the step of:(d) generating a spark to cause ignition of the compressed first combustible mixture in the combustion chamber; the spark being generated in a spark-combustion chamber in communication with the combustion chamber, the spark igniting a combustible mixture consisting of a portion of the first combustible mixture supplied to the spark-combustion chamber from the combustion chamber.