Patent ID: 7874277

Claim:
A method of combustion in a reciprocating piston internal combustion engine having a combustion chamber, a volume of which is changeable via a reciprocating piston and fuel being introduceable directly into the combustion chamber, the engine further having a gas exchange inlet valve and a gas exchange outlet valve for a charge cycle, the combustion chamber having a minimum volume at a top dead center position of the charge cycle and at an ignition top dead center, the method comprising the acts of: introducing a fresh gas into the combustion chamber in an intake phase; introducing a primary quantity of fuel into the combustion chamber during at least one of the intake phase and a compression phase; compressing the fresh gas and the fuel in the compression phase; igniting a mixture comprising the fresh gas and the fuel formed in the combustion chamber; expanding and discharging an exhaust gas formed by combustion in an expansion phase; wherein: a pilot quantity of fuel is introduced before the primary quantity of fuel is introduced; intermediate products of the pilot quantity of fuel are formed; and the primary quantity of fuel is introduced during the compression phase such that complete ignition of the mixture comprising the fresh gas and the intermediate products is suppressed, and additional intermediate products are formed, until a controlled ignition of the mixture and the additional intermediate products occurs.