Method for Operating an Internal Combustion Engine System for a Motor Vehicle and Internal Combustion Engine System for a Motor Vehicle

Simple SummaryContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

This invention describes a method and system for operating a gasoline internal combustion engine in a vehicle, using a pre-chamber ignition system. In this setup, a fuel-air mixture taken directly from the fuel tank is injected into a small pre-chamber attached to the main combustion chamber. The pre-chamber mixture is ignited and acts as a torch to ignite the leaner mixture in the main chamber, resulting in more efficient and complete combustion that can run on leaner fuel mixtures and with fewer emissions.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Automotive gasoline engines in cars and trucks seeking improved fuel efficiency and reduced pollution
• Hybrid vehicles where internal combustion efficiency is crucial
• Fleets with stricter emissions regulations, such as public transport or delivery vehicles
• Motorsport engines needing better ignition reliability and broader engine operation ranges
• Retrofit kits or updates for existing gasoline engines to meet new emissions standards

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Enables stable and reliable combustion even with very lean air-fuel mixtures, improving fuel efficiency
• Reduces harmful exhaust emissions, especially nitrogen oxides (NOx) and unburned hydrocarbons
• Eliminates the need for additional or specialized fuels or complex fuel enrichment systems; uses regular fuel vapor from the existing tank
• Simplifies hardware by leveraging existing fuel tank ventilation systems and using standard components (magnetic valves, sensors)
• Can potentially lower operational and manufacturing costs by reducing the need for expensive direct injection hardware or additional emission after-treatment systems
• Improves ignition reliability, minimizing misfires and engine knocking
• Enables better control and monitoring of combustion with integrated sensors and control electronics

Technical Classifications (CPCs)

Inventors & Applicants

Patent Abstract

The invention relates to a method for operating an internal combustion engine system (1) for a motor vehicle and to an internal combustion engine system (1) of this type. The latter comprises an internal combustion engine (2) formed by a petrol engine, a main combustion chamber (6), and a pre-chamber (8) which is associated with said main combustion chamber (6) and is fluidically connected to the main combustion chamber (6) by means of at least one overflow channel (14). By means of an injection device (16) associated with the pre-chamber (8), a fuel-air mixture drawn as such from a fuel tank (30) of the motor vehicle is delivered into the pre-chamber (8) to form a pre-chamber mixture, and said pre-chamber mixture is ignited by means of an ignition device (18). The fuel for the fuel-air mixture for forming the pre-chamber mixture is the same fuel as for forming a main chamber mixture in a main combustion chamber (6). The ignited pre-chamber mixture which is transferred from the pre-chamber (8) into the main combustion chamber (6) via the or a transfer port (14) is used to ignite a main chamber mixture (6) formed in the main combustion chamber (6).