AIR FEED SYSTEM FOR AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE

1 . An air feed system for an internal combustion engine, wherein the air feed system comprises:

a charge air receiver for receiving charge air; and

a starting air system,

wherein the starting air system has a starting air supply line connected to a cylinder of the internal combustion engine, wherein the starting air system is configured to feed starting air intermittently to the cylinder of the internal combustion engine during a starting process of the internal combustion engine, and

wherein the charge air receiver is connected to the starting air system via a charge air shut-off valve in order to feed charge air from the charge air receiver to the starting air system during partial load operation of the internal combustion engine, such that the starting air system feeds charge air intermittently to the cylinder via the starting air supply line during partial load operation of the internal combustion engine.

2 . The air feed system of claim 1 , wherein the starting air system comprises a starting air valve arranged in the starting air supply line.

3 . The air feed system of claim 1 , wherein the charge air shut-off valve is actuated so as to block a feed of charge air to the starting air system during a starting process of the internal combustion engine and to open the feed of charge air from the charge air receiver during partial load operation of the internal combustion engine, and/or wherein the starting air system comprises a starting air shut-off valve, wherein the starting air shut-off valve is actuated so as to block a feed of starting air to the starting air system during partial load operation of the internal combustion engine and open the feed of starting air during a starting process.

4 . The air feed system of claim 1 , wherein the starting air system is configured for the intermittent feed of starting air and charge air to the cylinder depending on a rotational angle of a crankshaft of the internal combustion engine.

5 . The air feed system of claim 4 , wherein the starting air system feeds the charge air intermittently at another rotational angle of the crankshaft than the intermittent feed of starting air.

6 . The air feed system of claim 1 , wherein the starting air system has a starting air distributor connected to the starting air supply line for the intermittent feed of starting air from the starting air feed to the cylinder via the starting air supply line.

7 . The air feed system of claim 6 , wherein the charge air receiver and the starting air distributor are connected together via a charge air supply line.

8 . The air feed system of claim 6 , wherein the starting air distributor is configured for the intermittent feed of starting air and charge air to the cylinder.

9 . The air feed system of claim 1 , wherein the starting air system furthermore comprises a charge air distributor wherein the charge air receiver and the charge air distributor are connected together via a charge air supply line, and wherein the starting air supply line connects the charge air distributor to the cylinder.

10 . The air feed system of claim 9 , wherein the charge air distributor is configured for the intermittent feed of charge air to the cylinder.

11 . The air feed system of claim 1 , wherein the starting air system comprises a starting air valve arranged in the starting air supply line for the intermittent feed of starting air and/or charge air to the cylinder.

12 . The air feed system of claim 11 , wherein the charge air receiver and the starting air distributor are connected together via a charge air supply line.

13 . The air feed system of claim 1 , furthermore comprising a flame monitor arranged in at least one of the starting air feed, the starting air supply line or a charge air input line leading to the charge air receiver, wherein the flame monitor comprises a flame detector and a control unit for opening and closing the charge air feed to the cylinder.

14 . An internal combustion engine comprising:

the air feed system of claim 1 ;

a cylinder, wherein the starting air system is connected to the cylinder in order to feed starting air intermittently to the cylinder of the internal combustion engine during a starting process of the internal combustion engine; and

a compressor connected to the charge air receiver for the feed of charge air to the charge air receiver.

15 . A method for operating an internal combustion engine, wherein the internal combustion engine has a starting air system, the method comprising:

starting the internal combustion engine in that the starting air system feeds starting air intermittently to a cylinder of the internal combustion engine; and

feeding charge air from the charge air receiver to the starting air system during partial load operation of the internal combustion engine, so that the starting air system intermittently feeds charge air to the cylinder.

16 . The air feed system of claim 4 , wherein the starting air system is configured for the feed of charge air from or after an opening of the inlet valve of the internal combustion engine and/or before or until reaching a rotational angle of the crankshaft of 30° after a bottom dead center.

17 . The air feed system of claim 8 , wherein the starting air distributor further comprises a phase shifter in order to allow the intermittent feed of charge air at another rotational angle of the crankshaft of the internal combustion engine than the intermittent feed of starting air.