Reciprocating piston engine
The invention relates to a reciprocating piston engine, comprising at least one main combustion chamber, which is formed between a piston and a cylinder and which is connected by means of a riser to a pre-chamber having a pre-chamber axis, so that gas-air mixture pushed from the main combustion chamber into the riser by the piston forms a rising flow in the pre-chamber, wherein a gas supply channel separate from the riser opens into the prechamber, and wherein the riser and the gas supply channel are oriented with respect to each other in such a way that gas fed into the pre-chamber by means of the gas supply channel hits the rising flow substantially head-on, wherein the riser runs at an angle from the pre-chamber axis.
1. A reciprocating piston engine comprising:
a piston;
a cylinder;
a main combustion chamber which is formed between the piston and the cylinder;
a pre-chamber having a pre-chamber axis;
a riser passage arranged such that the main combustion chamber is in communication by way of the riser passage with the pre-chamber so that a gas-air mixture pushed by the piston from the main combustion chamber into the riser passage forms a rising flow in the pre-chamber; and
a gas feed passage separate from the riser passage which opens into the pre-chamber, wherein the riser passage and the gas feed passage are oriented relative to each other such that gas fed into the pre-chamber by way of the gas feed passage impinges substantially frontally on to the rising flow, wherein the riser passage extends inclinedly relative to the pre-chamber axis, and wherein the riser passage is arranged such that the gas-air mixture forms a tumble flow in the pre-chamber.
2. A reciprocating piston engine as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the riser passage opens off-center into the pre-chamber.
3. A reciprocating piston engine as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the gas feed passage is connected to a gas valve.
4. A reciprocating piston engine as set forth in claim 3 , wherein the gas valve is an electrically actuable gas injector.
5. A method of operating a reciprocating piston engine which includes
a piston,
a cylinder,
a main combustion chamber which is formed between the piston and the cylinder,
a pre-chamber having a pre-chamber axis,
a riser passage arranged such that the main combustion chamber is in communication by way of the riser passage with the pre-chamber, the riser passage extending inclinedly relative to the pre-chamber axis, and
a gas feed passage separate from the riser passage which opens into the pre-chamber, said method comprising:
pushing a gas-air mixture by the piston from the main combustion chamber into the riser passage so as to form a rising, tumble flow in the pre-chamber; and
feeding gas into the pre-chamber by way of the gas feed passage so as to impinge substantially frontally on to the rising flow, wherein said pushing of the gas-air mixture and said feeding of the gas are performed in a same phase.
6. A reciprocating piston engine as set forth in claim 2 , wherein the gas feed passage is connected to a gas valve.
7. A reciprocating piston engine as set forth in claim 6 , wherein the gas valve is an electrically actuable gas injector.
8. A method of operating a reciprocating piston engine which includes
a piston,
a cylinder,
a main combustion chamber which is formed between the piston and the cylinder,
a pre-chamber having a pre-chamber axis,
a riser passage arranged such that the main combustion chamber is in communication by way of the riser passage with the pre-chamber, the riser passage extending inclinedly relative to the pre-chamber axis, and
a gas feed passage separate from the riser passage which opens into the pre-chamber, the gas feed passage being connected to a gas valve, said method comprising:
pushing a gas-air mixture by the piston from the main combustion chamber into the riser passage so as to form a rising, tumble flow in the pre-chamber; and
feeding gas into the pre-chamber by way of the gas feed passage so as to impinge substantially frontally on to the rising flow, wherein said pushing of the gas-air mixture and said feeding of the gas are performed in a same phase.