Homogeneous charge compression ignition engine with combustion phasing

Abstract

A homogenous charge compression ignition barrel engine includes an engine housing, a power shaft and a plurality of cylinders surrounding the shaft. Each cylinder has a closed end and an open end. An intake system introduces a combustible mixture into the cylinders. A track is disposed between a first end of the housing and the open ends of the cylinders. The track has a cam surface that longitudinally undulates with respect to the open ends of the cylinders. A piston is moveably disposed in each of the cylinders and is in mechanical communication with the cam surface of the track such that as the cylinders and the track move with respect to each other, the pistons reciprocate within the cylinders. Each cylinder is operable to compress a combustible mixture until the mixture auto ignites, without the introduction of a spark.

1 .- 57 . (canceled) 
     
     
         58 . An internal combustion engine utilizing an HCCI combustion strategy, the engine comprising:
 an engine housing   a first and a second cylinder defined in the engine housing;   an intake system operable to introduce a combustible mixture of air and fuel into the cylinders;   a first piston disposed in the first cylinder operable to compress the combustible mixture in the first cylinder until the mixture autoignites without the introduction of a spark;   a second piston disposed in the second cylinder operable to compress the combustible mixture in the second cylinder until the Mixture autoignites without the introduction of a spark;   a first water injector operable to selectively introduce water into the first cylinder, thereby altering the combustion phasing for the first cylinder;   a second water injector operable to selectively introduce water into the second cylinder, thereby altering the combustion phasing for the second cylinder;   a controller operable to control the first and second water injectors so as to selectively adjust the relative combustion phasing of the first and second cylinders.   
     
     
         59 . A method of controlling a homogenous charge compression ignition engine, comprising:
 providing a homogenous charge compression ignition engine, comprising:
 an engine housing 
 a first and a second cylinder defined in the engine housing; 
 an intake system operable to introduce a combustible mixture of air and fuel into the cylinders; 
 a first piston disposed in the first cylinder operable to compress the combustible mixture in the first cylinder until the mixture autoignites without the introduction of a spark; 
 a second piston disposed in the second cylinder operable to compress the combustible mixture in the second cylinder until the mixture autoignites without the introduction of a spark; 
   selectively introducing water into the first cylinder so as to adjust the combustion phasing for the first cylinder;   selectively introducing water into the second cylinder so as to adjust the combustion phasing for the second cylinder;   controlling the introduction of water into the first and second cylinders so as to selectively adjust the relative combustion phasing of the first and second cylinders.   
     
     
         60 . An internal combustion engine utilizing an HCCI combustion strategy, the engine comprising:
 an engine housing   a first and a second cylinder defined in the engine housing;   an intake system operable to introduce a combustible mixture of air and fuel into the cylinders;   a first piston disposed in the first cylinder operable to compress the combustible mixture in the first cylinder until the mixture autoignites without the introduction of a spark;   a second piston disposed in the second cylinder operable to compress the combustible mixture in the second cylinder until the mixture autoignites without the introduction of a spark;   a first cooling system operable to selectively cool the first cylinder, thereby altering the combustion phasing for the first cylinder;   a second cooling system operable to selectively cool the second cylinder, thereby altering the combustion phasing for the second cylinder;   a controller operable to control the first and second cooling systems so as to selectively adjust the relative combustion phasing of the first and second cylinders.   
     
     
         61 . The internal combustion engine according to  claim 60 , wherein:
 the first cooling system comprises a first coolant supply, first coolant jacket at least partially surrounding the first cylinder and a first coolant control valve for controlling a flow of coolant from the first coolant supply through the first coolant jacket; and   the second cooling system comprises a second coolant supply, a second coolant jacket at least partially surrounding the second cylinder and a second coolant control valve for controlling a flow of coolant from the second coolant supply through the second coolant jacket.   
     
     
         62 . A method of controlling a homogenous charge compression ignition engine, comprising:
 providing a homogenous charge compression ignition engine, comprising:
 an engine housing 
 a first and a second cylinder defined in the engine housing; 
 an intake system operable to introduce a combustible mixture of air and fuel into the cylinders; 
 a first piston disposed in the first cylinder operable to compress the combustible mixture in the first cylinder until the mixture autoignites without the introduction of a spark; 
 a second piston disposed in the second cylinder operable to compress the combustible mixture in the second cylinder until the mixture autoignites without the introduction of a spark; 
   selectively cooling the first cylinder so as to adjust the combustion phasing for the first cylinder;   selectively cooling the second cylinder so as to adjust the combustion phasing for the second cylinder;   controlling the cooling of the first and second cylinders so as to selectively adjust the relative combustion phasing of the first and second cylinders.   
     
     
         63 . An internal combustion engine utilizing an HCCI combustion strategy, the engine comprising:
 an engine housing;   a first and a second cylinder defined in the engine housing;   an intake system operable to introduce a combustible mixture of air and fuel into the cylinders, the intake system comprising a first fuel injector for providing fuel for the combustible mixture for the first cylinder and a second fuel injector for providing fuel for the combustible mixture for the second cylinder, the combustible mixture for the first cylinder having a first air-fuel ratio and the combustible mixture for the second cylinder having a second air-fuel ratio;   a first piston disposed in the first cylinder operable to compress the combustible mixture in the first cylinder until the mixture autoignites without the introduction of a spark;   a second piston disposed in the second cylinder operable to compress the combustible mixture in the second cylinder until the mixture autoignites without the introduction of a spark; and   a controller operable to control the first and second fuel injectors so as to selectively adjust the air-fuel ratio for the first and second cylinder to adjust the relative combustion phasing of the first and second cylinders.   
     
     
         64 . A method of controlling a homogenous charge compression ignition engine, comprising:
 providing a homogenous charge compression ignition engine, comprising:
 an engine housing 
 a first and a second cylinder defined in the engine housing; 
 an intake system operable to introduce a combustible mixture of air and fuel into the cylinders, the intake system comprising a first filet injector for providing fuel for the combustible mixture for the first cylinder and a second fuel injector for providing fuel for the combustible mixture for the second cylinder, the combustible mixture for the first cylinder having a first air-fuel ratio and the combustible mixture for the second cylinder having a second air-fuel ratio; 
 a first piston disposed in the first cylinder operable to compress the combustible mixture in the first cylinder until the mixture autoignites without the introduction of a spark; 
 a second piston disposed in the second cylinder operable to compress the combustible mixture in the second cylinder until the mixture autoignites without the introduction of a spark; 
   controlling the first and second fuel injectors so as to selectively adjust the air-fuel ratio for the first and second cylinder to adjust the relative combustion phasing of the first and second cylinders.   
     
     
         65 . A method of controlling a homogenous charge compression ignition engine, comprising:
 providing a homogenous charge compression ignition engine, comprising:
 an engine housing 
 a first and a second cylinder defined in the engine housing; 
 an intake system operable to introduce a combustible mixture of air and fuel into the cylinders; 
 a first piston disposed in the first cylinder operable to compress the combustible mixture in the first cylinder until the mixture autoignites without the introduction of a spark; 
 a second piston disposed in the second cylinder operable to compress the combustible mixture in the second cylinder until the mixture autoignites without the introduction of a spark; and 
   controlling the temperature of the combustible mixture introduced into the first and second cylinders so as to adjust the relative combustion phasing of the first and second cylinders.   
     
     
         66 . The method according to  claim 65 , wherein the temperature controlling step comprises selectively warming the air in the combustible mixture. 
     
     
         67 . The method according to  claim 65 , wherein the temperature controlling step comprises selectively mixing warm and cool air for the combustible mixture. 
     
     
         68 . A method of controlling a homogenous charge compression ignition engine, comprising:
 providing a homogenous charge compression ignition engine, comprising;
 an engine housing 
 a first and a second cylinder defined in the engine housing; 
 an intake system operable to introduce a combustible mixture of air and fuel into the cylinders; 
 a first piston disposed in the first cylinder operable to compress the combustible mixture in the first cylinder until the mixture autoignites without the introduction of a spark; 
 a second piston disposed in the second cylinder operable to compress the combustible mixture in the second cylinder until the mixture autoignites without the introduction of a spark; 
   providing an exhaust gas recirculation system operable to selectively introduce exhaust gas into the combustible mixture introduced into the first and second cylinders; and   controlling the exhaust gas recirculation system to selectively control how much exhaust gas is introduced into the combustible mixture introduced into the first and second cylinders so as to adjust the relative combustion phasing of the first and second cylinders.   
     
     
         69 .- 70 . (canceled) 
     
     
         71 . A method of sensing combustion phasing in a homogenous charge compression engine comprising:
 providing a knock sensor for producing a signal representing the sound and/or vibration from the engine;   correlating the signal from the knock sensor with the combustion phasing of the engine; and   using the correlated signal to determine the combustion phasing of the engine.