Supercharged internal combustion engine and method of operation thereof

Claim 1

An internal combustion engine comprising a supercharging means including an exhaust gas turbine means and a charging air compressor means, a charging air line for supplying charging air from the charging air compressor means to the internal combustion engine, a bypass line means for connecting the charging air line with an exhaust gas line, a combustion chamber means disposed in the bypass line means, a return line branching off from said bypass line means at a point located between the combustion chamber means and a connecting place of the bypass line means with the exhaust gas line, said return line terminating in the charging air line, multipath valve means being provided in the bypass line means at the branching off point of the return line for controlling the flow through a portion of the bypass line means and through said return line, wherein the exhaust gas turbine means includes selectively adjustable guide vane means for controlling the flow through the exhaust gas line, and wherein a connecting line means is arranged between the charging air line and the exhaust gas line for recycling exhaust gasses between the exhaust gas line and the charging air line, said connecting line means being connected to the exhaust gas line at a place downstream of the exhaust gas turbine means so as to supply an output of the exhaust gas turbine means to the charging air line, and in that further valve means for controlling the flow through the exhaust gas line is arranged in the exhaust gas line at a place disposed downstream of the connecting place of the connecting line means with the exhaust gas line.