Internal combustion engine with limited temperature cycle

Claim 1

A method of operating an internal combustion expanding chamber piston engine for providing limited temperature combustion, said engine having (1) at least one cylinder and an associated piston for forming a combustion chamber, said piston having a top dead center position, (2) an operating cycle including an intake stroke, a compression stroke and an expansion stroke, and (3) a fuel introduction system, said method comprising the steps of: forming a predetermined fuel/air mixture by introducing a predetermined fraction of the total fuel required for complete combustion of the process air in the combustion chamber; igniting said fuel/air mixture when the piston is substantially at top dead center; and introducing substantially at the beginning of the expansion stroke, a second fraction of the total fuel required for complete combustion; wherein the combustion of the fuel/air mixture resulting from the fuel first introduced is a substantially constant volume process; wherein the combustion as a result of the introduction of the second fraction is a substantially isothermal process; and wherein said forming, igniting and introducing include providing a stratified charge.

Claim 2

A method of operating an internal combustion expanding chamber piston engine for providing limited temperature combustion, said engine having (1) at least one cylinder and an associated piston for forming a combustion chamber, said piston having a top dead center position, (2) an operating cycle including an intake stroke, a compression stroke and an expansion stroke, and (3) a fuel introduction system, said method comprising the steps of: forming a predetermined fuel/air mixture by introducing a predetermined fraction of the total fuel required for complete combustion of the process air in the combustion chamber; igniting said fuel/air mixture when the piston is substantially at top dead center; and introducing substantially at the beginning of the expansion stroke, a second fraction of the total fuel required for complete combustion; wherein the combustion of the fuel/air mixture resulting from the fuel first introduced is a substantially constant volume process; wherein the combustion as a result of the introduction of the second fraction is a substantially isothermal process; and wherein said forming, igniting and introducing include providing a stratified charge.

Claim 4

A method of operating a spark ignition internal combustion engine, said engine including a combustion chamber and having an operating cycle including a heat input phase comprising a substantially constant volume combustion process followed by a substantially isothermal combustion process, said processes including providing a stratified charge.

Claim 5

A method of operating a spark ignition internal combustion engine, said engine including a combustion chamber and having an operating cycle including a heat input phase comprising a substantially constant volume combustion process followed by a substantially isothermal combustion process, said processes including providing a stratified charge.

Claim 7

A method of operating a spark ignition internal combustion engine, said engine including a combustion chamber and having an operating cycle including a heat input phase comprising a substantially constant volume combustion process followed by a substantially isothermal combustion process, said heat input phase of said cycle followed by a substantially isentropic power delivery process, said processes including providing a stratified charge.

Claim 8

A method of operating a spark ignition internal combustion engine, said engine including a combustion chamber and having an operating cycle including a heat input phase comprising a substantially constant volume combustion process followed by a substantially isothermal combustion process, said heat input phase of said cycle followed by a substantially isentropic power delivery process, said processes including providing a stratified charge.

Claim 10

A method of operating a spark ignition internal combustion engine, said engine including a combustion chamber and having an operating cycle including a heat input phase comprising a substantially constant volume combustion process, followed by a substantially constant pressure combustion process, followed by a substantially isothermal combustion process, said heat input phase of said cycle followed by a substantially isentropic power delivery process, said processes including providing a stratified charge.

Claim 11

A method of operating a spark ignition internal combustion engine, said engine including a combustion chamber and having an operating cycle including a heat input phase comprising a substantially constant volume combustion process, followed by a substantially constant pressure combustion process, followed by a substantially isothermal combustion process, said heat input phase of said cycle followed by a substantially isentropic power delivery process, said processes including providing a stratified charge.