Internal combustion engine with fast combustion and method of control of such an engine

A method for controlling operation of an internal combustion engine comprising:

• a plurality of cylinder, each cylinder including:
• a combustion chamber (2),
• first and second intake conduits (4) and at least one exhaust conduit (6) communicating with said combustion chamber (2),
• first and second intake valves (VT, VS), respectively associated with said first and second intake conduits (4), and at least one exhaust valve (70) respectively associated with said at least one exhaust conduit (6), each intake and exhaust valve (VT. VS, 70) biased towards a closed position via a respective return spring (9),
• a hydraulic actuator (21) associated with each of the first and second intake valves (VT, VS), each hydraulic actuator including a chamber,
• at least one tappet (15) configured to drive the first and second intake valves (VT, VS) against an action of said respective return springs (9), said at least one tappet (15) comprising a hydraulic circuit including a pumping piston (16) configured to communicate a volume of pressurized fluid (C) with the chamber of said hydraulic actuator (21) of at least one of the first and second intake valves (VT, VS), and
• at least one electrically-actuated control valve (24) disposed in the hydraulic circuit, said at least one control valve (24) configured to selectively communicate said volume of pressurized fluid (C) with a discharge channel (270) so as to decouple said at least one of the first and second intake valves (VT, VS) from said at least one tappet (15) thereby causing said at least one of the first and second intake valves (VT, VS) to close via the action of said respective return spring (9),
• a camshaft (11) configured to actuate said at least one tappet (15), and
• at least one electronic controller (25) configured to control said at least one control valve (24) of each cylinder so as to vary an opening time and a lift amount of each intake valve (VT, VS) as a function of one or more operating parameters of the engine,
• the method comprising;
• configuring each first intake conduit (4) so as to generate a tumble motion of airflow introduced into the cylinder when the associated intake valve (VT) is at least partially opened,
• configuring each second intake conduit (4) so as to generate a swirl motion of airflow introduced into the cylinder when the associated second intake valve (VS) is at least partially opened, and
• controlling, via said at least one electronic controller (25), said at least one control valve (24) of each cylinder such that:
• only the first intake valve (VT) is at least partially opened during a reduced operation in which the engine is operating below a predetermined engine load and/or below a predetermined engine speed, and
• the first and second intake valves (VT, VS) are at least partially opened during remaining operations of the engine.