High-performance internal combustion engine with improved handling of emission and method of controlling such engine

An internal combustion engine (1) for a motor-vehicle comprising:

• at least one cylinder (2) having a longitudinal axis (A) and adapted to receive fuel and air for carrying out an engine cycle including a combustion reaction of the fuel itself;
• at least one intake duct (6) adapted to feed said cylinder (2) with fresh air, through at least one intake port (16);
• at least one intake valve (20) acting on said intake port (16) for controlling the airflow entering said cylinder (2);
• at least one injector (22) that can be selectively activated to supply uncombusted fuel to said cylinder (2);
• at least one exhaust duct (8) communicating with said cylinder (2) through at least one outlet port (18) for removing from the cylinder (2) exhaust gases formed at the end of said combustion;
• at least one outlet valve (21) acting on said outlet port (18) for controlling the flow of the exhaust gases at the outlet of said cylinder (2);
• and
• a piston (12) mounted in a linearly sliding manner along said longitudinal axis (A) within said cylinder;
• wherein said intake port (16), said outlet port (18) and said injector (22) are carried by a head (11) of the internal combustion engine (1), said head (11) being arranged in abutment against an axial end of said cylinder (2) and delimiting with said piston (12) and with the cylinder (2) a combustion chamber (15), wherein said head (11) is divided by a centreline plane (P) of said cylinder (2), containing said longitudinal axis (A) and includes an intake region (11a) including said intake port (16) and arranged on one side of said centreline plane (P);
• and an outlet region (11b) including said outlet port (18) and arranged on an opposite side of said centreline plane (P);
• wherein said injector (22) is mounted in said outlet region (11b) of said head (11) in a position adjacent to said outlet port (18), and wherein said injector (22) has an outlet (100) protruding into said combustion chamber to supply uncombusted fuel therein;
• said internal combustion engine (1) further comprising:
• at least a first spark plug (24) mounted on said head (11) in a position adjacent to said injector (22) and acting inside said combustion chamber (15) for cyclically and selectively determining the ignition of the mixture formed by fuel and air present in the combustion chamber (15) and for triggering the combustion reaction;
• a pre-chamber (26), delimited towards said combustion chamber (15) by a wall (30), communicating with the combustion chamber (15) through one or more free connection ports (27) and fed with a mixture of air and fuel, and
• a second spark plug (28) projecting inside said pre-chamber (26) for cyclically and selectively producing the ignition of the mixture present in the pre-chamber (26) and triggering the combustion reaction;
• said first spark plug (24) being arranged in an intermediate position between said wall (30) of said pre-chamber (26) and the outlet (100) of said injector (22), wherein said first spark plug (24) is in close proximity to the outlet (100) of said injector (22), and wherein the injector (22), first spark plug (24), and the pre-chamber (26) are arranged along a line transversal to longitudinal axis (A);
• and
• said pre-chamber (26) is carried by head (11) being arranged at least partially along the centreline (P) at a center of the combustion chamber (15) such that the injector (22) and the first spark plug (24) are offset in their entireties relative to the centreline (P), and wherein the prechamber (26) is configured with the one or more free connection ports in fluid communication with said combustion chamber (15).