Internal combustion engine comprising at least one cylinder equipped with a pre-chamber, an injector and two spark plugs, and method for operating same

A method for operating an internal combustion engine, the internal combustion engine comprising:

• a combustion chamber which is at least partially delimited by a cylinder;
• an injector which is assigned to the combustion chamber;
• a pre-chamber that is fluidically connected via at least one passage opening to the combustion chamber;
• a first spark plug;
• and
• a second spark plug,
• wherein the pre-chamber, the injector, and the second spark plug are arranged in the following sequence along a direction running in a plane extending perpendicularly to an axial direction of the cylinder:
• the pre-chamber-the injector-the second spark plug,
• the method comprising:
• injecting, with the injector, a fuel directly into the combustion chamber such that a mixture comprising at least the fuel and an air is supplied to the combustion chamber;
• supplying a portion of the mixture into the pre-chamber via the at least one passage opening of the pre-chamber;
• producing, with the first spark plug, at least one ignition spark in the pre-chamber for igniting the portion of the mixture supplied via the at least one passage opening into the pre-chamber;
• and
• producing, with the second spark plug which is assigned to the combustion chamber, at least one ignition spark in the combustion chamber and outside the pre-chamber for igniting the mixture received in the combustion chamber;
• wherein ignition times at which respective ignition sparks are produced with the second spark plug are set with an electronic computing device depending on at least one of a load, a temperature and a rotational speed of the internal combustion engine.

An internal combustion engine, comprising:

• a combustion chamber receiving a cylinder;
• an injector configured to inject a fuel into the combustion chamber such that a mixture comprising at least the fuel and an air is supplied to the combustion chamber;
• a pre-chamber that is fluidically connected via at least one passage opening to the combustion chamber and configured such that a portion of the mixture can be supplied via the at least one passage opening into the pre-chamber;
• a first spark plug which is configured to produce at least one ignition spark in the pre-chamber;
• and
• a second spark plug which is configured to produce at least one ignition spark in the combustion chamber and outside the pre-chamber, wherein
• the pre-chamber, the injector, and the second spark plug are arranged in sequence along a direction running in a plane extending perpendicularly to an axial direction of the cylinder such that the injector is located between the pre-chamber and the second spark plugs and wherein
• the pre-chamber is arranged offset in relation to the injector toward an outlet side of the combustion chamber.