An internal combustion engine, comprising:
- (n) cylinders (C1, . . . , C4), wherein during an operating cycle air and fuel fills each cylinder and combusts, thereby expanding each cylinder to provide the energy delivered by the engine, and the burnt gases formed during combustion of the air and fuel are subsequently discharged;
- a piston having a reciprocating translational movement and being provided within each of the (n) cylinders;
- (q) exhaust valves being provided for each of the (n) cylinders;
- and
- (r) inlet valves being provided for each of the (n) cylinders, (q) and (r) being whole numbers greater than or equal to 1;
- wherein the exhaust valves connect to (p) exhaust manifold branches, one exhaust manifold branch (D′) connecting with (n′) cylinders, wherein (n′)<(n) and (p)<(n);
- each exhaust manifold branch (D, D′) connecting to an exhaust gas outlet via a shut-off member (B), and to the atmosphere via at least one vent valve (SS);
- and each of the (n) cylinders includes three successive phases ((φ1, φ2, φ3) during the operating cycle, groups of the three phases for the (n′) cylinders being connected to one exhaust manifold branch for the entire operating cycle, for the cylinder (C1), the three phases are defined as follows:
- in the first phase (φ1), at least one exhaust valve (E1) and at least one inlet valve (A1) are open, at least one vent valve (SS) is open in the exhaust manifold branch connected to the cylinder (C1), the shut-off member (B) for the exhaust manifold branch is closed, the piston (P1) of the cylinder (C1) moves towards bottom dead center, thereby filling the cylinder (C1);
- in the second phase (φ2), the shut-off member (B) is closed, the vent valve(s) (SS) of the exhaust manifold branch is/are closed, all the inlet valves (A1) are closed, at least one exhaust valve (E1) is open, at least one other cylinder (C4) of the (n′) cylinders of the same exhaust manifold branch has at least one exhaust valve (E4) open, thereby emptying the exhaust gases, and its piston (P4) moves upwards towards top dead center, and the pressure wave which, in the exhaust manifold branch (D), comes from the cylinder (C4) in its exhaust phase, drives the air and/or the burnt gases contained therein into the cylinder (C1);
- in the third phase (φ3), the shut-off member (B) is open, the vent valve(s) (SS) is/are closed, the exhaust valve (E1) and the inlet valve (A1) of the cylinder (C1) are closed, and the piston (P1) of the cylinder (C1) is traveling upwards towards top dead center while the cylinder (C4) connected to the same exhaust manifold branch (D) has at least one of its exhaust valves open and all of its inlet valves closed, the upstroke of the piston (P4) of the cylinder (C4) towards top dead center causing the burnt gases contained therein to be emptied out through the shut-off member (B);
- and
- during compression, the cylinder (C1) moves into the combustion phase and drives its piston (P1), by the expansion of the burnt gases contained therein, back towards bottom dead center until it returns to the start of the first phase (φ1) of the operating cycle.