Method for starting and operating an internal combustion engine

An internal combustion engine comprising:

• a combustion chamber defined by the inner wall of a cylinder, a cylinder head, and the upper surface of a piston moveable longitudinally within the cylinder, the combustion chamber having at least one inlet for the introduction into the combustion chamber of a first hydrocarbon fuel and oxygen to form a first combustible mixture, and an outlet for exhaust gases;
• a pre-combustion chamber having an inlet for the introduction into the pre-combustion chamber of a second hydrocarbon fuel and a passageway in communication with the combustion chamber;
• and
• a spark generator operable, so as to generate a spark within a spark-combustion chamber capable of causing ignition of the first combustible mixture within the combustion chamber;
• the spark-combustion chamber being in communication with the combustion chamber, whereby, in operation, the spark ignites a combustible mixture in the spark-combustion chamber consisting of a portion of the first combustible mixture.

A method for starting an internal combustion engine, which engine comprises a combustion chamber defined by the inner wall of a cylinder, a cylinder head and the upper surface of a piston moveable longitudinally within the cylinder, the engine further comprising a pre-combustion chamber in communication with the combustion chamber, the method comprising:

• (a) supplying to the combustion chamber a first hydrocarbon fuel and oxygen, to form a first combustible mixture;
• (b) supplying to the pre-combustion chamber a second hydrocarbon fuel and oxygen to form a second combustible mixture, the second combustible mixture being auto-ignitable;
• (c) compressing the first and second combustible mixtures by moving the piston within the cylinder;
• and
• (d) generating a spark to cause ignition of the compressed first combustible mixture therein;
• the step of generating a spark being carried out until the engine will run using compressive ignition of the second combustible mixture to ignite the first combustible mixture alone, thereafter ceasing the step of generating a spark;
• the spark being generated in a spark-combustion chamber in communication with the combustion chamber, the spark igniting a combustible mixture consisting of a portion of the first combustible mixture supplied to the spark-combustion chamber from the combustion chamber.

A cylinder head for an internal combustion engine, the cylinder head comprising:

• a combustion chamber face, which face, when the cylinder head is mounted on an engine block of an engine, together with the inner walls of a cylinder and the upper surface of a piston moveable longitudinally within the cylinder, defines a combustion chamber;
• a pre-combustion chamber, having an inlet for a hydrocarbon fuel;
• a passageway having an opening in the pre-combustion chamber and extending from the pre-combustion chamber to an opening in the combustion face;
• and
• a receptor for a spark plug, the receptor being positioned so that the electrode of a spark plug located in the receptor is able to cause ignition of a combustible mixture present in the combustion chamber, when the cylinder head is mounted on an engine;
• the cylinder head further comprising a spark-combustion chamber, the receptor being positioned so that the electrode of a spark plug located in the receptor extends into the spark-combustion chamber, the spark-combustion chamber being in communication with the combustion chamber when the cylinder head is mounted on an engine wherein, in operation, a combustible mixture is provided in the spark-combustion chamber consisting of a combustible mixture supplied from the combustion chamber.

A method for starting an internal combustion engine, which engine comprises a combustion chamber defined by the inner wall of a cylinder, a cylinder head and the upper surface of a piston moveable longitudinally within the cylinder, the engine further comprising a pre-combustion chamber in communication with the combustion chamber, the method comprising:

• (a) supplying to the combustion chamber natural gas and oxygen to form a first combustible mixture;
• (b) supplying to the pre-combustion chamber diesel and oxygen to form a second combustible mixture, the second combustible mixture being auto-ignitable;
• (c) compressing the first and second combustible mixtures by moving the piston within the cylinder;
• and
• (d) generating a spark causing the ignition of the compressed first combustible mixture in the combustion chamber;
• the step of generating a spark being carried out until the engine will run using auto-ignition of the second combustible mixture to ignite the first combustible mixture alone, thereafter ceasing the step of generating a spark;
• the spark being generated in a spark-combustion chamber in communication with the combustion chamber, the spark igniting a combustible mixture consisting of a portion of the first combustible mixture supplied to the spark-combustion chamber from the combustion chamber.