Caterpillar Inc.

Anand Srinivasan

Martin Leo Willi

Joel D Hiltner

Min Wu

An internal combustion engine includes a precombustion member which has a number of first ignition orifices defined therein. The precombustion member further has a precombustion chamber defined therein. The precombustion member is positioned relative to the head of the engine such that the precombustion chamber is in fluid communication with the engine's main combustion chamber via the first ignition orifices. The internal combustion engine further has a spark plug for igniting a gaseous fuel. The spark plug includes an encapsulating member which has a number of second ignition orifices defined therein. The encapsulating member defines a plug combustion chamber. The spark plug further includes a center electrode and a ground electrode which are both positioned within the plug combustion chamber. The encapsulating member is positioned relative to the precombustion member such that the plug combustion chamber is in fluid communication with the precombustion chamber via the second ignition orifices. The encapsulating member shelters the spark generated by the spark plug from turbulence within the precombustion chamber and the main combustion chamber. Such a configuration facilitates use of leaner gaseous fuel mixtures relative to fuel combustion assemblies which have heretofore been designed.

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Lafayette, IN, United States of America

Anand Srinivasan