Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Edward A Rishavy

James H Currie

An internal combustion rotary engine is disclosed having leading and trailing spark plugs with their respective spark electrodes arranged in peripherally spaced ignition openings in the inner peripheral wall of the engine's rotor housing. The leading ignition opening is located in a zone where the leading apex seal of the passing chambers experiences a relatively low pressure differential which decreases in the direction of rotor rotation whereas the trailing ignition opening is located in a zone where the trailing apex seal of the passing chambers also experiences a relatively low pressure differential but which increases in the direction of rotor rotation. Both plugs are fired at the same time by an ignition system that provides a predetermined relatively fast rise time spark ignition potential and an arc of predetermined relatively prolonged duration which is either substantially constant with respect to engine speed or varies inversely therewith and is determined according to the time available from start of ignition to when the trailing apex seal of the passing chambers reaches the trailing plug.

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Warren, MI, United States of America

Edward A Rishavy