Westport Power Inc.

Westport Fuel Systems Canada Inc.

Caterpillar Inc.

Philip C Millward

Ashwin Ashok Hattiangadi

Jonathan Richard Chittenden

William D Tenny

Alin R Olaru

Roderick C S Beazley

Roderick Cs Beazley

Diesel engines modified to be fueled with gaseous fuels experience problems with knocking and pre-ignition, limiting the compression ratio and efficiency of the engine. A new combustion chamber for a gaseous fueled internal combustion engine, in which the combustion chamber is defined by a cylinder head, a bore in a cylinder block and a piston reciprocating in the bore, comprises a piston portion of the combustion chamber defined by a recessed shape in a piston crown; and a head portion of the combustion chamber defined by a recessed surface in the cylinder head. A ratio between the piston portion of combustion chamber volume and the head portion of combustion chamber volume is in a range of 0.7 to 1.3.

Combustion chamber geometry

Diesel-cycle engines are known to have greater power, torque and efficiency compared to Otto-cycle engines of like displacement. When the fuel is a gaseous fuel, such as natural gas, a pilot fuel (such as diesel) is normally required to assist with ignition in a gaseous fuelled Diesel-cycle engine. It would be advantageous to reduce the power, torque and efficiency gap between a Diesel-cycle engine and a gaseous fuelled Otto-cycle engine. A combustion apparatus for a gaseous fuelled internal combustion engine comprises a combustion chamber defined by a cylinder bore, a cylinder head and a piston reciprocating within the cylinder bore. A diameter of the cylinder bore is at least 90 mm and a ratio between the diameter and a stroke length of the piston is at most 0.95. There is at least one intake passage for delivering a charge to the combustion chamber, and at least one intake valve is configured in the cylinder head and cooperates with the intake passage to create a predominant tumble flow motion in the combustion chamber.

Gaseous fuel combustion apparatus for an internal combustion engine

An improved exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system comprises combustion chambers divided into a first portion and a second portion. An intake valve and an exhaust valve are associated with each combustion chamber. An intake manifold is in fluid communication with the combustion chambers through respective intake valves. A first exhaust manifold is in fluid communication with said first portion of combustion chambers through respective exhaust valves. A second exhaust manifold is in fluid communication with said second portion of combustion chambers through respective exhaust valves. An EGR exhaust valve is associated with each combustion chamber in said second portion. An EGR manifold is in fluid communication with each combustion chamber in said second portion through respective EGR exhaust valves and with said at least one intake manifold.

Direct exhaust gas recirculation system

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Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America

Philip C Millward