US3809042A - Internal combustion engine equipped with means for reducing the amount of nitrogen oxide which is exhausted from the engine - Google Patents

Internal combustion engine equipped with means for reducing the amount of nitrogen oxide which is exhausted from the engine Download PDF

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Publication number
US3809042A
US3809042A US00136529A US13652971A US3809042A US 3809042 A US3809042 A US 3809042A US 00136529 A US00136529 A US 00136529A US 13652971 A US13652971 A US 13652971A US 3809042 A US3809042 A US 3809042A
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United States
Prior art keywords
ignition
plug
engine
ignition means
nitrogen oxide
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Expired - Lifetime
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US00136529A
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English (en)
Inventor
Y Hosho
H Moriya
Y Oyama
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Hitachi Ltd
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Hitachi Ltd
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    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
    • F02P—IGNITION, OTHER THAN COMPRESSION IGNITION, FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES; TESTING OF IGNITION TIMING IN COMPRESSION-IGNITION ENGINES
    • F02P15/00—Electric spark ignition having characteristics not provided for in, or of interest apart from, groups F02P1/00 - F02P13/00 and combined with layout of ignition circuits
    • F02P15/02—Arrangements having two or more sparking plugs
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
    • F02B—INTERNAL-COMBUSTION PISTON ENGINES; COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL
    • F02B75/00—Other engines
    • F02B75/10—Engines with means for rendering exhaust gases innocuous
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
    • F02P—IGNITION, OTHER THAN COMPRESSION IGNITION, FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES; TESTING OF IGNITION TIMING IN COMPRESSION-IGNITION ENGINES
    • F02P15/00—Electric spark ignition having characteristics not provided for in, or of interest apart from, groups F02P1/00 - F02P13/00 and combined with layout of ignition circuits
    • F02P15/08—Electric spark ignition having characteristics not provided for in, or of interest apart from, groups F02P1/00 - F02P13/00 and combined with layout of ignition circuits having multiple-spark ignition, i.e. ignition occurring simultaneously at different places in one engine cylinder or in two or more separate engine cylinders

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an internal combustion engine equipped with means for reducing the nitrogen oxide content in the exhaust gas thereof without increasing the amount of other harmful substances, such as carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons.
  • the system for recycling the exhaust gas is rather useful in view of the rate of decreasing the amount of nitrogen oxide and of the small decrease in the output loss, and such a device combined with both the mixing-ratio-changing system and the ignition-control system is therefore believed at present to be most available and practicable.
  • the drawbacks involved in the recycling system necessarily remain.
  • the foregoing describes the present condition in connection with the measures involving the nitrogen oxide problem.
  • the present invention provides an internal combustion engine equipped with a system for reducing or suppressing the production of nitrogen oxide as well as for exhausting hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide, in which a combustion chamber is provided with a pair of ignition plugs different from each other with respect to their combustion characteristics, each of both of them being operated in accordance with the condition of the engine operation, whereby the nitrogen oxide content in the exhaust gas is reduced.
  • FIG. 1 is a plan view of a cylinder head embodying the present invention
  • FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a cylinder embodying the present invention
  • FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the important portion of the cylinder shown in FIG. 2;
  • FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram for an ignition device according to the present invention.
  • FIGS. 5a to 5c are graphs, respectively showing the content of nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons in the exhaust gas from conventional engines of the prior art and from engines according to this invention, which are operated continuously;
  • FIGS. 6a to 60 are graphs, respectively showing the content of nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons in the exhaust gas from conventional engines of the prior art and from engines according to this invention, which are operated under various conditions;
  • FIG. 7 is a circuit diagram of another embodiment of the present'invention.
  • a cylinder head 1 is provided with a pair of ignition plugs 3, 4, an intakevalve 5 and an exhaust valve 6.
  • the ignition plugs 3, 4 are disposed within a combustion space 2 to ignite'the fuel which is present therein.
  • a piston 7 connected through a suitable'connecting means, such as a crank means, to shafts of distributors 9, 10, reciprocates in a cylinder.
  • a first ignition means 12 an ignition portion 20 of an electrode of the ignition plug 3 projects into the combustion space 2 ma conventional manner, whereas, in' contrast thereto, the ignition plug 4 is placed within a recess 23 formed in a cylinder wall 22 so as not to project with the ignition portion 21 of an electrode of the ignition plug 4 into the combustion space 2.
  • the volume and shape of the recess 23, in which the ignition plug 4 of the second ignition means is disposed, are properly determined and chosen in accordance with experiments; in any case the combustion characteristics of the second ignition means 15, i.e., the combustion characteristics that are imparted by the ignition means 15 including its ignition plug 4 to the gas mixture in the combustion space 2, must be made inferior to those of the first ignition means 12.
  • the flame propagation speed which is the speed of the flame propagation from the position of the electrode 21 of the ignition plug 4 over the entire combustion space '2
  • the above relationship is established by taking into consideration the desirability not to excessively increase the contents of carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons in the exhaust gases and not to lower the output power of engine.
  • the ignition time can be decided by detecting the opening degree of a throttle valve and/or the back pressure, and/or by using the changing in the transmission and/or by adding the temperature condition of the engine to any of the foregoing parameters.
  • the ignition time condition is thus chosen by conventional means in accordance with the conditions of exhaust gas restrictions.
  • FIGS. 5a through 6c The analytical results of the exhaust gas contents are shown in FIGS. 5a through 6c, in which an engine embodying the present invention has a capacity of 1,200 cubic centimeters.
  • data Nos. 1 and 2 show the results in connection with the engines provided with the same ignition means.
  • data No. 1 relates to such engines as are of the ordinary type with respect to the diameter of the main jet of the evaporator, the position of the ignition plug and the spark advance, which corresponds to the first ignition means according to the present invention.
  • data No. 2 relates to an ignition means in which the portion of the electrode 21 of the ignition plug 4 is recessed by millimeters as compared with the conventional one, i.e., this arrangement of the ignition means corresponds to the second ignition means 15.
  • FIGS. 6a to 6c the analytical results of the amounts of nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons in the exhaust gas, in which the tests were performed by changing the running conditions of the vehicle.
  • the largest amount of nitrogen oxide is found in the acceleration run, and it is appreciated that the reduction of the amount of nitrogen oxide is considerable when the present invention is employed.
  • the amounts of carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons a small change of the amount of carbon monoxide is produced, and the amount of hydrocarbons seems to become slightly larger.
  • V constant running (15 mile/hr.)
  • both the first and second ignition means are used during the normal running condition, but when the amount of nitrogen oxide is undesirably large, only the second ignition means is operated, whereby the efficiency of engine during the high speed running can be increased.
  • the first and second ignition means can be so modified as to be capable of producing a' proper engine efficiency during the normal running operation by means of the two ignition means and capable of allowing only the second ignition means to operate at the time when the amount of nitrogen oxide is undesirably large. Furthermore, it is possible to delay the spark advance so as to operate only the second ignition means when the amount of nitrogen oxide is large.
  • the objects of the present invention are attained by using a single distributor which is operatively connected to both the first and second ignition means in which the spark advances of respective ignition means are so regulated as to function properly themselves.
  • a distributor is connected to a pair of rotary electrodes and a pair of ignition plugs are provided with fixed electrodes. Only the first ignition plug, which is fixed as in the ordinary case, is allowed to make and break by means of a suitable switch connected to the source.
  • a battery 109 is connected by way of con tactors 110, 111 and coils 112, 113 to rotary contacts of electrodes 114, 115.
  • switches such as, for example, a throttle valve switch 132 .which is operated in accordance with the opening be easily reduced by any suitable of the throttle valve, a speed switch 133 which is operated in accordance with the vehicle speed, a gear switch 134 which is changed over in accordance with the selected speed or gear position.
  • Fixed contacts or electrodes 116, 117, 118 and 119 are provided on the side of the main plugs, which respectively cooperate with the rotary contact or electrode 114 and are connected to the main plugs 120, I21, 122 and 123, respectively, of the engine cylinders.
  • Fixed contacts or electrodes 124, 125, 126 and 127 are provided on the side of auxiliary plugs which respectively cooperate with the rotary contact or electrode 115 and are connected to auxiliary plugs 128, 129, 130 and 131, respectively.
  • the rotary contacts or electrodes 114'and 115 are driven by a crank shaft.
  • the throttle switch 132 for detecting the opening of the throttle valve is used in order to operate both the main plug 3 and the auxiliary plug 4.
  • the gear switch 134 which is operatively connected to the change-speed-gear system is used.
  • the speed switch 133 and gear switch 134 are used by detecting the acceleration condition so as to operate only the auxiliary plug.
  • the recess for accommodating the auxiliary plug therein can be replaced by other means, such as by using such an ignition plug as has a cylindrical cover surrounding the end of the electrode and the vicinity thereof.
  • An internal combustion engine equipped with means for reducing the amount of nitrogen oxide in the exhaust gases thereof, without increasing other harmful substances such as carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons, characterized in that said means comprises first ignition means and second ignition means, said two ignition means being operatively connected to means for changing the ignition thereof, said second ignition means being disposed in a recess communicating with a combustion space so that the combustion characteristics of said second ignition means is inferior to those of said first ignition means in order to carry out the combustion by said second ignition means at a relatively smaller rate than that in the case of said first ignition means, but to carry out the full combustion so as not to increase the amounts of carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons in the exhaust gases, said changing means operating only said second ignition means for acceleration and high speed operation of the engine such that the combustion at the time of acceleration and high speed operation is effected only by said second ignition means.
  • An internal combustion engine in which a cylinder wall of the engine is provided with'said recess for accommodating an ignition plug of said second ignition means, an electrode head of said plug being retracted as compared to the normal position thereof so as to impart poor combustion characteristics to said second ignition means, and the position of an ignition plug of said first ignition means being located in the normal position.
  • said changing means includes means for changing over said first and second ignition means in accordance with instructions for reducing the amount of nitrogen oxide.
  • each of said first and second ignition means is provided with means for advancing the ignition.
  • An internal combustion engine equipped with means for reducing the amount of nitrogen oxide in the exhaust gases of a vehicle, in which a combustion space of an engine is provided with a main ignition plug and an auxiliary plug, said main ignition plug being located in such'a place where the combustion characteristics and thermal efficiency are superior to those of other places, said auxiliary ignition plug being disposed in a recess of the engine communicating with said combustion space so that the speed of flame propagation after the ignition is smaller than that of said main ignition plug, said ignition plugs being respectively connected to a single distributor means which has a pair of rotary electrodes and a pair of fixed electrodes, said main ignition plug and said auxiliary plug being operated by relay means, said relay means operating only said auxiliary plug for acceleration and high speed operation of the engine whereby the amount of nirogen oxide is properly reduced without excessively increasing the amounts of carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons during all of the running conditions of vehicle.
  • An internal combustion engine equipped with means for reducing the amount of nitrogen oxide in the exhaust gases thereof without substantially affecting the amounts of other harmful components, comprising at least one combustion chamber, first and second ignition means for each combustion space, said first and second ignition means providing different combustion characteristics for the fuel-air mixture in the combustion space, said second ignition means including an ignition plug disposed in a recess of the engine communicating with said combustion space so that the speed of flame propagation after the ignition is smaller than that of said first ignition means and control means operatively connected with said ignition means for controlling the operation thereof as a function of engine parameters affecting the contents of nitrogen oxide in the exhaust gases, said control means operating only said second ignition means for acceleration and high speed operation of said engine.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Ignition Installations For Internal Combustion Engines (AREA)
  • Combustion Methods Of Internal-Combustion Engines (AREA)
US00136529A 1970-04-22 1971-04-22 Internal combustion engine equipped with means for reducing the amount of nitrogen oxide which is exhausted from the engine Expired - Lifetime US3809042A (en)

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JP45033899A JPS4910768B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1970-04-22 1970-04-22

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Cited By (20)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3919994A (en) * 1974-11-11 1975-11-18 Gen Motors Corp Ignition system for rotary internal combustion engines
US3929115A (en) * 1972-03-17 1975-12-30 Hitachi Ltd Means for cleaning exhaust gas in a reciprocating piston type automobile engine
US3935844A (en) * 1972-09-13 1976-02-03 Hitachi, Ltd. Ignition timing control system
US3957020A (en) * 1974-02-18 1976-05-18 Toyota Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Ignition system for rotary piston engines
US3970049A (en) * 1973-06-05 1976-07-20 Nippon Soken, Inc. Ignition system for rotary piston engine
US3982502A (en) * 1974-03-16 1976-09-28 Audi Nsu Auto Union Aktiengesellschaft Ignition system for a rotary piston combustion engine
US4011841A (en) * 1974-03-05 1977-03-15 Fuji Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Gasoline engine of four-cycle ignition type
US4029072A (en) * 1973-08-27 1977-06-14 Toyota Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Igniting apparatus for internal combustion engines
US4054114A (en) * 1970-09-01 1977-10-18 Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha Device for adjusting ignition time for dual ignition internal combustion engine
US4132212A (en) * 1976-04-02 1979-01-02 Nippon Soken, Inc. Torch-ignition internal combustion engine
US4133331A (en) * 1976-03-11 1979-01-09 Nissan Motor Company, Ltd. Dual spark-plug ignition internal combustion engine with improved combustion chamber wall
US4144860A (en) * 1976-04-16 1979-03-20 Nissan Motor Company, Limited Dual spark plug ignition engine
US4177783A (en) * 1978-11-03 1979-12-11 Osvaldo Palomeque Dual spark plug ignition system
US4198942A (en) * 1976-12-17 1980-04-22 Nissan Motor Company, Limited Dual spark plug ignition engine with EGR system
US4201173A (en) * 1977-04-22 1980-05-06 Hitachi, Ltd. Ignition apparatus for multi-cylinder reciprocating internal combustion engine
US4213430A (en) * 1975-04-01 1980-07-22 Nissan Motor Company, Limited Spark-ignition internal combustion engine capable of reducing noxious constituents in exhaust gases
US4218880A (en) * 1975-12-01 1980-08-26 Nissan Motor Company, Limited Spark-ignition internal combustion engine
US4243005A (en) * 1977-04-29 1981-01-06 Nissan Motor Company, Limited Ignition system in dual spark plug ignition engine with EGR system
US4296720A (en) * 1978-07-20 1981-10-27 Toyota Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine
US20060201480A1 (en) * 2005-03-14 2006-09-14 Hiroshi Isaji Spark plug system in an internal combustion engine

Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1580353A (en) * 1926-04-13 detroit
US2025203A (en) * 1933-03-27 1935-12-24 H B Motor Corp Combustion engine
US2025202A (en) * 1932-12-08 1935-12-24 H B Motor Corp Combustion engine
US2643275A (en) * 1952-08-27 1953-06-23 Davis H Saunders Automatic spark plug switch
CA612150A (en) * 1961-01-10 George B. Fowler Means and method of operating an internal combustion engine
US3452725A (en) * 1967-08-23 1969-07-01 Donald A Kelly High compression rotary i.c. engine
US3534717A (en) * 1968-02-27 1970-10-20 Nsu Motorenwerke Ag Rotary piston engine with spark and exhaust temperature control
US3584608A (en) * 1968-06-03 1971-06-15 Toyo Kogyo Co Ignition system for rotary piston internal combustion engine

Patent Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1580353A (en) * 1926-04-13 detroit
CA612150A (en) * 1961-01-10 George B. Fowler Means and method of operating an internal combustion engine
US2025202A (en) * 1932-12-08 1935-12-24 H B Motor Corp Combustion engine
US2025203A (en) * 1933-03-27 1935-12-24 H B Motor Corp Combustion engine
US2643275A (en) * 1952-08-27 1953-06-23 Davis H Saunders Automatic spark plug switch
US3452725A (en) * 1967-08-23 1969-07-01 Donald A Kelly High compression rotary i.c. engine
US3534717A (en) * 1968-02-27 1970-10-20 Nsu Motorenwerke Ag Rotary piston engine with spark and exhaust temperature control
US3584608A (en) * 1968-06-03 1971-06-15 Toyo Kogyo Co Ignition system for rotary piston internal combustion engine

Cited By (22)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4054114A (en) * 1970-09-01 1977-10-18 Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha Device for adjusting ignition time for dual ignition internal combustion engine
US3929115A (en) * 1972-03-17 1975-12-30 Hitachi Ltd Means for cleaning exhaust gas in a reciprocating piston type automobile engine
US3935844A (en) * 1972-09-13 1976-02-03 Hitachi, Ltd. Ignition timing control system
US3970049A (en) * 1973-06-05 1976-07-20 Nippon Soken, Inc. Ignition system for rotary piston engine
US4029072A (en) * 1973-08-27 1977-06-14 Toyota Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Igniting apparatus for internal combustion engines
US3957020A (en) * 1974-02-18 1976-05-18 Toyota Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Ignition system for rotary piston engines
US4011841A (en) * 1974-03-05 1977-03-15 Fuji Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Gasoline engine of four-cycle ignition type
US3982502A (en) * 1974-03-16 1976-09-28 Audi Nsu Auto Union Aktiengesellschaft Ignition system for a rotary piston combustion engine
US3919994A (en) * 1974-11-11 1975-11-18 Gen Motors Corp Ignition system for rotary internal combustion engines
US4213430A (en) * 1975-04-01 1980-07-22 Nissan Motor Company, Limited Spark-ignition internal combustion engine capable of reducing noxious constituents in exhaust gases
US4218880A (en) * 1975-12-01 1980-08-26 Nissan Motor Company, Limited Spark-ignition internal combustion engine
US4133331A (en) * 1976-03-11 1979-01-09 Nissan Motor Company, Ltd. Dual spark-plug ignition internal combustion engine with improved combustion chamber wall
US4132212A (en) * 1976-04-02 1979-01-02 Nippon Soken, Inc. Torch-ignition internal combustion engine
US4144860A (en) * 1976-04-16 1979-03-20 Nissan Motor Company, Limited Dual spark plug ignition engine
US4198942A (en) * 1976-12-17 1980-04-22 Nissan Motor Company, Limited Dual spark plug ignition engine with EGR system
US4201173A (en) * 1977-04-22 1980-05-06 Hitachi, Ltd. Ignition apparatus for multi-cylinder reciprocating internal combustion engine
US4243005A (en) * 1977-04-29 1981-01-06 Nissan Motor Company, Limited Ignition system in dual spark plug ignition engine with EGR system
US4296720A (en) * 1978-07-20 1981-10-27 Toyota Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine
US4177783A (en) * 1978-11-03 1979-12-11 Osvaldo Palomeque Dual spark plug ignition system
US20060201480A1 (en) * 2005-03-14 2006-09-14 Hiroshi Isaji Spark plug system in an internal combustion engine
EP1707804A1 (en) * 2005-03-14 2006-10-04 Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. Ignition system for an internal combustion engine
US7234441B2 (en) 2005-03-14 2007-06-26 Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. Spark plug system in an internal combustion engine

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