INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES

摘要

An internal combustion engine 10 includes a combustion chamber 12. The chamber includes a body 18 that is movable in the chamber to vary the chamber volume and contains a catalyst 50. First valving 24 is operable to admit an intake gas into the chamber and second valving 30 connected with an aqueous fluid supply system 32 is operable to admit an aqueous fluid and a steam reforming fuel into the chamber. A controller 48 is configured to cause the second valving 30 to admit a aqueous fluid and an amount of the steam reforming fuel into the chamber and when a predetermined condition exists in the chamber during compression of the intake gas to absorb heat generated by the compression of the intake gas in the presence of the catalyst to promote a steam reformation process to separate hydrogen from the steam reforming fuel or said aqueous fluid.