INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE

摘要

Disclosed is an internal combustion engine (100) comprising an intake valve (31) for opening/closing an intake port (30), a valve-timing adjusting device (200) for adjusting the valve timing of the intake valve (31), and a discharge unit (50) including a first electrode (51), a dielectric element (53) covering the first electrode (51), and a second electrode (52) arranged at a position to face the dielectric element (53). The discharge unit (50) is constituted such that a discharge chamber (55) formed between the second electrode (52) and the dielectric element (53) faces a combustion chamber (13), thereby to generate an unbalanced plasma discharge in the discharge chamber (55). Further comprised are voltage applying means (60) for applying a voltage to the discharge unit (50) so that radicals may be produced in the discharge chamber (55) by the unbalanced plasma discharge, and a controller (70) for controlling the valve-timing adjusting device (200) so that an intake valve closing period for closing the intake valve (31) may be provided during the downward movement of the piston from the exhaust top dead center to the intake bottom dead center, thereby to diffuse the radicals in the discharge chamber (55) into the combustion chamber (13). Thus, it is possible to enhance the ignitability improving effect of the internal combustion engine (100).