The invention is directed to an
internal combustion engine and to a method for operating an
internal combustion engine. The
internal combustion engine (100), having at least one cylinder (101) with an inner
diameter of at least 200mm comprises a
fuel supply system (110), in particular an
ammonia supply
system, with a main
fuel tank (111), a fuel
distributor (112), a
fuel injection system (120) arranged downstream the fuel
distributor (112), and at least one separation valve (9), which is fluidly arranged between the
fuel supply system (110) and the
fuel injection system (120). The internal
combustion engine (100) further comprises a fuel purge system (125) with at least a
liquid fuel purge system (130). The
liquid fuel purge system (130) comprises a
high pressure source (131) of
inert gas, preferably N2, preferably with a pressure of greater than 30 bar, which is fluidly connected or connectable to at least the
fuel supply system (110), preferably upstream the fuel
distributor (112), and a catch tank (132) for receiving and storing
liquid fuel. The fuel purge system (125) comprises a purge
control unit (150) which is adapted to set a first liquid fuel purge mode to purge the fuel supply system (110), wherein the purge
control unit is adapted to establish a fluid connection between the
high pressure source (131) of
inert gas and the fuel distributor (112), and wherein the purge
control unit (150) is adapted to establish a fluid connection between the fuel distributor (112) and the catch tank (132), such that
inert gas from the
high pressure source (131) of
inert gas is guided through the fuel distributor (112) and into the catch tank (132).