DEVICE FOR ESTIMATING DIFFUSE COMBUSTION START TIME AND DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING DIFFUSE COMBUSTION START TIME FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE

The evaporation rate and the oxidation rate of fuel injected into a combustion chamber are calculated, and a diffusion combustion start time is estimated to be the time when this fuel evaporation rate and fuel oxidation rate arrive in a state where the fuel evaporation rate and the fuel oxidation rate match from a state where there is a disparity between the fuel evaporation rate and the fuel oxidation rate. In the case where there is a disparity between this estimated diffusion combustion start time and an appropriate time, a fuel injection pressure adjustment and a swirl control valve opening adjustment are performed such that the diffusion combustion start time matches the appropriate time.