Back محرك احتراق خارجي Arabic Рухавік знешняга згарання Byelorussian Рухавік вонкавага згараньня BE-X-OLD Двигател с външно горене Bulgarian Motors de combustió externa Catalan بزوێنەری سووتانی دەرەکی CKB Motor s vnějším spalováním Czech Μηχανή εξωτερικής καύσης Greek Motor de combustión externa Spanish موتور برونسوز Persian
An external combustion engine (EC engine) is a reciprocating heat engine where a working fluid, contained internally, is heated by combustion in an external source, through the engine wall or a heat exchanger. The fluid then, by expanding and acting on the mechanism of the engine, produces motion and usable work. The fluid is then dumped (open cycle), or cooled, compressed and reused (closed cycle). In these types of engines, the combustion is primarily used as a heat source, and the engine can work equally well with other types of heat sources.