Most people who do not like to tinker under their car’s hood see the engine as a massive jumble of tubes, wires, and metal.
However, all car owners are aware that this piece of machinery is what keeps their vehicle running. It is in charge of converting all energy into mechanical form, which allows your car to move and function properly.
There are basically two types of car engines, each with its own set of characteristics. However, they all serve the same purpose. Whether you’re thinking about buying a new or used car engine, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with it.
In this blog entry, we will discuss the various types of car engines that you will encounter when looking for used car engines online.
1. External combustion engine
(EC)
This is a type of reciprocating heat engine in which a working fluid is heated by combustion in an external source, such as the engine wall or a heat exchanger.
The fluid then produces motion and usable work by expanding and acting on the engine’s mechanism.
The fluid is then either discharged (open cycle) or cooled, compressed, and reused (closed cycle).
The combustion is primarily used as a heat source in these engines, but the engine can also work with other types of heat sources.
2. Internal combustion engine
(ICE or IC)
This is a type of heat engine in which fuel is burned with an oxidizer (usually air) in a combustion chamber that is part of the working fluid flow circuit.
The expansion of high-temperature and high-pressure gasses produced by combustion exerts a direct force on some internal combustion engine components.
The force is typically applied to pistons in a piston engine, turbine blades in a gas turbine, a rotor in a Wankel engine, or a nozzle in a nozzle engine (jet engine). This force moves the component, converting chemical energy into kinetic energy, that is then used to propel, move, or power whatever the engine is attached to.
For applications where engine weight or size was more important, this replaced the external combustion engine.
Internal combustion engines provide excellent drivability and durability, powering over 250 million highway transportation vehicles in the United States.
They can use renewable or alternative fuels in addition to gasoline or diesel (e.g., natural gas, propane, biodiesel, or ethanol).
They can also be combined with hybrid electric powertrains to improve fuel economy or plug-in hybrid electric systems to increase hybrid electric vehicle range.
External vs. Internal Combustion Engines
External combustion engines and internal combustion engines accomplish the same thing: they convert the energy contained within combustible fuel into usable mechanical energy.
However, the engine designs are very different. The primary distinction is in the location of combustion. Fuel combustion occurs in a combustion chamber located outside of the engine in external combustion engines.
Internal combustion engines burn their fuel inside the engine. In modern automobiles, fuel and air are drawn into and burned in each of the engine’s cylinders.
The expansion of the combustion products drives the pistons, turns the crankshaft, and moves the vehicle’s wheels.