Heat engines are otherwise called Thermal Engines. It is a machine which converts heat energy in to useful mechanical work. Heat engines develop more than 80% the energy generated in the world.

(i) External combustion engine:

发动机燃烧的燃料outside the engine cylinder is called external combustion engine. These engines are generally called EC engines.
Ex: Steam engines, steam turbines, closed cycle gas turbine etc.

(ii) Internal combustion engine:

发动机燃烧的燃料inside the engine cylinder is called internal combustion engine. These engines are generally called IC engines.
Ex: Petrol engine, diesel engine, gas engine etc.

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The following are the most important ways of classification of I.C. engines:

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(i) According to the type of fuel used

(a) Petrol engines:In this type of engines, the fuel used is petrol.
(b) Diesel engines:In this type of engines, the fuel used is diesel.
(c) Gas engines:In this type of engines, the gaseous fuels like natural gas, biogas, are used.
(d) Bi-fuel engines:These engines use a mixture of two fuels.

(ii) According to the number of strokes per cycle

(a) 4-stroke engine:In this type of engines, the working cycle is completed in four different strokes.

(b) 2-stroke engine:In this type of engines, the working cycle is completed in two different strokes.

(iii) According to the method of ignition

(a) Spark ignition engine (S.I.Engine):In this type of engines, fuel is ignited by an electric spark generated by a spark plug.
(b) Compression ignition engine (C.I. Engine):In this type of engines, the fuel gets ignited as it comes in contact with the hot compressed air.

(iv) According to the cycle of combustion

(a) Otto cycle engine:In this type of engines, combustion of fuel takes place at constant volume
(b) Diesel cycle engine:In this type of engines, combustion of fuel takes place at constant pressure

(c) Duel combustion engine:In this type of engines, combustion of fuel first takes place at constant volume and then at constant pressure

(v) According to the number of cylinders

(a) Single cylinder engine:This type of engines consists of only one cylinder.
(b) Multi cylinder engine:This type of engines consists of 2, 3, 4, 6 or 8 cylinders

(vi) According to the arrangement of cylinders

(a) Vertical engine:In this type of engines, the cylinder is arranged in a vertical position
(b) Horizontal engine:In this type of engines, cylinder is arranged in horizontal position.
(c) Inline engine:In this type of engines, cylinders are arranged in line
(d) Radial engine:In this type of engines, cylinders are arranged along the circumference of a circle.(e) V-engine:In this type of engines, combination of two inline engines equally set an angle.

(vii) According to the method of cooling

(a) Air cooled engine:In this type of engines, the heated cylinder walls are cooled by continuous flow of air
(b) Water cooled engine:In this type of engines, water is used for cooling the heated cylinder walls.