A heat engine built around a gas-filled cylinder-piston arrangement which can use any heat source. It does not expel burned fuel. The Stirling engine has a theoretical efficiency which approaches the Carnot efficiency as designs improve.
Carnot Cycle, Heat Engine, Internal Combustion Engine, Otto Cycle, Steam Engine
References
--. http://www.stirlingthermal.com.
Aittama, J. et al. "Bookmarks for Stirling Stuff." http://precision-d.com/stirling/links.html.
Zemansky, M. W. and Dittman, R. "The Stirling Engine." §7-2 in Heat and Thermodynamics: An Intermediate Textbook, 5th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, pp. 168-171, 1968.
