Internal combustion engine

An internal combustion engine is an engine that generates rotational motion by driving a piston with the expansion of combusting gas. In order for this to occur, a fuel and oxidizer must be mixed and ignited, usually with a spark plug with most fuels or compressing air until it is hot and introducing diesel. This rotational motion can then be linked to wheels, pumps, or other mechanical devices via shafts, belts, and gears. On Earth, most internal combustion engines run on gasoline, but other fuels can be used, such as natural gas, propane, biodeisel, or ethanol.

Proposed use in space exploration

Advantages

Internal combustion engines have a few big advantages over batteries. For one, in many cases, it is easier to transfer and store larger amounts of fuel and oxidizer in bulk than electricity in batteries. Batteries require a complex chain of manufacturing to be produced. Thus, they likely will not be produced on Mars until moderate scale industrial operations are established. Internal combustion engines too require complex manufacturing, but one only needs one engine to convert a massive store of fuel and oxidizer into usable energy. With batteries, the batteries are the store of energy, so they would be required in bulk.

The engines allow a great deal of portability. Smaller engines can be used for small vehicles traversing the surface or excavation, while larger engines can be used to generate electricity during night or emergencies. Waste heat from these engines can be recycled into heating the vehicles and habitats or into nearby industrial processes, such as warming ice into water.