Editing Engine (section)

==== Air-breathing combustion engines ====

''Air-breathing combustion engines'' are combustion engines that use the [[oxygen]] in atmospheric air to [[oxidise]] ('burn') the fuel, rather than carrying an [[oxidiser]], as in a [[rocket]]. Theoretically, this should result in a better [[specific impulse]] than for rocket engines.

A continuous stream of air flows through the air-breathing engine. This air is compressed, mixed with fuel, ignited and expelled as the [[exhaust gas]]. In [[reaction engine]]s, the majority of the combustion energy (heat) exits the engine as exhaust gas, which provides thrust directly.

;Examples
Typical air-breathing engines include:
* [[Reciprocating engine]]
* [[Steam engine]]
* [[Gas turbine]]
* [[Airbreathing jet engine]]
* [[Turboprop|Turbo-propeller engine]]
* [[Pulse detonation engine]]
* [[Pulse jet]]
* [[Ramjet]]
* [[Scramjet]]
* [[Liquid air cycle engine]]/[[Reaction Engines SABRE]].