Today’s IC engines can be classified in several ways. Some of the ways of classification of Internal Combustion (IC) engines is listed below:

1. Based on application

§  Automobile Engine

§  Aircraft Engine

§  Locomotive Engine

§  Marine Engine

§  Stationary Engine

2. Based on basic engine design

§  Reciprocating: Single cylinder, Multi-cylinder In-line, V, radial, opposed cylinder, Opposed Piston.

§  Rotatory: Single motor, Multi motor

3. Based on operating cycle

§  Atkinson (For complete expansion SI Engine)

§  Diesel (For the Ideal Diesel Engine)

§  Dual (For the Actual Diesel Engine)

§  Miller (For Early/Late Inlet valve closing type SI Engine)

§  Otto (For the Convectional SI Engine)

4. Based on working cycle

§  Four stroke cycle

§  Two stroke cycle

§  Scavenging ; direct/crankcase/cross flow; back flow/loop; Uni flow

§  Naturally aspirated or turbocharged

5. Based on Valve/port design and location

§  Design of valve/port

§  Poppet valve

§  Rotatory valve

§  Location of valve/port

§  T-head

§  L-head

§  F-head

§  L-head

6.Based on Fuel

§  Convectional

§  Crude oil derivatives; Petrol, diesel

§  Other sources; coal, bio-mass, tar stands, shale

§  Alternative

§  Petroleum derived: CNG, LPG

§  Bio-mass derived: alcohols, vegetable oils, producer gas, biogas and hydrogen

§  Blending

§  Bi-fuel and dual fuel

7. Based on mixture preparation

§  Carburetion

§  Fuel injection

8. Based on ignition

§  Spark ignition

§  Compression Ignition

9. Based on stratification of charge

§  Homogeneous Charge

§  Stratified charge

§  With carburetion

§  With fuel injection

10. Based on combustion chamber design

§  Open chamber: Disc, wedge, hemispherical, bowl-in-piston, bath tub.

§  Divided chamber:

§  (For CI) 1. Swirl chamber, 2. Pre-chamber

§  (for SI) 1. CVCC, 2. Other designs

11. Based on cooling system

§  Air-cooling system

§  Water-cooling system