Editing Gas turbine (section)

==External combustion==
Most gas turbines are internal combustion engines but it is also possible to manufacture an external combustion gas turbine which is, effectively, a turbine version of a [[hot air engine]].
Those systems are usually indicated as EFGT (Externally Fired Gas Turbine) or IFGT (Indirectly Fired Gas Turbine).

External combustion has been used for the purpose of using [[pulverized coal]] or finely ground biomass (such as sawdust) as a fuel. In the indirect system, a [[heat exchanger]] is used and only clean air with no combustion products travels through the power turbine. The [[thermal efficiency]] is lower in the indirect type of external combustion; however, the turbine blades are not subjected to combustion products and much lower quality (and therefore cheaper) fuels are able to be used.

When external combustion is used, it is possible to use exhaust air from the turbine as the primary combustion air. This effectively reduces global heat losses, although heat losses associated with the combustion exhaust remain inevitable.

[[Closed-cycle gas turbine]]s based on [[helium]] or [[supercritical carbon dioxide]] also hold promise for use with future high temperature solar and nuclear power generation.