Engine burner having nested passageways about the combustion chamber

A burner (10) for an external combustion engine E, such as a Stirling Cycle engine, using liquid or gaseous fuel is disclosed. The burner (10) being arranged for heat exchange between the inlet air to the burner (10) and the exhaust air from the burner (10). The burner (10) includes an external housing (11) with a shroud (21), which forms part of the centrally positioned combustion chamber (C). The burner (10) includes air inlet 16 and guides (19, 27) for guiding the inlet air to the combustion chamber (C), an igniter (15) and fuel inlet (34) and gas exhaust (28, 31). The external housing (11), an element of the inlet (16), the guides (19, 27), and heat exchange elements (29, 30) are formed as inverted shaped dishes or shells about the combustion chamber (C) so as to define a series nested passageways about the combustion chamber (C).