A plasma-vortex engine (20), consisting of a plasmatic fluid (22) circulating in a closed loop (44) encompassing a fluid heater (26), an expansion chamber (30), and a condenser (42), is provided. The expansion chamber (30) is formed of a housing (64) and two end plates (66, 68), and encompasses a rotor (72) to which a plurality of vanes (74) is coupled. A shaft (36) is coupled to the rotor (72) through the endplates (66, 68). During operation, the fluid heater (26) heats the plasmatic fluid (22) to produce a plasma (86), which is then injected into the expansion chamber (30). The plasma (86) expands both hydraulically and adiabatically and exerts an expansive force (94) against one of the vanes (74). A vortex generator (96) coupled to the expansion chamber generates a vortex (100) within the plasma (86), which exerts a vortical force (102) against that one vane (74). The rotor (72) and shaft (36) rotate in response to the expansive and vortical forces (94, 102). The plasma (86) is exhausted from the expansion chamber (30) and is condensed back into the plasmatic fluid (22) by the condenser (42).