1. Air Intake:
The engine begins with the intake section. As the plane moves forward, air enters through the intake and into the engine.
2. Compressor:
The air then passes into the compressor section, which is a series of blades that rotate at high speeds. The compressor compresses the incoming air, increasing its pressure and temperature.
3. Combustion Chamber:
After compression, the high-pressure air enters the combustion chamber. Fuel, usually in the form of kerosene, is injected into this chamber. An igniter generates a spark to ignite the fuel, causing it to burn and release a lot of heat and rapidly expanding gases.
4. Turbine:
The combustion gases and expanding air pass through the turbine section, which also consists of a set of rotating blades. The energy from these gases causes the turbine blades to spin rapidly.
5. Exhaust and Propulsive Force:
The rotating turbine is connected to the compressor and fan blades through a shaft. The energy extracted from the expanding gases in the turbine is used to drive the compressor. The high-speed exhaust gases from the turbine exit the engine through the exhaust nozzle with tremendous force, creating a thrust that propels the plane forward.
6. Fan and Bypass Ratio:
In modern jet engines, there's often a fan at the front of the engine. These turbofan engines have two airflow streams. The primary airstream goes through the compressor, combustion chamber, and turbine as explained above, while a secondary airstream flows around the core and mixes with the hot exhaust gases before being expelled through the nozzle. The ratio of bypass airflow to the core airflow is known as the bypass ratio and affects engine efficiency and noise.
7. Afterburner (Optional):
Some high-performance aircraft have afterburners, which are additional combustion chambers located after the turbine. These can provide extra thrust by injecting additional fuel into the hot engine exhaust, further increasing its temperature and velocity.
In summary, a jet engine compresses air, mixes it with fuel and burns it to create hot expanding gases. These gases drive a turbine, which in turn powers the compressor and produces a high-velocity jet of exhaust that generates thrust and propels the plane forward.
