How Do Jet Engines Work?
Jets are able to move much faster than other types of aircraft and they especially move faster than regular forms of transportation such as trains and automobiles. In exchange for all the extra speed, however, jet engines must be designed and built differently than normal engines. This article will explain what jet engines do that are so special and list a number of parts that are crucial to the jet engine's ability to generate such high speeds.
What Do Jet Engines Do
Jet engines, also known as gas turbine engines, work in much the same way as any other type of engine. However, there are a few differences. In most jet engines, air is sucked into a compressor that compresses it into a higher pressure. It is then mixed with fuel and passed through a combustion chamber that burns the air-gas mixture. This air-gas mixture is what turns the turbine. The turbine turns an axle and the exhaust is forced out of a nozzle or exhaust pipe.
Compressor
The compressor is solely responsible for sucking in air from the surrounding atmosphere and compressing it into a higher pressure. The higher pressure causes the air to burn quicker when mixed with fuel and it also helps turn the turbines when later expanded. The compressor is made of a spinning block of thin metal blades that are arranged in rows. As air passes through these blades, it is compressed into dense, high-velocity air that is able to give the jet its unmistakeable speed and thrust.
Fuel Injectors
Once the air is pulled through the compressor, it is injected with fuel by the fuel injectors. The source of the fuel is usually kerosene or jet fuel that is stored in large cylindrical tanks located outside of the jet engine itself. When the compressed air is injected with fuel, it becomes a much more powerful force of energy than the compressed air alone. The fuel injectors can be seen as a ring that fits just outside of the combustor and sprays a steady stream of fuel into the fast-moving air.
Combustor
The combustor, or combustion area, is responsible for burning the air-gas mixture. The combustor is made up of several cylinders layered around each other, all with quarter-sized holes in them. The air rushes through these holes at hundreds of miles per hour and makes contact with the flame. Because the air is already densely packed and moving at extremely fast speeds, the heat from the combustor's flame causes the air-gas mixture to rapidly expand and create a tremendous amount of power.
Turbine
The turbine itself is the most important piece of the jet engine, yet it is also the most simplest. The turbine simply consists of a spiked wheel that is attached to an axle. When the rapidly-moving, high-pressure air-gas mixture reaches the turbine, it forces the turbine to spin at very fast speeds. The turbine, being directly attached to the axle, causes the axle to spin as well. The axle is usually attached to a fan or propeller of some sort.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Jet engines have several advantages and disadvantages that separate them from other types of engines. One advantage is the fact that jet engines are a lot smaller than other types of engines, such as diesel engines, of the same power output. Another advantage is that jet engines produce more power compared to the weight of the engine itself than other types of engines. However, jet engines are very expensive and use more fuel when idling than other types of engines do.
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