What’s Inside a Jet Engine? A Deep Dive into Its Key Components

Jet engines are marvels of modern engineering that allow aircraft to soar through the skies at incredible speeds and altitudes. These engines require a precise orchestration of mechanical and thermal processes to convert energy from fuel into the powerful thrust that allows such flight to be possible, and to truly appreciate their significance, it is essential to understand what goes on inside of them. In this blog, we will go over the key components of a jet engine and delve into the intricacies of its fuel combustion process.

What Is Inside a Jet Engine?

The internal structure of a typical jet engine is composed of several key components, each serving a critical function in the overall process of thrust generation.

• Compressors: Compressors are multi-stage components that serve to progressively increase the pressure of intake air before it enters the combustion chamber. Each stage consists of a rotating set of blades known as rotors and stationary blades called stators. The rotors accelerate the air while stators slow it down, resulting in a compressed stream that is at the ideal pressure for combustion.
• Combustion Chamber: The combustion chamber of an engine is where air from the compressors is mixed with fuel and ignited to create expansive exhaust gasses. As a result of the intense temperatures that occur within it, it is designed with heat-resistant materials to prevent damage.
• Igniters: Located inside the combustion chamber, igniters are the elements responsible for initiating the combustion process with an electric spark.
• Turbine: An engine turbine assembly consists of multiple stages of blades. The high-energy exhaust gasses produced by combustion pass over the turbine blades during operations, causing them to spin and drive connected assemblies like the compressor.
• Nozzle: The nozzle is the component through which the remaining exhaust gasses are accelerated and expelled, generating thrust for propulsion.
• Fan: For turbofan engines and similar designs, large fans will be present at the front of the engine with aerofoil blades that are capable of drawing in massive volumes of air. These specific engines will direct some air into the engine core for combustion, while the majority of flow bypasses the core to be expelled with exhaust for additional thrust. The blades are designed to be highly efficient at low speeds, optimizing engine performance during takeoff and climb.

How Does a Jet Engine Burn Fuel?

While alluded to before, the process of burning fuel in a jet engine is largely dependent on the precise mixing of air and fuel under highly controlled conditions. Once outside air has been drawn in and compressed, it is forced into the combustion chamber, where fuel is sprayed at high pressure. As the fuel is injected, it mixes with the compressed air and is lit aflame by a set of igniters. The resulting combustion creates a high-temperature, high-pressure environment that forces the gasses to expand rapidly, this energy then being harnessed by the turbine located downstream.

The turbine plays a crucial role in controlling the efficiency of the engine, extracting just the right amount of energy from exhaust gasses to generate enough power to maintain operation without overloading the system. After passing through the turbine, the remaining exhaust gasses are directed out of the engine through the nozzle, producing the final thrust that pushes the aircraft forward. The entire combustion process is a swift sequence of mechanical and thermal events that are precisely timed to ensure optimal fuel efficiency while propelling aircraft through the skies.

Where Can I Buy Dependable Jet Engine Parts?

Here at ASAP Semiconductor, we stock our selection of jet engine components and other aviation parts from leading manufacturers to maintain an unrivaled selection for customers. You are encouraged to peruse our website at your own pace, and whenever you come across any items that you wish to purchase, you can easily initiate the process with our online RFQ forms. By submitting a form with pertinent details about your requirements, our team can present a competitive, curated quote for your consideration in 15 minutes or less. We always leverage our purchasing power and global supply-chain network to offer the best prices and fulfillment timelines possible for every order, so do not hesitate to reach out by form, phone, or email .