jet engine – a reaction engine that discharges a fast moving jet of fluid to generate thrust in accordance with Newton’s third law of motion. This broad definition of jet engines includes turbojets, turbofans, rockets, ramjets, pulse jets and pump-jets. In general, most jet engines are internal combustion engines but non-combusting forms also exist.
In common usage, the term ‘jet engine’ generally refers to a gas turbine driven internal combustion engine, an engine with a rotary compressor powered by a turbine (” Brayton cycle”), with the leftover power providing thrust.
Diagram of a typical gas turbine jet engine. Air is compressed by the fan blades as it enters the engine, and it is mixed and burned with fuel in the combustion section. The hot exhaust gases provide forward thrust and turn the turbines which drive the compressor fan blades.
- Low pressure compression
- High pressure compression
- Hot section
- Turbines Low and High pressure
- Combustion chambers
- Cold section
- Air inlet