How Jet Engines Work

Summary

This video explains how jet engines work, showcasing the fascinating process of air compression and thrust generation. It details how air is sucked in, compressed, mixed with fuel, ignited, and expelled, creating powerful thrust to propel airplanes. The video also highlights the role of turbines, fans, and advanced engine designs like Pratt and Whitney's PurePower engine, which improves fuel efficiency, reduces noise, and cuts pollution. The result is a quieter, more environmentally friendly flying experience, marking a new era in jet engine technology.

Takeaways

• 😀 Birds fly by pushing air, and humans have created machines that do the same, like jet engines.
• 😀 Jet engines generate thrust by sucking in air at the front and pushing it out the back.
• 😀 The thrust from a jet engine is what propels an airplane through the sky.
• 😀 A large fan at the front of the engine pulls in air, which is then compressed in the engine core.
• 😀 The air is compressed by a series of fans that get smaller, creating higher pressure and temperature.
• 😀 The compressed air is mixed with jet fuel in the combustor, where it ignites to produce a rush of hot air.
• 😀 The hot air spins a turbine, which powers the fan at the front of the engine.
• 😀 The turbine and fan together push more air than the engine's core, generating additional thrust.
• 😀 Pratt and Whitney developed a 'Pure Power' engine, which uses a gear to make the fan spin slower than the turbine.
• 😀 The 'Pure Power' engine is more efficient, using less fuel, producing more thrust, and reducing noise pollution.

Q & A

How do birds generate the force that allows them to fly?

Birds generate the force needed to fly by pushing air. This force, known as thrust, propels them through the sky.

What role does a jet engine play in moving an airplane?

A jet engine moves an airplane by sucking air into the front and pushing a jet of air out the back, creating thrust that propels the airplane.

How does the compressor in a jet engine work?

The compressor consists of multiple fan blades that get progressively smaller, squeezing the incoming air into tighter and tighter spaces, which increases the pressure of the air.

What happens when compressed air mixes with jet fuel in a jet engine?

When the compressed air mixes with jet fuel in the combustor, it is ignited, creating a high-pressure and high-temperature rush of air that powers the engine.

What role does the turbine play in a jet engine?

The turbine spins when heated air passes through it, capturing energy from the hot air and transferring that energy to the fan at the front of the engine to keep the airflow moving.

How does the jet engine produce thrust?

The engine produces thrust by releasing excess hot air from the combustor out the back of the engine, which pushes the airplane forward.

What is the purpose of the larger mass of air pushed by the turbine and fan?

The larger mass of air pushed by the turbine and fan works more efficiently than the air from the engine core, contributing to greater thrust and fuel efficiency.

Why does the extra air passing around the engine core need to move more slowly than the hot air from the combustor?

The slower-moving air passing around the engine core helps to increase efficiency, allowing the engine to produce more thrust while using less fuel.

What is the 'pure power engine' developed by Pratt and Whitney?

The 'pure power engine' is a new jet engine design by Pratt and Whitney that incorporates a gear between the fan and turbine, allowing the fan to move more slowly and use less fuel while producing more thrust.

What are the environmental benefits of the new jet engine design?

The new design uses less fuel, which not only saves money but also reduces pollution, benefiting the environment and all living things.

How does the new engine design affect the noise level of airplanes?

With the fan moving more slowly, the noise from the engine is greatly reduced, making the airplane much quieter in the sky.