How Jet Engines Work

Jet engines are powerful machines that generate thrust by sucking air in the front and expelling a jet of air out the back. This force propels airplanes through the sky.

A large fan at the front of the engine pulls air around the core and into it. Inside the core, a compressor, made of progressively smaller fans, squeezes the air into a tighter space, increasing its pressure.

This compressed air is then mixed with jet fuel in the combustor and ignited, creating a rush of hot air. This hot air spins a turbine, which is connected to the front fan, transferring energy to it.

The excess hot air from the combustor exits the back of the engine, producing thrust. Additionally, the air that bypassed the core is pushed by the fan, contributing significantly to the overall thrust and efficiency.

Pratt & Whitney developed a new jet engine called the Pure Power engine, which uses a gear to allow the fan to push air more slowly than the turbine. This design makes the engine more fuel-efficient, produces more thrust, reduces pollution, and significantly lowers noise levels, ushering in a new era for jet airplanes.