Five Aircraft Engine Types Explained

Have you ever wondered what provides the forward thrust to get giant airliners or nimble fighter jets through the air? The engines that propel aircraft come in different designs, each with pros and cons. This article will explain the five most common options – from the elegant simplicity of ramjets to the versatile turbofans powering commercial flights every day.

We‘ll compare important factors like fuel efficiency, weight, complexity and ideal operating conditions. You may be surprised to learn how turbo-shafts lend their turbine heart to helicopters hovering overhead! Understanding a bit about aircraft engines grants appreciation for the innovations that enable aviation.

Overview of Jet Engine Fundamentals

While differing in layouts, all jet engines harness the same basic principles. First, a series of compressor blades suck in then squeeze incoming air. Next, a combustion chamber combines jet fuel with the high-pressure air and ignites it. The resulting hot gas expands out turbine blades. These capture energy to spin the compressors via connecting shafts. Finally, the hot exhaust exits the rear nozzle to provide forward thrust. More pressure and heat at each stage mean more available thrust pushing the aircraft.

Higher bypass ratios improve fuel efficiency but add weight. Afterburners trade huge fuel for temporary boosts in turbojets. Turboprops excel at moderate speeds thanks to propellers and gearboxes while turboshafts give helicopter rotors independence from the jet core rpm. Ramjets win outright speed relying on airframe velocity rather than internal compression. Turbofans combine traits for aviation‘s workhorse.

Now let‘s dive deeper into the five specific engine architectures and their distinguishing capabilities!

Ramjet Engines

The most basic jet engine contains no moving parts. Instead, the ramjet relies entirely on the aircraft‘s speed to compress incoming air by ramming it into the fixed intake nozzle. While inefficient at low speeds, efficiency dramatically improves over Mach 2. After adding fuel for combustion, the resulting hot exhaust can achieve blistering velocities.

Ramjets boost missiles past Mach 5, including the Lockheed D-21 launched from the back of SR-71 Blackbirds spy planes. NASA also uses ramjets to propel rocket-boosted test vehicles to hypersonic speeds. Their simplicity and light weight appeal to these applications, despite the need for an initial velocity boost.

Turbofan Engines

By far the most common jet engines today are turbofans designed for subsonic airliners, business jets and transport aircraft. A large bypass fan at the front spins independently from the jet-fueled gas generator core. In action, bypass air provides most of the thrust while the core stream adds heat for added punch.

For example, the huge GE90 engine – diameter over 11 ft – powers the Boeing 777 with 569 kN maximum thrust. About 80% comes from the bypass flow around the core. The next generation GE9X has a record 134:1 bypass ratio!

Higher bypass ratios generally improve fuel efficiency (Thrust Specific Fuel Consumption) and noise levels, but add extra components and weight. Engineers balance these tradeoffs depending on an aircraft‘s role.

Turbojet Engines

The original Whittle turbojet remains an elegantly simple design. Air flows straight through a series of compressors and turbines in the direct hot stream. Burning additional fuel, afterburners dramatically boosts thrust for supersonic fighters to exceed Mach 2.

For example, the F100 engine gives the F-16 its incredible agility. Raw power trumps efficiency, with huge fuel thirst and signature smokey trails. But by using afterburners judiciously, turbojets efficiently cruise at higher speeds than turbofans could.

Advances in turbine blade cooling allow hot sections to withstand over 2000°F! Achieving these combustion temperatures directly relates to increased exhaust velocities and engine efficiency. No bypass airflow dilutes the pure jet blast that gives turbojets unmatched peak performance.

Turboshaft Engines

Very similar inside to a turbojet, a turboshaft instead converts most power to shaft horsepower rather than jet thrust. The heart gives life to iconic helicopter designs using this engine configuration to spin massive rotors overhead.

Attaching the jet turbine core to transmission shafts allows the rotor rpm to operate independently from the engine‘s. So even if rpm drops due to damage or lower fuel flow, the rotors maintain lift to minimize risk of crashing. Tradeoffs come from less efficiency compared to other engine types.

For example, the General Electric T700 turboshaft generates over 1500 hp and reliably powers the versatile Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk operated by all military branches. Today‘s designs also incorporate more technology to reduce fuel consumption for cost-conscious civilian operators.

Turboprop Engines

Before jet airliners, propeller aircraft ruled the skies. Today turboprops fill niche efficiency featuring propellers powered by compact jet turbines instead of piston engines. A gearbox mounted between the shafts allows both the engine and propellers to spin at ideal speeds.

The props take a large bite of thick air at slower speeds, transitioning flight regimes between jets and earlier technology. NASA studies found modern turboprops used 20-45% less fuel compared to equivalent jet aircraft on trips between 400-800 nautical mile legs.

For example, the ATR 72 twin turboprop airliner serves short hops very efficiently. Bush pilots favor turboprop toughness to access remote dirt runways in harsh conditions. New composite props and fine-tuned gearing aim to push speed limits further.

So next time you hear a roar overhead, you‘ll know which amazing engine design is propelling the latest creation through the skies!

Compare Engine Attributes

• Ramjets win fastest and simplest but require most airframe support
• Turbofans cruise slow and steady thanks to highest bypass efficiency
• Turbojets keep excelling for peak power and speed
• Turboshafts supply helicopter versatility decoupling jet rpm from lift rotor
• Turboprops economically haul loads out of small runways

So with foundational jet principles explained and insight into various engine architectures, you can appreciate why specialized designs continue evolving!matching the diversity seen in aviation itself. No single perfect propulsive solution exists that meets needs across flight regimes and aircraft sizes. Understanding these fundamental tradeoffs grants insight into key innovations that progress powered flight.