I feel a bit stupid for asking this, but I simply cannot wrap my head around how a jet engine directs its thrust backwards.
A piston engine opens and closes valves, such that air is alternately sucked in and compressed to create force. That makes sense and I understand how it works.
But with a jet engine there are no valves opening and closing, so why doesn’t the air that is sucked in just get pushed right back out from the thrust generated? How can an engine simultaneously suck in air from the front and force it out the back?
It makes no sense to me :-/
In: Engineering
The same way the flame is directed when you hold a lighter in front of a spray can. You are igniting already moving gas.
The turbofan (or turbojet) pulls air in mixes it with fuel and then ignites it.
Latest Answers