A General Guide On Aircraft Engine Accessories

By Paul Robinson


For an aircraft to fly, it needs to produce a forward and upward force. The opposing forces are gravity and drag due to friction. The aircraft engine is responsible for producing this forward force which is known as thrust. The wings of planes use this thrust to provide the upward lift needed to attain flight heights. The following discussion will help you understand aircraft engine accessories.

There are several types of engines based on the mode of operation. Each type has its advantages and limits which apply to different situations. The most common types are the turbojet and turboprop engines. They fall under reaction engines. Another category is the piston engines. They are similar to the automotive engines but were replaced due to their weight issues.

The motivation has been the desire to fly planes at much higher altitudes which means covering larger distances. The fuel use has also been significantly improved. Latest advancements include the ramjets and the electric aircraft engine. Research is still being done as there are no limits in the design and production of better parts and accessories.

Before 1933, all planes used lightweight piston engines. They were quickly replaced by jets which provided a higher power to weight ratio. Today the aircraft industry is dominated by these machines. They compress air at the inlet which is then mixed with fuel and combusted. The sudden expansion results in exhaust gases with very high pressures and temperatures. A nozzle at the exit is used to control the release of these gases to produce the driving force or thrust.

For helicopters and low altitude planes, turboprops are more suitable. For high altitude aircraft, turbojets are the best option. A turboprop has rotors mounted on the main drive shaft. Much of the power from the combustion zone is used to power these rotors. For a turbojet, the forward motion is produced at the nozzle, and much of the exhaust power is used there. Its advantage is the resulting streamline flow that generates higher flight speeds.

In the first region, you will find components that relate to compressors. These include blades, rotors, suction ducts, intercoolers and many more. Air compression is done at several stages. There are also gears and bearings that help in transmitting and receiving mechanical motion. Due to compression, the air tends to become very hot, and a cooling system is used to reduce the intake air temperature. The combustion zone is the next stage from there.

The turbines are made up of numerous rotating blades that expand the gases while extracting some of the energy. This energy is used to power the compressors or drive the rotor or propeller. At the turbine exits, there are the afterburners which combust the remaining air-fuel mixture to produce more power. The nozzle converts the energy from the exhaust gases into thrust force. Numerous accessories assist the entire process.

Other parts include the alternator, mountings and supports, oil filters and turbochargers. They are dependent on the configuration of the engine and the designs of manufacturers. Each power source has its manuals that show the number and details of each accessory used.




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