Have you ever wanted to know the stages of combustion but just can't manage to remember the sequence or method?
No?
Well, you're gonna learn today, and we are gonna make it FUN. Log it away for a rainy day.
For today's example, we are going to use a basic turbine engine. Although, the process of combustion is pretty universal so this dirty memory trick can help you with pretty much all engines. Impress your friends, drop some panties, look a little less dumb around a mechanic. The possibilities are endless!
This method of learning, "higher education through the art of perversion", was employed quite liberally in school for aircraft maintenance. This, however, is by far the best example.
The first thing you need to know for this simplified explanation is that there are 4 stages of combustion:
SUCK - SQUEEZE - BANG - BLOW.
SUCK (Intake)
In a turbine engine, we begin by drawing air through a set of large blades. This air serves two purposes, the first is to cool the engine, the second, to give us a means of delivering fuel. The cooling air flows though the large housing surrounding the engine while the rest goes in for the fuel. If air wasn't used to mix with the fuel... well...
SQUEEZE (Compression)
Behind the first set of external blades, are rows of much smaller, angled blades. These blades take the air and squeeze the ever loving fuck out of it. I mean, REALLY packing it in there. We need this air compressed tightly to properly ignite and give us the kind of explosion we are looking for. That sweet spot between "WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE" and "crackling camp fire".
BANG (Combustion)
Now, we get to the good part. This is where our fuel is injected into the compressed air and ignited. The mixture of the fuel to air ratio is adjusted by the pilot. I am sure you've heard it in movies, making it "rich or lean". This just varies the mix, giving you smaller or bigger explosions, basically.
BLOW (Exhaust)
Now that we have a raging fire in the belly of our crazy flying machine, we let it go. Like that ex you knew wasn't really good for you in large doses. As this ignited air explodes outward, it turns a THIRD and final stage of blades. These blades use the turning power it harnesses to power the other stages of the engine. Order through chaos.
Oh, and just in case you're a visual learner like I am!
And there you have it!
You just learned how an engine works!
Get out there and show your friends how smart you are!
