Turbojet Engine Brayton Cycle

Aerospace Engineering

How It Works

A turbojet engine converts fuel chemical energy into forward thrust using an internal open Brayton cycle. Incoming atmospheric air is compressed across spinning multi-stage compressor rotors, directed into the annular combustor where fuel is injected and burned at constant pressure, and expanded through high-pressure turbine stages that extract mechanical work to drive the main compressor shaft. The remaining high-enthalpy gas accelerates through the convergent exhaust nozzle.

Governing Equation
F_net = ṁ · (v_exit - v_inlet) + (p_exit - p_ambient) · A_exit , η_th = 1 - (1 / r_p^((γ-1)/γ))