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Turbine Engine Technical English Course

Unit 2
THE JET FAMILY Dialogue Mr. North: Ben: Chris: Mr. North: Ben: Mr. North: Chris: Ben: Mr. North: Good morning. At our last session we saw how a ram jet works, and today I want to introduce you to the other members of the jet family. Before you do that, can I ask one more question about ram jets? What forces the air in at the front end? The forward motion of the plane, of course. Thats correct. Im not with you.1 What if the plane is stationary on the ground? Chris is still right. A ram jet can only work at high velocityalready moving forward at high speed. Thats why it is not used in conventional aeroplanes. What about pulse jets? They can run while nearly stationary, cant they? What on earth are they ? Ive never heard of them. Pulse jets are similar to ram jets, but they have *flap valves at the front end. These open to let air in, but close again when back-pressure is created by the fuel burning in the combustion chamber. As the burnt gases escape to the rear, so the pressure at the front end drops to a point below that of the outside atmosphere. At this point, the flap valves reopen, and more air rushes in. Does a pulse jet work by internal reaction, too? Yes; ram jets, pulse jets, *rockets and even propeller-driven aircraft are all practical applications of Sir Isaac Newtons third law of motion. Which jet engines are most used in aeroplanes today? Undoubtedly the turbo-jet. This is rather like the ram jet, but it has a *compressor at the front to force air in. I suggested that idea at the end of the last lesson. You did. And we shall be studying compressors in detail next time. What drives the compressors? The energy must come from somewhere. Think, Ben. Have a shot at2 answering that one yourself. Well, theres plenty of energy at the back, where the hot gases leave the combustion chamber. If you put a *turbine there and connected it to the compressor by a *shaft, that would do the trick,3 wouldnt it? Thats a pretty fair4 description of a turbo-jet. Well done, Ben. What about the other members of the jet family? Theyre all variations on the turbo-jet principle. Theres the turbo-prop, for example, where the turbines rotate both the compressor and an ordinary *propeller. Whats the advantage of that? Well, at lower flying speeds, propellers used to be a more efficient form of propulsion than pure jets. But by-pass engines were later developed How do they work? Will you have a go at5 explaining that, Chris?

Chris: Mr. North: Ben: Mr. North: Chris: Mr. North: Ben: Mr. North: Ben: Mr. North: Chris: Mr. North: Chris: Mr. North: Ben: Mr. North:

Turbine Engine Technical English Course

Chris:

Mr. North: Chris: Mr. North: Ben: Mr. North:

Il1 try. In by-pass engines only some of the air goes straight through; the remainder is passed through *ducts, round the combustion chamber and turbines, but rejoins the main stream at the rear. This makes the engine quieter and more efficient. Good. Fan engines are an extension of this principle. In their. case, the first set of rotor *blades of the compressor are enlarged to form, a sort of multi-blade propeller, known as a fan. Is this air from the fan ducted to the rear of the engine ? In some cases, yes; but not always. Is that the last of the jet engine family? I'm beginning to get thoroughly confused. Yes, Ben, thats the lot.6 As you see, there are ram and pulse jet engines that have no compressors or turbines, and which youre hardly likely to meet; then there are the various types of turbo-jet, many of which have by-pass systems to make them more efficient. Some work by jet reaction alone, while others use much of their power output to drive either a conventional propeller or a fan.

Conversational expressions
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Im not with you: I dont understand you Have a shot at . . . : Try to . . . that would do the trick: that would give the desired result pretty fair: reasonably satisfactory have a go: try to thats the lot: thats all

Vocabulary
Flap valve.- A simple type of valve, used particularly in the pulse jet engine. Rocket.- A jet engine that produces its own propelling fluid by the combustion of liquid or chemically decomposed fuel with oxygen, which it carries, thus enabling it to operate outside the earths atmosphere. Compressor.- The part of the engine that raises the pressure of the air from the intake before feeding it to the combustion chamber.

Turbine Engine Technical English Course

Turbine.- A disk fitted with blades which turns when placed in a moving stream of air or gases. Shaft.- A rotating member for the transmission of power. Propeller.- Revolving blades set at an angle that drive a ship or plane forwards. Duct.- A passage or tube through which air or gases can pass. Blades.- Metal aerofoils forming part of a propeller, compressor or turbine.

Exercise 1: comprehension questions


1. 2. 3. 4. 5. What does a pulse jet have which a ram jet does not have? What drives the compressor of a turbo-jet? What is the function of the compressor? When is a propeller more efficient as a means of propulsion than a pure jet? What happens to the air in a by-pass engine after it has gone through the compressor?

Exercise 2: structural practice


Notice this structure from the conversation: As the burnt gases escape, so the pressure drops. Now use this structure to join the following sentences: Example Response: The speed of the aircraft increases. The efficiency of its propeller decreases. As the speed of the aircraft increases, so the efficiency of its propeller decreases.

Now you do it. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. The speed of the aircraft increases. The efficiency of its propeller decreases. The fuel burns. The air expands. The pressure goes up. The valves begin to close. The velocity drops. The pressure increases. The plane moves forward. Air is forced into the engine. The flap valves re-open. More air rushes in at the front end.

Turbine Engine Technical English Course

Exercise 3: progressive substitution drill


Statement: I suggested that idea at the end of the last lesson. Prompt: Response: He He suggested that idea at the end of the last lesson.

Now you do it. Statement: I suggested that idea at the end of the last lesson. Prompts: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. He explained this means of propulsion Newtons law pulse jets at the start of your beginning of last week

Exercise 4: further structural practice


Complete the following sentences with their appropriate question tags. Example: Response: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. A ram jet can only work at high velocity. A ram jet can only work at high velocity, cant it?

A ram jet can only work at high velocity. A pulse jet hasnt got a turbine. The first jet engines were very inefficient. The first true turbo-jet plane flew in 1939. Jet reaction is not an external phenomenon. You had to study the principles of jet propulsion.

German flying bomb V1 in World War II was powered by a pulsejet

Turbine Engine Technical English Course

Further Reading
Every member of the jet family has its uses. Ram jets, for example, are suitable for propelling certain *missiles that are launched from parent aircraft or by rockets. Their inability to work unless travelling forward at high speed then ceases to be a disadvantage, and they are both cheap and easy to manufacture. Pulse jets are not seen today because of their high fuel consumption, but they were used successfully in the Second World War to power Germanys V1 flying bombs. Most modern aeroplanes have turbine/compressor engines. At supersonic speeds, turbo-jets are highly efficient, so they are ideal for fighter aircraft. But, at slower speeds, an engine that slightly accelerates a large mass of air is more economical on fuel than one which produces the same thrust by imparting considerable acceleration to a small mass of air. So by-pass engines, with their larger *airflows at lower velocities, are more suitable for civil aircraft, where low running costs are more important than mere speed. The last member of the jet family is the rocket. Because it carries its own supply of oxygen, this is the only one suitable for use in outer space.

Vocabulary
Missiles.- A military rocket. Airflow.- The movement of air.

Exercise 5: comprehension questions


1. 2. 3. 4. 5. What are ram jets suitable for? Why are pulse jets no longer used? What type of engine do most modern aeroplanes have? Why are by-pass engines more suitable for civil aircraft? Why is the rocket the only member of the jet family suitable for use in outer space?

Exercise 6
Use the following words and phrases in sentences of your own to show that you understand their meaning and use. 1. energy 7. atmosphere 2. turbine blade 8. compressor 3. propulsion 9. low running costs 4. inability 10. duct 5. supersonic 11. efficient 6. forward motion 12. stationary

Saturn 5 Launch vehicle for Apollo XIII

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