1. Conventional Jet Engines (Turbo-series): Engines like the
Turbo-jet and
Turbo-Prop are part of the gas turbine family.
• Compressor: They use a mechanical compressor (axial or centrifugal) to increase the pressure of incoming air before combustion.
• Turbine: They use a turbine to extract energy from the hot exhaust gases to drive that compressor.
2. The Mechanism of a Ram-Jet: The
Ram-Jet is often referred to as a "flying stovepipe" because it has no moving parts.
• Compression: It relies entirely on the vehicle's high forward speed to "ram" air into the inlet, where the air is compressed by its own dynamic pressure (ram effect).
• Absence of Moving Parts: Because the compression is achieved purely through aerodynamics, there is no need for a mechanical
compressor. Consequently, there is no need for a
turbine to drive such a compressor.
3. Limitation: A major drawback of the Ram-Jet is that it cannot produce static thrust; the aircraft must already be moving at high speeds (typically supersonic) for the engine to function.