Which section of a turbine engine is primarily responsible for generating thrust?

The fan section of a turbine engine plays a critical role in generating thrust, particularly in high-bypass turbofan engines, which are commonly used in commercial aviation. In these engines, the fan is the large propeller-like structure located at the front of the engine. Its primary function is to draw in air and accelerate it, creating a significant amount of thrust due to the mass flow of air being moved.

When the fan spins, it generates thrust by pushing a large mass of air rearward, according to Newton's third law of motion, which states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. This means that the air being pushed back creates an upward thrust that propels the aircraft forward.

In contrast, while the compressor section compresses incoming air to increase its pressure before it enters the combustor for combustion, and the combustor section is where fuel is mixed with compressed air and ignited to produce hot gases, these components do not directly contribute to generating thrust. The turbine section, although responsible for extracting energy from the exhaust gases to power the compressor and fan, does not produce thrust itself.

Therefore, the fan section's ability to effectively manage a large volume of air is the primary driver of thrust in turbine engines,