Turboprop

Not to be confused with propfan or turbofan.

GE T64 turboprop, with the propeller on the left, the gearbox with accessories in the middle, and the gas generator (turbine) on the right

A turboprop is a turbine engine that drives an aircraft propeller.[1]

A turboprop consists of an intake, reduction gearbox, compressor, combustor, turbine, and a propelling nozzle.[2] Air enters the intake and is compressed by the compressor. Fuel is then added to the compressed air in the combustor, where the fuel-air mixture then combusts. The hot combustion gases expand through the turbine stages, generating power at the point of exhaust. Some of the power generated by the turbine is used to drive the compressor and electric generator. The gases are then exhausted from the turbine. In contrast to a turbojet or turbofan, the engine's exhaust gases do not provide enough power to create significant thrust, since almost all of the engine's power is used to drive the propeller.[3]

  1. ^ Administration, Federal Aviation (3 November 2009). Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge. Skyhorse Publishing Inc. ISBN 978-1-60239-780-4.
  2. ^ "Aviation Glossary – Turboprop". dictionary.dauntless-soft.com. Retrieved 7 July 2019.
  3. ^ Rathore, Mahesh. Thermal Engineering. Tata McGraw-Hill Education. p. 968.