How does a jet engine combustion chamber mix fuel with compressed air?

In a jet engine, the combustion chamber manages the mixing of fuel and compressed air through a precise, multi-stage process. After air is compressed by the engine's compressor, it enters the combustion chamber, where it is slowed down and split into two distinct streams.1

The smaller stream is directed centrally into a region where fuel-injection nozzles introduce fuel as atomized droplets or vapor. This fuel is burned with a flame that is stabilized by a turbulence-generating obstruction, ensuring consistent ignition.12

The larger, cooler stream of compressed air is introduced separately through holes along a "combustion liner"—a protective shell surrounding the burning zone. This secondary air serves a critical engineering purpose: it mixes with the hot combustion gases to reduce the overall temperature to a level that the turbine can safely withstand. This process can occur within individual cylindrical "cans" or a single annular passage, depending on the engine's design.13