What happens inside the combustion chamber of a gas-turbine engine?

Inside the combustion chamber of a gas-turbine engine, air arriving from the compressor is first slowed down and then divided into two distinct streams.1

• Primary Stream: A smaller portion of the air is directed into a central region where atomized fuel is injected and burned. This combustion is sustained by a flame held in place by a turbulence-generating obstruction.1
• Secondary Stream: A larger, cooler stream of air is fed into the chamber through holes in a "combustion liner." This air mixes with the hot combustion gases to reduce the overall temperature to a level that the turbine can safely handle during continuous operation.12

This process occurs at an essentially constant pressure. Depending on the engine design, this combustion takes place either in a series of cylindrical elements known as "cans" or within a single annular passage equipped with fuel-injection nozzles. Because these engines lack pistons, continuous fuel injection is essential to maintain the combustion process.213