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turbofan
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Diagram comparing turbofan and turboprop air-breathing engines. The turbofan shows air split between the compressor and bypassing the engine, while the turboprop shows hot gases driving a turbine that powers both the compressor and a propeller. Key components such as air intake, compressor, combustion chamber, turbine, and exhaust are labeled, with arrows indicating airflow and hot gas movement. turbofan Cross section of a turbofan engine and afterburner.
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turbofan

engineering
Also known as: bypass engine, fan-jet
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Diagram comparing turbofan and turboprop air-breathing engines. The turbofan shows air split between the compressor and bypassing the engine, while the turboprop shows hot gases driving a turbine that powers both the compressor and a propeller. Key components such as air intake, compressor, combustion chamber, turbine, and exhaust are labeled, with arrows indicating airflow and hot gas movement.
air-breathing engines Some air taken in by the turbofan (top) goes to the compressor; the rest bypasses the main engine. In turboprop engines (bottom) the hot gases drive a turbine, which powers the compressor and propeller, and provide jet thrust.

A turbofan is a type of jet engine that improves upon the basic turbojet design by incorporating a fan at the front. This fan accelerates a large volume of air, with most of it bypassing the engine's core and exiting through a nozzle. This bypass air generates significant thrust, making turbofans more fuel-efficient and quieter than turbojets, especially at lower speeds.12

The efficiency of a turbofan is often described by its bypass ratio, which is the ratio of air bypassing the core to the air that enters it. Higher bypass ratios generally lead to better fuel economy. Different types of turbofans exist, including medium-bypass, high-bypass, and ultrahigh-bypass engines, each optimized for different flight conditions and aircraft.23

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3 Britannica Sources
  1. jet engine - Medium-bypass turbofans , high-bypass turbofans , and ultrahigh-bypass engines
  2. bypass ratio
  3. turbojet

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