How does a Ramjet Engine Work?

By Balaji

Updated on: March 7th, 2023

A Ramjet Engine works when air moves through the combustion chamber of the engine at subsonic speeds. The air entering the engine is compressed by the engine’s forward motion. The ramjet’s apparent simplicity belies its complex aeronautical engineering, modern materials, and precise production requirements.

Table of content

1. Working of Ramjet Engine
2. How does a Ramjet Engine Work?

Working of Ramjet Engine

Ramjets breathe air, in contrast to their primary rival for speed, the rocket, which burns fuel using internal oxidizers such as ammonium nitrate, potassium chlorate, or ammonium chlorate.

Rockets can operate in the virtual vacuum of space, whereas ramjets must pass through the atmosphere.
Ram pressure, a natural air compression caused by an aircraft’s high speed, is the key to how ramjets operate.
Since they must travel at speeds of three times the speed of sound or Mach 2.5 to 3.0, they must travel at very high speeds.
Because of this, they need the assistance of other vehicles or booster rockets to accelerate. The main applications for hybrid engines are solo ramjet aircraft.
Jets are propelled by controlled explosions.
That may seem odd until most automobile engines operate similarly: Air is drawn in, compressed, combined with fuel, ignited, and then the piston gets pushed!
Using continuous combustion in which fuel and air are continuously mixed and burned, in contrast to the cyclical or intermittent combustion that occurs in gasoline and diesel engines.

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