What are the advantages of a jet turbine engine over a piston aero engine?

Question

Regarding factors such as ....
power output, reliablity, design, cost, manufacturing and fuel consumption....

Answer 1

Actually turbo/everything engines are very efficient when operated in the limited range they're designed for.

Realize turbojet engines are no longer used. ALL engines now in commercial flight are turboSHAFT engines - turbine engines optimized to put their power out a rotating shaft. On turbofan engines (used in modern jetliners) the shaft turns a huge "fan" in the front of the engine. On turboprop engines, the shaft turns a propeller (through a reducing gearbox).

Pistons aren't used anymore in larger propeller planes, they're pretty much all turboprop. Pistons are only used in the smallest of planes anymore.

Answer 2

Advantages Of Jet Engine

Answer 3

A jet engine has much more power per unit weight than a piston engine. It is more reliable because there is no vibration like in a piston engine, so there is less wear and tear on the aircraft and engine, resulting in longer life. A jet engine obviously costs significantly more than a piston engine, but it has much better performance (significantly faster and more powerful for its size). A propeller loses its efficiency as the blade tips approach the speed of sound. As far as manufacturing, jet engines have to be engineered to much tighter tolerances and have to be very precise to avoid any vibration, air pressure loss, or any other failures. Jet engines consume fuel by gallons a minute but they use much cheaper kerosene as oppose to the highly refined and expensive aviation fuel that piston engines use. Although turbines are very loud and noisy, they have many benefits over piston engines. New jet engines are much quieter than older jet engines anyway. I love the noise they make (it's the best part aside from their performance). :-)

Answer 4

Jet Engines produces much more power per unit of energy than do piston powered airplanes. The main advantage is that jet engines require less oxygen thus can be utilized in high flying airplanes where efficiency is increased but the air is thinner. Jet engines are simpler than piston powered engines and have fewer moving parts, thus they are more reliable. The only moving parts on a jet engine are the turbines whereas in a car you have the pistons, cams, rods, etc.. There a far more engine failures in internal combustion engines than in a jet turbine.

Answer 5

Advantages of a jet engine over piston engine:
• Piston engine – reciprocating motion and hence more friction and wear and tear compared to rotary motion of jet engine – Less friction and wear and tear
• In piston engine the combustion is intermittent and in jet engine the combustion is continuous which is an advantage
• In piston engine the piston is involved in all four strokes namely suction, compression, combustion (power) and exhaust strokes whereas in jet engine the tasks are distributed among intake, compressor, combustor, turbine and exhaust systems
• For a given frontal area the jet engine gives more power output compared to piston engine
• For high altitude engine operations jet engine will give higher propulsive efficiency compared to piston engine. Piston engine will be suitable for low altitude and low speed applications ((10 to 12,000 feet and speeds of the order of 350 kmph)
• For a given power output piston engine will be heavier compared to jet engine

Answer 6

for every one thousand feet you climb you lose 1 inch of manifold pressure and you gone need and extremely big piston engine with an triple turbocharger to do what you can do with 1/4 off the weight of jet engine now weight is very important in a/c and reliability also and fuel consumption jet engines are best at higher altitudes..

Answer 7

Turbines offer exceptional reliabilty and the most hp vs. weight. They are fuel hungry, expensive to buy and mantain.

Answer 8

more power, equal reliability, more complex design, higher cost, same manufacturing (basically), more fuel consumption

; )

Answer 9

Thanks for asking this question.

I found the answers really useful for one of my assignments: Engineering General 303: Management for Engineers