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A divergent engine air intake…

  • A
    increases the temperature of the air to prevent icing.
  • B
    increases the static pressure to improve ram recovery.
  • C
    increases the density of the air at low density altitudes.
  • D
    decreases the velocity of the air to prevent a flame-out.
The intake geometry is designed to take full advantage of the ram effect. It captures the required air mass flow and delivers it to the compressor at the correct design speed. That’s why the intake is slightly divergent in order to reduce the airflow’s velocity and increase the static pressure and temperature just before the fan and compressor’s first stages. Caution, the total pressure (and temperature) will remain constant - it is only a trade of dynamic pressure for static pressure. Compression (=increase in static pressure) is a process where heat is released, which explains why the temperature behaves in the same way through a divergent duct as pressure. This geometry is also called the ‘pitot intake’, and it has thick, smoothly rounded lips to prevent flow separation under any flight conditions/maneuvers.
 

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