Definition
A type of combustion chamber used in gas turbine engines in which fuel is burned inside a single continuous ring-shaped chamber that surrounds the engine's central shaft. Compressed air enters the chamber, mixes with fuel, and burns to produce the high-energy gas flow that drives the turbine.
Plain English
It is the part of a jet engine where fuel is burned, shaped like a single ring that wraps all the way around the inside of the engine.
Context Anchor
Seen in turbine engine descriptions, especially when comparing combustion chamber designs or studying how jet and turboprop engines produce power.
Derivation
Annular comes from the Latin annulus, meaning 'little ring.' Combustor comes from the Latin comburere, 'to burn up.' Together the term describes a ring-shaped burner — which matches its physical shape inside the engine.
Why Pilots Care
Its design affects flame stability, even temperature distribution, and overall engine efficiency and reliability.
Analogy
Picture a doughnut-shaped burner inside the engine. Instead of several separate burner cans, the burning area is one continuous ring.
Intuition Check
Annular does not mean “annual” or related to time. Here it means ring-shaped.
Example Sentence 1
The turbofan engine on the trainer uses an annular combustor, which gives it smooth, even fuel burning around the full circle of the engine.
Example Sentence 2
Modern turbofan engines often use an annular combustor because it provides smoother combustion than older can-type designs.