How does the fire from a jet engines thrust not burn an aircraft itself? ?

Question

What materials are used in the afterburner section that can tolerate that heat?

Answer 1

Titanium now days.  Stainless steel in the early days of jet propulsion.

Answer 2

Longish article linked below.

Basically, they keep the nozzle cool with air and fuel flow and direct the hottest part of the flame away from the afterburner walls.

Also, looks like titanium alloy is the preferred material... references to "Alloy C" in the second link about the F-22 Raptor engine.

Answer 3

the materials used can take alot of heat.  

the flame you see is not touching the edges of the can. more than 75% of the air going into the front of the jet is used just for cooling and there is a layer of cooler air around the outside of the flame.

Hope this helps.

Answer 4

Correct, just as above it has alot to do with flame propigation and the metals used. In a jet engine only 25 % of the air from the compressor is used for combustion and the other 75% is for flame propigation and cooling. The combustion section usually has internal cans arranged in an annular design around the inside of the combustion section. Fuel nozzels are connected to one end of the cans and the cans are lined with layered holes. The other ends of the cans empty into the first stage of the turbine. The holes in the cans allow the air to enter the cans in a way to control the flame's shape inside of the can to direct the hottest part onto the thermocouples and turbine stages. Improper flame patterns caused by various fuel atomization malfunctions and flame control problems will eventualy lead to failures in the metals used to contain the engine's combustion. I have seen melted turbine blades from these malfunctions. Hope this was helpful.