What is the primary purpose of the diffuser section in a turbine engine?

The primary purpose of the diffuser section in a turbine engine is to increase pressure and reduce velocity. This occurs after the compressor stage, where air enters at a high velocity. The diffuser then smooths out the airflow and allows for conversion of kinetic energy (velocity) into increased pressure.

As the air passes through the diffuser, it expands and slows down, which leads to a rise in static pressure. This increase in pressure is crucial as it helps prepare the air for efficient combustion in the combustor section of the engine. By enhancing the pressure while reducing the velocity, the diffuser optimizes the air-fuel mixture for combustion, ensuring that the engine operates efficiently and effectively. Such functionality is essential for the overall performance of a turbine engine, influencing its efficiency and thrust generation.

The other options pertain to different functions: increasing velocity while reducing pressure is characteristic of the engine's compressor stage, measuring temperature changes is generally related to engine monitoring or thermodynamic analysis, and filtering fuel particles pertains to the fuel system, not the airflow management.