How do turbines work

Turbines are machines specifically turbomachines because turbines transmit and modify energy. A simple turbine is composed of a series of blades - currently steel is one of the most common materials used - and allows the fluid to enter the turbine, pushing the blades. These blades spin while the fluid flows through, capturing some of the energy as rotational motion.

Fluid flowing through a turbine loses kinetic energy and exits the turbine with less energy than it started with. Turbines are used in many different areas, and each type of turbine has a slightly different construction to perform its job properly. Turbines are used in wind power , hydropower , in heat engines , and for propulsion. Turbines are extremely important because of the fact that nearly all electricity is produced by turning mechanical energy from a turbine into electrical energy via a generator.

Heat engines use turbines as well as pistons because they can efficiently extract energy from fluids. Additionally, turbines require fairly little maintenance. Gas turbines are used frequently in heat engines as they are one of the most flexible types of turbines.

One specific application of these gas turbines is in jet engines. When this mixture ignites it undergoes rapid expansion. The expanding air is pushed into the turbine, causing it to spin.

Since they use compressed air, high altitudes do not affect the efficiency of the turbines, making them ideal for use in airplanes. A diagram of a gas turbine is shown in Figure 2 below. As well as being used in airplanes, these turbines are used to generate electricity in natural gas-fueled power plants. The combustion gases in this case arise from the combustion of natural gas.

In a hydroelectric facility, water is held behind a dam and is released through a penstock. The water, which has kinetic and potential energy , is allowed to fall on a turbine which spins a shaft connected to a generator , thus generating electricity. When wind flows across the blade, the air pressure on one side of the blade decreases. The difference in air pressure across the two sides of the blade creates both lift and drag.

The force of the lift is stronger than the drag and this causes the rotor to spin. This translation of aerodynamic force to rotation of a generator creates electricity. Most commonly, they have three blades and operate "upwind," with the turbine pivoting at the top of the tower so the blades face into the wind. Vertical-axis wind turbines come in several varieties, including the eggbeater-style Darrieus model, named after its French inventor. Wind turbines can be built on land or offshore in large bodies of water like oceans and lakes.

The U. Department of Energy is currently funding projects to facilitate offshore wind deployment in U. Modern wind turbines can be categorized by where they are installed and how they are connected to the grid:. Larger wind turbines are more cost effective and are grouped together into wind plants, which provide bulk power to the electrical grid. They do not have the same transportation challenges of land-based wind installations, as the large components can be transported on ships instead of on roads.

When wind turbines of any size are installed on the "customer" side of the electric meter, or are installed at or near the place where the energy they produce will be used, they're called "distributed wind.

Many turbines used in distributed applications are small wind turbines. Single small wind turbines—below kilowatts—are typically used for residential, agricultural, and small commercial and industrial applications. Small turbines can be used in hybrid energy systems with other distributed energy resources, such as microgrids powered by diesel generators, batteries, and photovoltaics. These systems are called hybrid wind systems and are typically used in remote, off-grid locations where a connection to the utility grid is not available and are becoming more common in grid-connected applications for resiliency.

Learn more about distributed wind from the Distributed Wind Animation or read about what the Wind Energy Technologies Office is doing to support the deployment of distributed wind systems for homes, businesses, farms, and community wind projects. Interested in wind energy? The Small Wind Guidebook helps homeowners, ranchers, and small businesses decide if wind energy can work for them.

Energy and the environment. Also in What is energy? Forms of energy Sources of energy Laws of energy. Also in Units and calculators explained Units and calculators Energy conversion calculators British thermal units Btu Degree days. Also in U. Also in Use of energy explained Use of energy Energy use in industry Energy use for transportation Energy use in homes Energy use in commercial buildings Energy efficiency and conservation.

Also in Energy and the environment explained Energy and the environment Greenhouse gases Greenhouse gases and the climate Where greenhouse gases come from Outlook for future emissions Recycling and energy.

Nonrenewable sources. Oil and petroleum products. Diesel fuel. Heating oil. Also in Oil and petroleum products explained Oil and petroleum products Refining crude oil Where our oil comes from Imports and exports Offshore oil and gas Use of oil Prices and outlook Oil and the environment.

Also in Gasoline explained Gasoline Octane in depth Where our gasoline comes from Use of gasoline Prices and outlook Factors affecting gasoline prices Regional price differences Price fluctuations History of gasoline Gasoline and the environment. Also in Diesel fuel explained Diesel fuel Where our diesel comes from Use of diesel Prices and outlook Factors affecting diesel prices Diesel fuel surcharges Diesel and the environment.

Also in Heating oil explained Heating oil Where our heating oil comes from Use of heating oil Prices and outlook Factors affecting heating oil prices. Hydrocarbon Gas Liquids. Natural gas. Also in Hydrocarbon gas liquids explained Hydrocarbon gas liquids Where do hydrocarbon gas liquids come from? Transporting and storing Uses of hydrocarbon gas liquids Imports and exports Prices. Also in Natural gas explained Natural gas Delivery and storage Natural gas pipelines Liquefied natural gas Where our natural gas comes from Imports and exports How much gas is left Use of natural gas Prices Factors affecting natural gas prices Natural gas and the environment Customer choice programs.

Also in Coal explained Coal Mining and transportation Where our coal comes from Imports and exports How much coal is left Use of coal Prices and outlook Coal and the environment. Renewable sources. Renewable energy. Biofuels: Ethanol and Biomass-based diesel. Also in Hydropower explained Hydropower Where hydropower is generated Hydropower and the environment Tidal power Wave power Ocean thermal energy conversion.

Also in Biofuels explained Biofuels Ethanol Use and supply of ethanol Ethanol and the environment Biomass-based diesel fuels Use of biomass-based diesel fuel Biomass-based diesel and the environment. Also in Wind explained Wind Electricity generation from wind Where wind power is harnessed Types of wind turbines History of wind power Wind energy and the environment.

Also in Geothermal explained Geothermal Where geothermal energy is found Use of geothermal energy Geothermal power plants Geothermal heat pumps Geothermal energy and the environment. Also in Solar explained Solar Photovoltaics and electricity Where solar is found and used Solar thermal power plants Solar thermal collectors Solar energy and the environment. Secondary sources.