TURBOMACHINES
Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION
1
Definition: A turbomachine is a device in which energy
transfer occurs between a flowing fluid and a rotating
element due to dynamic action, and results in a change
in pressure and/or in momentum of the fluid.
• A Turbomachine is a machine in which there is a
continuous transfer of energy between a rotor with
vanes and a fluid flowing through the spaces between
the vanes of that rotor, due to dynamic action, resulting
in a change in the pressure and/or the momentum of
the fluid.
2
Some observations may be made with reference to the above definition of
a Turbomachine; and they are as follows:
1. There is a transfer of energy. The transfer is a process and the process
is continuous, not periodic or stepwise.
2. The energy-transfer process is between two entities. These two
entities are a rotor with vanes and a flowing fluid. The direction of the
flow of energy is not specified (as yet). It could be in either direction:
From the rotor to the fluid or from the fluid to the rotor.
3. There is a “dynamic action.” The process of energy flow takes place as
the fluid “flows.” (like air coming from fan)
4. The fluid does not get confined in some limited space.
5. The net result of the process is the change in the energy of the fluid,
either increase or decrease, in the form of change in its pressure,
momentum, or both. 3
Principal components of a turbomachine:
i. A vane carrying a rotating element (rotor, runner, impeller),
ii. A stationery element (guide blade or nozzle),
iii. An input and/or an output shaft,
iv. A housing or casing,
4
Components
1. Rotating element (vane, impeller or blades)– operating in a
stream of fluid.
2. Stationary elements – which usually guide the fluid in
proper direction for efficient energy conversion process.
3. Shaft – This either gives input power or takes output power
from fluid under dynamic conditions and runs at required
speed.
4. Housing – to keep various rotating, stationery and other
passages safely under dynamic conditions of the flowing fluid.
E.g. Steam turbine parts and Pelton turbine parts.
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Types of turbomachines:
1. According to energy consideration;
a. Turbomachines transferring rotor energy to fluid energy. E.g.
pumps and compressors.
b. Machines transferring fluid energy to a rotor energy. E.g.
turbines (steam, gas and water)
2. According the direction of flow;
a. Radial flow as in centrifugal pumps, fans, turbines and
compressors.
b. Axial flow as in axial flow pumps, compressors, fans and
turbines. 7
a. Mixed flow as in Francis turbine.
b. Tangential flow as in Pelton wheel.
3. According to the action of the fluid on the moving blades;
a. Impulse machines where fluid energy is converted into
impulsive force by changing the direction of the fluid as in
a steam turbine (De-Laval and Pelton wheel
b. Reaction type (variable pressure) E.g. Francis reaction
turbines 8
Comparison with positive displacement machine
Turbo machines Positive displacement machines
It creates Thermodynamic & Dynamic It creates Thermodynamic &Mechanical
action b/w rotating element & flowing fluid, action b/w moving member & static fluid,
energy transfer takes place if pressure and energy transfer takes place with
momentum changes displacement of fluid
It involves a steady flow of fluid & rotating It involves a unsteady flow of fluid &
motion of mechanical element reciprocating motion
They operate at high rotational speed They operate at low speed
Change of phase during fluid flow causes Change of phase during fluid flow causes
serious problems in turbomachine less problems in Positive displacement
Efficiency is usually less Efficiency is higher
It is simple in design It is complex in design
Due to rotary motion vibration problems are Due to reciprocating motion vibration
less problems are more
E.g. Hydraulic turbines, Gas turbines, Steam E.g. I.C engines, Reciprocating air
turbines etc. compressor, pumps etc.
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Effect of Reynolds Number
• Just like flow in pipes with friction, with decreasing
Reynolds number, the loss factor increases at first
slowly, then more and more rapidly in Turbo
machines.
• The majority of ordinary turbo machines,
(handling water, air, steam or gas) are found to
operate in fully rough region.
• The critical Reynolds number, at which the flow
becomes fully rough, varies with the size of the
machine (it depends on relative roughness) and its
exact location for a given machine is difficult to
predict.
10
loss factor in head and efficiency of a
moderate size
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Variables with geometric property are:
i. Length (L): blade chord or blade length
ii. Diameter (d): rotor diameter
iii. Thickness (t): blade thickness
iv. Height (h): blade height
Variables with flow property:
i. Velocity (u): blade velocity
ii. Velocity (V): flow velocity
iii. Speed (N): rotation speed
iv. Volume flow rate (Q)
v. Mass flow rate (m)
vi. Acceleration (a)
vii. Angular velocity (ω)
12
Variables with fluid property:
i. Gas density (ρ)
ii. Bulk modulus (K)
iii. Force (F)
iv. Dynamic viscosity (μ)
v. Pressure difference (Δp)
vi. Power (P)
vii. Elasticity (e)
[Link] tension (σ)
ix. Specific weight (w)
x. Stress
xi. Resistance (Ω) 13
Unit Quantities
• Unit quantities are unit flow, unit power and
unit speed which are under considerations of
unit meter in connection with hydraulic
turbines. In other words, the unit quantities
are defined for the head of 1m.
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N
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