Review of Basics

Review of Basics: Introduction to Prime Movers, Gas Turbines, Review of Basic principles -
Thermodynamics, Review of Basic principles - Fluid Dynamics and Heat Transfer, Fundamentals of
Rotating Machines - Energy Equation, Dimensional Analysis, Airfoil Theory.
Prime movers
prime mover
The primary source of power

Before gas turbines

Three principal competitors in the field of prime movers were there
(i) the steam turbine plant,
bulky and expensive steam-generating equipment
(ii) the diesel piston engine, and
Diesel piston engines started replacing bulky steam power
plants for power generation
(iii) the gasoline piston engine. Gasoline engines were used in early
days for aircraft propulsion.
Gas turbines

Of the various means of producing

mechanical power available today the gas
turbine, in many respects, seems to be the
most satisfactory power plant.

It is mainly due to
(i) the absence of reciprocating and rubbing
members which reduces the
vibration and balancing problems,
(ii) high reliability,
(iii) low lubricating-oil consumption, and
(iv) high power-to-weight ratio