A turbine is a machine or engine which uses a stream of air, gas, water, or steam to turn a wheel and produce power.
turbine in British English
(ˈtɜːbɪn, -baɪn)
noun
any of various types of machine in which the kinetic energy of a moving fluid is converted into mechanical energy by causing a bladed rotor to rotate. The moving fluid may be water, steam, air, or combustion products of a fuel
See also reaction turbine, impulse turbine, gas turbine
Word origin
C19: from French, from Latin turbō whirlwind, from turbāre to throw into confusion
turbine in American English
(ˈtɜrbɪn; ˈtɜrˌbaɪn)
noun
an engine or motor having a drive shaft driven either by the impulse of steam, water, air, gas, etc. against the curved vanes of a wheel (or set of wheels) or by the reaction of fluid passing out through nozzles located around the wheel
Word origin
Fr < L turbo, whirl: see turbinate
turbine in Mechanical Engineering
(tɜrbɪn)
Word forms: (regular plural) turbines
noun
(Mechanical engineering: Fluid engineering)
A turbine is a machine that works by the action of a fluid on a series of surfaces, usually a circular set of blades.
In a turbine, moving fluid acts on the blades so that they move and impart rotational energy tothe rotor.
The steam spins turbines connected to generators to make electricity.
A turbine is a machine that works by the action of a fluid on a series of surfaces, usuallya circular set of blades.
air turbine, gas turbine, steam turbine, wind turbine
A turbine is a machine that uses a moving stream of air, water, steam, or hot gas to turn a wheel to produce mechanical power.
Should the wind turbine produce more power than the demand of the house, this excess power is fed into thegrid via a meter which counts the units fed in.
Water is used as a coolant and moderator and turned directly into steam to drivethe turbine which turns the generator.
A turbine is a machine that uses a moving stream of air, water, steam, or hot gas to turn awheel to produce mechanical power.
Examples of 'turbine' in a sentence
turbine
Such schemes last for decades - far longer than solar panels or wind turbines - so they offer reliable green power.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Gas turbine engines can run on almost any liquid that will burn.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
They could also be suspended on wires and coupled with turbines to provide power.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Tidal power uses turbines to convert energy from tidal movements into electricity.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
This can then be burned in a gas turbine to make electricity.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
It keeps the lights on when wind turbines are not turning.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The reaction drives a steam turbine to produce electricity.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Want a steady supply of green energy without installing a wind turbine on your roof?
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Its steam turbines were no more expensive than those of its competitors.
Peter F. Drucker THE ESSENTIAL DRUCKER (2001)
The other problem is that the cost of domestic wind turbines is still prohibitive.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Wind turbines and solar panels also qualify.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
It relies on a whopping great wind turbine or power plant.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The next step is a wind turbine.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
The visibility of the solar panels or wind turbines made them proud to be pioneers.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The turbines produce power for two electric motors that drive propellers as well as the ship and weapons systems.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Within ten years all the other manufacturers of steam turbines had caught on and switched to the same system.
Peter F. Drucker THE ESSENTIAL DRUCKER (2001)
They will be self-sufficient in energy using wind turbines and solar power.
The Sun (2007)
These can power petrol, diesel and gas turbine engines more cleanly than existing petroleum fuels.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The turbine had been installed for 13 months by the time it was finally switched off.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Contrast this with a gas turbine engine, which runs at 90% efficiency.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
In other languages
turbine
British English: turbine NOUN
A turbine is a machine or engine which uses a stream of air, gas, water, or steam to turn a wheel and produce power.
The new ship will be powered by two gas turbines and four diesel engines.
American English: turbine
Brazilian Portuguese: turbina
Chinese: 涡轮机
European Spanish: turbina
French: turbine
German: Turbine
Italian: turbina
Japanese: タービン
Korean: 터빈
European Portuguese: turbina
Latin American Spanish: turbina
All related terms of 'turbine'
air turbine
a small turbine driven by compressed air , esp one used as a starter for engines
gas turbine
an internal-combustion engine in which the expanding gases emerging from one or more combustion chambers drive a turbine . A rotary compressor driven by the turbine compresses the air used for combustion, power being taken either as torque from the turbine or thrust from the expanding gases
steam turbine
a turbine driven by steam
turbine blade
any of a number of bladelike vanes assembled around the periphery of a turbine rotor to guide the steam or gas flow
water turbine
a turbine driven by the momentum or reactive force of water
wind turbine
A wind turbine is a type of electric power generator , in which a shaft is made to rotate by the flow of wind over a propeller .
Francis turbine
a water turbine designed to produce high flow from a low head of pressure : used esp in hydroelectric power generation
impulse turbine
a turbine in which the expansion of the fluid , often steam , is completed in a static nozzle , the torque being produced by the change in momentum of the fluid impinging on curved rotor blades
turbine engine
a rotary engine that converts kinetic energy of a moving fluid (water, steam , air, or combustion products of a fuel ) into mechanical energy
reaction turbine
a turbine in which the working fluid is accelerated by expansion in both the static nozzles and the rotor blades . Torque is produced by the momentum changes in the rotor and by reaction from fluid accelerating out of the rotor
mixed-flow turbine
a water turbine in which water flows radially and axially through the rotating vanes
ram-air turbine
a small air-driven turbine fitted to an aircraft to provide power in the event of a failure of the normal systems
combined cycle gas turbine
A combined cycle gas turbine is an efficient combination of gas-fired turbine and steam turbine, used in a power plant.