A turboshaft engine acts as the powerhouse of modern helicopters. They are also used for power generation and marine propulsion! This video will illustrate the inner-workings of turboshaft engines in a clear and logical way.
source/image: Learn Engineering
A turboshaft engine is a form of gas turbine that is optimized to produce shaft power rather than jet thrust.In concept, turboshaft engines are very similar to turbojets, with additional turbine expansion to extract heat energy from the exhaust and convert it into output shaft power.
They are even more similar to turboprops, with only minor differences, and a single engine is often sold in both forms.A turboshaft engine may be made up of two major parts assemblies: the ‘gas generator’ and the ‘power section’.
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The gas generator consists of the compressor, combustion chambers with ignitors and fuel nozzles, and one or more stages of turbine. The power section consists of additional stages of turbines, a gear reduction system, and the shaft output. The gas generator creates the hot expanding gases to drive the power section.
