Turbomachinery 1: Introduction

Turbomachinery is built around a simple idea: exchanging energy between a rotating machine and a flowing fluid. The flow physics behind that exchange, however, are anything but simple. This chapter introduces the fundamental architecture of turbines, compressors, and pumps, then explores why their internal flows are three-dimensional, turbulent, compressible, and inherently unsteady. It also introduces the role of CFD in modern turbomachinery design, from understanding secondary flows and tip-clearance effects to comparing design changes and identifying aerodynamic losses.