Definition
The part of a gas turbine engine, located downstream of the combustion chamber, that extracts energy from the high-temperature, high-velocity exhaust gases by directing them through one or more sets of stationary vanes and rotating turbine blades. The rotating turbine wheels are connected by a shaft to the compressor and accessories, driving them as the gases pass through.
Plain English
The part of a jet or turboprop engine where the hot exhaust gases spin a fan-like wheel. That spinning wheel powers the front of the engine and any attached equipment.
Context Anchor
Seen when studying the main parts of a gas turbine engine and how the engine turns hot gas into usable power.
Derivation
Turbine' comes from the Latin turbo, meaning a spinning top or whirl. It refers to any wheel that is turned by a moving fluid or gas. In a gas turbine engine, the turbine section is literally the section where the gas does the spinning.
Why Pilots Care
The turbine section extracts energy to keep the engine running and produce thrust; exceeding temperature limits here can cause rapid engine damage.
Intuition Check
Do not think of the turbine section as the whole engine. It is one specific part of the engine, located after the fuel-burning area, where hot gas makes the turbine blades spin.
Example Sentence 1
Hot gases leaving the combustion chamber enter the turbine section, where they spin the turbine wheels that drive the compressor.
Example Sentence 2
A pilot monitors turbine temperature closely because overheating in the turbine section can destroy the engine.