Final answer:
Axial flow turbine nozzles guide the flow of medium across the turbine blades, increasing fluid speed and creating a pressure drop through entrainment. They enable the rotation of blades to vary efficiency and are designed to maintain integrity at high fluid speeds.
Step-by-step explanation:
Axial flow turbine nozzles perform several crucial functions in the operation of turbines. The nozzles are designed to efficiently guide the flow of a medium, such as air, water, or steam, onto the turbine blades in a way that optimizes the turbine's ability to extract energy from the flow. The fluid speed is increased as it passes through the nozzles, leading to a drop in pressure, a principle also known as entrainment. This effect is similar to that used in various devices,, such as in a Bunsen burner, where the nozzle entrains air for proper combustion.
The blades of an axial flow turbine can be likened to long airplane wings. These blades are mounted on an axis and can be rotated to engage the wind at various angles, thereby varying the efficiency of the turbine's operation. Furthermore, in jet turbines, which spin rapidly, these nozzles help to direct the flow for the most effective action, preventing a situation where a sudden stop could transfer excessive angular momentum to the plane's structures. The design of axial turbine nozzles also ensures that they can handle the high speeds of fluids moving through them, allowing the energy to be extracted most efficiently without causing damage to the turbine's structural integrity. This demonstrates the importance of the nozzles in the overall performance and safety of the turbine systems they are part of.