Final answer:
In the burner section of a gas turbine, fuel is mixed with air and combusted to produce high-pressure high-temperature gases that expand to drive the turbine blades connected to a generator.
Step-by-step explanation:
What Happens in the Burner Section of a Gas Turbine:
In a gas turbine, the burner section is the area where fuel is mixed with air and combusted to create high-pressure, high-temperature gases. This process is critical for generating the mechanical energy needed to drive the turbine blades. Unlike the examples suggesting steam generation by burning coal to impact turbine blades in gas turbines, the combustion process happens internally and directly contributes to spinning the turbine. The high-energy gases produced in the burner section expand rapidly imparting force on the turbine blades which in turn rotates the shaft connected to a generator. This is how the chemical energy from the fuel is converted into electrical energy. It is important to note that gas turbines and steam turbines operate on different principles.
The information provided earlier regarding steam turbines is related yet distinct. In steam turbines, the burner section would be part of a boiler where water is turned into steam by burning coal or other fuels. In contrast gas turbines combust the fuel directly in the burner section to produce the high-energy gases necessary for turning the turbine.