In a free turbine type engine the free power turbine

• A. Not Connected To Any Other Turbine Shaft
• B. Connected To Any Other Turbine Shaft
• C. Drives The Compressor
• D. Is The Main Energy Source

Answer: (A)

In a free turbine engine, the power turbine is on its own shaft and is not mechanically linked to the turbine that drives the compressor. This separation lets the free power turbine extract energy from the hot gases and turn the output shaft (to the rotor or propeller) independently of the gas generator’s speed. The energy to the system comes from combustion, and the power turbine’s role is to convert part of that energy into shaft power for the load, not to drive the compressor itself. This independence is what makes the free turbine arrangement advantageous for maintaining rotor speed under varying loads and for easier starting and control.