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After a few decades in which airships have been depromoted to the level of being only considered as a mere curiosity they seem now to reappear. The main reasons for this are related to the recent progress in technology of materials, aerodynamics, energy and propulsion. Airships are also presenting themselves as green friendly air vehicles, in particular if solar powered airships are considered. Their ability to remain aloft for long time periods have also expanded the range of mission profiles for which they are suited. Herein we have concentrated on a critical overview of propulsion mechanisms for airships. These include a detailed overview of past, present, and future enabling technologies for airship propulsion. Diverse concepts are revisited and the link between the airship geometry and flight mechanics is made for diverse propulsion system mechanisms.

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Failure of turbine blades leads to various exploitation problems, efficiency decrease and economical losses, at all. A detailed research on aerodynamic features, in various exploitation conditions and regimes, and on reasons for failures, is a prerequisite to the obviated technical problems and increased reliability of turbine aggregates. Water droplets erosion is known as a very complex and crucial phenomena. It couples the effects of wet steam expansion, together with condensation (evaporation), presence of second phase with the impact of water droplets over blade surfaces, erosion effects and fatigue mechanisms. The present research deals with a logical sequence for numerical simulations and research on erosion mechanisms in a low pressure stage of К-1000-6 /1500 steam turbine, working at a Nuclear Power Plant. Attention is paid to the impact of droplets' diameter on blade surfaces, their aerodynamic behavior and efficiency of energy conversion through turbine channels. Particular trajectories of water droplets, reasons for occurrence of erosion wear, over certain parts of the streamlined surfaces, are established and discussed. An approach to acquire incidence time to erosion appearance is implemented. Research methodology and obtained results are applicable to determine erosion effects on streamed complex surfaces, to replace expensive measurements campaigns, introduce approaches to decrease wetness in last stages of condensation turbines and prolong the reliability of blades operated in wet steam conditions