Tesla turbine is a bladeless turbine making use of boundary layer effect.

1. A Seminar On
TESLA TURBINES
PRESENTED BY
SOUGANTH SUGATHAN MANJHIPARAMBIL
ISAMEME057

2. “The desire that guides me in all I do is the desire
to harness the forces of nature to the service of
mankind.”
Nikola Tesla (1856 – 1943)
Dept. of Mechanical Engg. 2IESCE

3. CONTENTS
• INTRODUCTION
• CONSTRUCTION
• BOUNDARY LAYER CONCEPT
• THEORY OF OPERATION
• EFFICIENCY OF TESLA TURBINES
• APPLICATIONS
• PICO HYDRO
• TESLA TURBINES AND PICO HYDRO
• ADVANTAGES
• DISADVANTAGES
• CONCLUSION
• REFERENCES
Dept. of Mechanical Engg. 3IESCE

4. INTRODUCTION
• Tesla turbine is a bladeless turbine.
• It was patented by Nikola Tesla in 1913.
• It is a radial type turbine.
• Also known as Prandtl layer turbine and
boundary layer turbine.
Dept. of Mechanical Engg. 4IESCE

5. Dept. of Mechanical Engg. 5IESCE
PARTS OF A TESLA TURBINE

6. CONSTRUCTION
There are mainly 2 parts in the turbine.
Rotor
• Consists of series of smooth discs mounted on
a shaft .
• Each disk is made with openings surrounding
the shaft.
• These openings act as exhaust ports through
which the fluid exits.
Dept. of Mechanical Engg. 6IESCE

7. Stator
• The rotor assembly is housed within a
cylindrical stator, or the stationary part of the
turbine.
• Each end of the stator contains a bearing for
the shaft.
• The stator also contains one or two inlets, into
which nozzles are inserted.
Dept. of Mechanical Engg. 7IESCE

8. • To make the turbine run, a high-pressure fluid
enters the nozzles at the stator inlets.
• The fluid passes between the rotor disks and
causes the rotor to spin.
• Eventually, the fluid exits through the exhaust
ports in the center of the turbine.
Dept. of Mechanical Engg. IESCE 8

9. BOUNDARY LAYER CONCEPT
• A layer of fluid developing in flows with very
high Reynolds Number, Re, that is with
relatively low viscosity as compared with
inertia forces.
• Observed when bodies are exposed to high
velocity air stream or when bodies are very
large and the air stream velocity is moderate.
Dept. of Mechanical Engg. 9IESCE

10. Dept. of Mechanical Engg. 10IESCE

11. THEORY OF OPERATION
• As the fluid moves past each disk, adhesive
forces cause the fluid molecules just above
the metal surface to slow down and stick.
• The molecules just above those at the surface
slow down when they collide with the
molecules sticking to the surface.
• These molecules in turn slow down the flow
just above them.
Dept. of Mechanical Engg. 11IESCE

12. • The farther one moves away from the surface,
the fewer the collisions affected by the object
surface.
• At the same time, viscous forces cause the
molecules of the fluid to resist separation.
• This generates a pulling force that is
transmitted to the disk, causing the disk to
move in the direction of the fluid.
Dept. of Mechanical Engg. IESCE 12

13. Dept. of Mechanical Engg. 13IESCE

14. EFFICIENCY VS RPM CURVE
Dept. of Mechanical Engg. 14IESCE

15. EFFICIENCY OF TESLA TURBINES
• Tesla claimed a theoretical efficiency of the
order of 95%.
• Actual turbine efficiency is estimated to be
about 60%.
• Practical results seems to be lower than
conventional turbines.
Dept. of Mechanical Engg. 15IESCE

16. APPLICATIONS
• It can be converted into a pump, called Tesla
pump.
• As a multiple-disk centrifugal blood pump.
• Pico Hydro applications.
• Fluids with high viscosities, abrasives, solid
particles or two phase fluids.
• As a waste pump.
• As a wind turbine
Dept. of Mechanical Engg. 16IESCE

17. PICO HYDRO
• Harness the energy of flowing water at
capacities smaller than 5kW.
• Lowest generating cost.
• Low environmental impact.
• Displacement of large populations is not
required.
Dept. of Mechanical Engg. 17IESCE

18. TESLA TURBINE AND PICO HYDRO
• Simple components and design.
• Local setting manufacture lowers capital and
maintenance costs.
• Lesser risk of erosion of discs.
Dept. of Mechanical Engg. 18IESCE

19. ADVANTAGES
• Low production costs.
• Simpler design and manufacture.
• Can be used for a variety of fluids.
• Can be easily reversed into a pump.
Dept. of Mechanical Engg. 19IESCE

20. DISADVANTAGES
• Low torque.
• Proof of its efficiency compared to
conventional turbines is still questionable and
needs more research.
• Loss of energy due to friction at high speeds.
Dept. of Mechanical Engg. 20IESCE

21. CONCLUSION
• Not compatible for applications where
conventional machines are adequate.
• Should be considered in applications where
conventional methods are inadequate.
• Applications which need small shaft power,
highly viscous fluids or non-Newtonian fluids.
Dept. of Mechanical Engg. 21IESCE

22. REFERENCES
[1] Rice, W., “Tesla Turbomachinery”, International
Nikola Tesla Symposium, 1991.
[2] Bryan P. Ho-Yan, “Tesla Turbine for Pico Hydro
Applications”, Guelph Engineering Journal, 2011.
[3] S.J. Foo, W.C. Tan and M. Shahril, “Development
of Tesla Turbine for Green Energy Application”,
National Conference in Mechanical Engineering
Research and Postgraduate Studies, 2010
Dept. of Mechanical Engg. 22IESCE

23. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!
Dept. of Mechanical Engg. IESCE 23
ANY
QUESTIONS?

24. GET READY FOR THE QUIZ!!
Dept. of Mechanical Engg. IESCE 24
PROBLEM???

25. QUESTIONS
1. What is the direction in which fluid enters
and exits the turbine?
2. State a major disadvantage of Tesla turbines.
3. Why do you think the Tesla turbine is also
named as Prandtl layer turbine?
Dept. of Mechanical Engg. IESCE 25