Tesla Turbine is a bladeless turbine consists of a series of
discs with nozzle through which gas or liquid enters towards the
edge of the disc. Momentum transfer between fluid and disc
takes place due to fluid properties of viscosity and adhesion.
Discs and washers, that separate discs, are fitted on a sleeve,
threaded at the end and nuts are used to hold thick end-plates
together. The sleeve has a hole that fits tightly on the shaft.
Openings are cut out around center of the discs to communicate
with exhaust ports formed in the side of the casing.
Hence tesla turbine is described as a multi disc; shear force or
boundary layer turbo machinery that works with compressible
and incompressible fluid. Fluid enters radially and exits axially
through the ports.
Tesla turbine has advantages of ease of production, versatility
and low maintenance. Fluid used can be steam or water. It is
unaffected by sediment erosion due to lack of vanes. A challenge
related to Tesla turbine is low efficiency. Tesla turbine claims
high rotor efficiency for optimum design, but experimentallymany difficulties has been found to achieve high efficiencies in
nozzles and rotors