Performance analysis of a centimeter scale Tesla turbine for micro-air vehicles

Tesla turbines can be used in areas where the power requirement is relatively low, as in a Micro-Air Vehicle (MAV). The simplicity of the design makes the turbine easy to manufacture at a low cost, thus making the Tesla turbine ideal for propelling MAVs. We investigate the performance of a small centimeter scale Tesla turbine using numerical simulations; we present the visualization of the flow inside a turbine, variation of slip with rotational speed, and compare with an existing theoretical model and investigate the effect of underlying assumptions like inlet losses, axi-symmetry and three-dimensionality of flow field. We report the efficiency and power output of the turbine. Our simulations predict that a centimeter scale Tesla turbine can be provide sufficient power for MAV applications. The power output can be scaled up by an order of magnitude by increasing the inlet velocity by compromising slightly on the rotor efficiency.