Performance estimation of Tesla turbine applied in small scale Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) system

Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) system has been proven to be an effective method for the low grade energy utilization. In small scale applications, the Tesla turbine offers an attractive option for the organic expander if an efficient design can be achieved. The Tesla turbine is simple in structure and is easy to be manufactured. This paper improves the one-dimensional model for the Tesla turbine, which adopts a non-dimensional formulation that identifies the dimensionless parameters that dictates the performance features of the turbine. The model is used to predict the efficiency of a Tesla turbine that is applied in a small scale ORC system. The influence of the working fluid properties and the operating conditions on the turbine performance is evaluated. Thermodynamic analysis of the ORC system with different organic working fluids and under various operating conditions is conducted. The simulation results reveal that the ORC system can generate a considerable net power output. Therefore, the Tesla turbine can be regarded as a potential choice to be applied in small scale ORC systems.