Performance and Characterization of a Modified Tesla Pump Design
Faculty Mentor
Philip Appel
Presentation Type
Poster
Start Date
4-14-2026 9:00 AM
End Date
4-14-2026 11:00 AM
Location
PUB NCR
Primary Discipline of Presentation
Mechanical Engineering and Technology
Abstract
Many of Nikola Tesla’s inventions have been reinvestigated due to advances in manufacturing and technology. One of these inventions is the Tesla pump, also known as the boundary layer pump. This pump uses closely packed thin disks to utilize the viscous properties of the fluid being pumped. Several attempts have been made to redesign his pump to achieve maximum theoretical efficiency. A group in Spokane Valley has presented an alternative design that will be characterized by our team. The design features the standard Tesla pump, modified with impeller blades between the discs. A testing setup and the pumps will be manufactured in the metallics lab using stainless steel, aluminum, and PVC. Using the setup, the alternative design and the traditional Tesla pump will be tested under a series of variable pump speeds and flow rates. The flow rate and pressure on the inlet and outlet of the pump are measured. These values will be compared to the power of the electric motor being consumed. From this, efficiency is measured, and the pump design is characterized.
Recommended Citation
Jump, Zach and Bushnell, Carter, "Performance and Characterization of a Modified Tesla Pump Design" (2026). 2026 Symposium. 37.
https://dc.ewu.edu/srcw_2026/ps_2026/p1_2026/37
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Performance and Characterization of a Modified Tesla Pump Design
PUB NCR
Many of Nikola Tesla’s inventions have been reinvestigated due to advances in manufacturing and technology. One of these inventions is the Tesla pump, also known as the boundary layer pump. This pump uses closely packed thin disks to utilize the viscous properties of the fluid being pumped. Several attempts have been made to redesign his pump to achieve maximum theoretical efficiency. A group in Spokane Valley has presented an alternative design that will be characterized by our team. The design features the standard Tesla pump, modified with impeller blades between the discs. A testing setup and the pumps will be manufactured in the metallics lab using stainless steel, aluminum, and PVC. Using the setup, the alternative design and the traditional Tesla pump will be tested under a series of variable pump speeds and flow rates. The flow rate and pressure on the inlet and outlet of the pump are measured. These values will be compared to the power of the electric motor being consumed. From this, efficiency is measured, and the pump design is characterized.
