Written by Kris Land
In 1913, famous Serbian inventor Nikola Tesla designed a bladeless centripetal flow turbine. This amazing 
achievement used smooth disks that rotated when a moving gas was applied through attached nozzles. Tesla stated that his turbine was "very convenient" due to its versatility. The turbine could be used with steam or mixed fluids as desired without altering its construction in any way. The Tesla turbine goes by a handful of other names, including the Prandtl layer turbine, the boundary layer turbine, and the cohesion type turbine.
In the decades that followed, the Tesla turbine was not used extensively. Today, the Tesla turbine has sparked interest in experimentation. Modern day uses include steam turbine operation and as turbos (gas compressors) for automobiles. There has been a proposal for using the Tesla turbine as a waste pump and in mills and factories where normal turbine pumps frequently end up blocked.
More recently, another idea has surfaced that could utilize the Tesla turbine in green technology. Wind generated power has become one of the biggest alternative energy options available. A wind turbine is a rotating structure that moves with the wind and uses that motion to gather energy, which can then be converted into electricity for household and commercial use. Wind turbines can also be used more directly for the mechanical energy produced. In this instance the turbine is generally referred to as a windmill. The windmill's rotation can grind stones, pump water or cut lumber.
If the Tesla turbine concept is used, it could completely change the way many wind turbines are designed. The Tesla design would remove the trademark blades and replace them with enclosed discs. The unit is conveniently compact and could easily be positioned on the roof of a home or building. Tesla turbines are projected to cost far less per watt generated. The Tesla inspired design could reduce the final cost of wind generated power to a mere $1.50 per watt. The operating costs will also be comparable to those of current retail electricity rates.
Tesla's turbine will also make wind power safer for local wildlife near the turbine. Since no blades are used and the mechanism is enclosed, a screen can be added that will prevent avian access. Overall, the Tesla turbine design could be less expensive, comparable to retail electricity, more convenient to construct, and safer for the surrounding wildlife. It is possible that this nearly century old technology could prove extremely valuable for eco-friendly households and businesses.
Great efforts are also currently being made to incorporate the Tesla turbine within the design of the Sea Bird. Much research and development is still needed but a greener, more efficient future is definitely approaching.
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1944: Camano Class Light Cargo Ship was laid down for the US Army as FS-289 at Wheeler Shipbuilding in Whitestone, NY.
1945: Delivered to US Army.
1950: Acquired by the US Navy on July 1, 1950 and placed in service as USNS New Bedford (T-AKL-17).
1954: The movie, Mister Roberts, was made on the USNS New Bedford (T-AKL-17).
1955 - 1963: Used as a cargo supply ship for the Texas Towers, a network of advanced radar stations located off the Eastern Seaboard. In 1957, Capt. Sixto Mangual was commander of the AKL-17 and in 1961 it was rechristened the USNS New Bedford. The New Bedford, sailing out of State Pier, was keeping vigil when Texas Tower No. 4 callapsed off the New Jersey coast during a January 1961 nor'easter.
1963: Reclassified as Miscellaneous Unclassified (IX-308).
1971: The New Bedford (IX-308) served as a Torpedo Test Firing Vessel in the Puget Sound area.
1994: Ceremony in New Bedford.
1995: The ship was struck from the Naval Register on April 4.
2004: The Sea Bird's current disposition is a tuna long liner (fishing boat) out of San Diego, CA.
2006: Design of the Tesla Turbine began on June 11, 2006. The Sea Bird was sold by Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service for commercial service.
2007: The Sea Bird was drydocked for renovations.
2008: The Sea Bird setting sail to Sea-Tac in Seattle, WA.
2009 - 2010: The Sea Bird is currently docked at Seattle Sea-Tac.
