The diploma thesis describes design of bladeless machine known as a Tesla turbine. The work is divided into theoretical part, practical part involving the design and experimental measurements of made bladeless turbine and a final assessment of thesis. The theoretical part deals with the basic design features of bladeless machines and their design modifications and flow in the nozzles. Furthermore there is a dedicated part of the dynamics of working fluid in the rotor of bladeless turbine represented by CFD modeling. The practical part includes the design and construction of parts of the turbine on a preliminary calculation using an analytical model of the flow in the turbine. The designed turbine components were checked for operational safety with structural calculations of shaft and disk impeller. The thesis was also performed experimental measuring of parameters of designed bladeless turbine. Measured values were compared with the analytical model which predicted turbine efficiency. In conclusion, besides to assessment, thesis also outlines possible proposals for further improvements of constructed bladeless turbine.

The use of variable frequency drives in centrifugal pump applications has raised the question of how to select a drive. Clogging obstacles in waste water applications create unknown transient loads for the pump system. A sudden load increase occurrence can clog the pump if the drive cannot supply enough current to reach the motor’s torque demand. In order to select a suitable drive, an empirical approach has been implemented, investigating three different drives. Results have shown that selecting a drive with the highest possible overload capabilities, even if for a short time is most suitable. Operation in vector speed control gives the most reliable operation if an automatic parameter tuning is performed by the drive. / Användningen av frekvensomriktare i centrifugalpumpar har väckt fr ågan om hur en omriktare skall väljas. Igensättande objekt i avloppsvatten kan ge upphov till transienta laster i pumpsystemen. En oförutsedd lastökning kan sätta igen pumpen om frekvensomriktaren inte kan förse motorn tillräckligt med ström för att möta momentbehovet. För att välja en lämplig omriktare har ett empiriskt tillvägag ångssätt valts i en undersökning av tre olika omriktare. Resultat har visat att det är lämpligast att välja en omriktare med högst överbelastningskapacitet, även om under en kort tid. Vektor hastighetskontroll är metoden som ger stabil körning om omriktaren f ått automatiskt ställa in motorparametrarna.

The development of a numeric simulation for predicting the performance of an Ocean Current Energy Conversion System is presented in this thesis along with a control system development using a PID controller for the achievement of specified rotational velocity set-points. In the beginning, this numeric model is implemented in MATLAB/Simulink® and it is used to predict the performance of a three phase squirrel single-cage type induction motor/generator in two different cases. The first case is a small 3 meter rotor diameter, 20 kW ocean current turbine with fixed pitch blades, and the second case a 20 meter, 720 kW ocean current turbine with variable pitch blades. Furthermore, the second case is also used for the development of a Voltage Source Variable Frequency Drive for the induction motor/generator. Comparison among the Variable Frequency Drive and a simplified model is applied. Finally, the simulation is also used to estimate the average electric power generation from the 720 kW Ocean Current Energy Conversion System which consists of an induction generator and an ocean current turbine connected with a shaft which modeled as a mechanical vibration system.