Nikola Tesla had invented a very interesting one-way value. Let’s understand the complete physics of this valve in this video.A Tesla valve is a passive (no moving parts) device that allows fluid flow more easily in one direction.
image: Lesics
Tesla-type valve is based on a difference in flow distribution between both flow directions, which results in a difference in pressure drop for the same inlet flowrate.
image: Lesics
When a liquid or gas is moving in the low flow direction, it creates backflows that increase the amount of energy and pressure necessary to force the liquid or gas in that direction.
Advertisement
In the opposite direction, the liquid or gas can run through the main channel with very little opposition. This means it takes a very high pressure to push a liquid or gas in one direction, but a very low pressure to push the liquid or gas in the other direction.
The valves are structures that have a higher pressure drop for the flow in one direction (reverse) than the other (forward). This difference in flow resistance causes a net directional flow rate in the forward direction in oscillating flows. The efficiency is often expressed in diodicity Di being the ratio of directional resistances.
