The document outlines the principles and applications of the Tesla valve, highlighting its unique feature of functioning without moving components, unlike traditional valves. It discusses various uses including fish ladders, medical applications such as t-junctions for dialysis, and microfluidic mixing modules that utilize Tesla valves to manage flow and prevent backward flow. The analysis emphasizes the valve's design for improving fluid dynamics in various engineering contexts.

1. UNDERSTANDING OF
TESLA VALVE
by
Dr. Nuray Kayakol
CFD Engineer

2. Agenda
• Valve with moving components
• The Tesla Valve with no moving component
• Applications of Tesla Valve
• Fish ladders
• T-junction (medical application)
• Microfluidic mixing module

3. Valve having a moving component, ‘Ball’
Time, t = to
Flow in out
t = tn
Ball closed
F
F

4. Agenda
• Valve with moving components
• The Tesla Valve with no moving component
• Applications of Tesla Valve
• Fish ladders
• T-junction (medical application)
• Microfluidic mixing module

5. Tesla Valve (Patent, 1916)
Flow blockage from left to right
Continuous flow from left to right

6. Tesla’s Valvular valve principle of operation, from US patent US-1329559
Tesla’s valve offers greater resistance in one direction than in the other direction

7. Tesla’s Valvular valve principle of operation, from US patent US-1329559
Shape of blockages defining flow passages
Airfoil
Air foil type blockages

8. Ref: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suIAo0EYwOE

12. Easy flow
Flow restriction system

13. A quizz

14. A B
Ref: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suIAo0EYwOE LearnEngineering
(I) From A to B ?
(II) A or B ?

15. A
Ref: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suIAo0EYwOE LearnEngineering
(II) A or B ?

16. Agenda
• Valve with moving components
• The Tesla Valve with no moving component
• Applications of Tesla Valve
• Fish ladders
• T-junction (medical application)
• Microfluidic mixing module

17. Tesla Valve
Ref: https://repository.tudelft.nl/islandora/object/uuid%3Ac871a0b0-a0d5-4b6e-afab-bc29c9a9797b

18. Tesla Valve
In both cases there are flow
passages but why we call
Tesla's flow passages as
valve. A valve is a devices
having function of opening
and closing of flow. But there
is no moving component in
Tesla Valve.

19. Narrow
opening
steady
hydraulic
conditions
Recirculation
zone
Tesla Valve
Flowblockage

20. Agenda
• Valve with moving components
• The Tesla Valve with no moving component
• Applications of Tesla Valve
• Fish ladders
• T-junction (medical application)
• Microfluidic mixing module

22. Blood vessels of human body
Toplar damar
Atar damar
Kılcal
Kan damarları

23. Anatomy of Vessels in Arms

24. Radiocephalic Arteriovenous Fistula
Surgical options for dialysis in patients with chronic kidney disease
Ref: https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.asdin.org/resource/resmgr/imported/atlas%20of%20dialysis%20access.pdf

25. Connecting the veins
T-junction simulation for CFD engineers / Arterio-venous fistulas for doctors
Connection of veins
T-junction
Ref: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/paul-guenot-785088a5_simcenter-simulation-starccm-ugcPost-6718779867187560448-E7T0

26. Unsteadines in flow Unsteadines suppressed
Shape optimisation using Machine Learning (ML) for suppressing
unsteadiness
Ref: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/paul-guenot-785088a5_simcenter-simulation-starccm-ugcPost-6718779867187560448-E7T0

27. T-junctionTesla valve
The similarity between Tesla valve and T-junction
Arterio-venous fistulas
Surgical option for dialysis in patients /

28. Agenda
• Valve with moving components
• The Tesla Valve with no moving component
• Applications of Tesla Valve
• Fish ladders
• T-junction (medical application)
• Microfluidic mixing module

29. Microfluidic mixing module
Ref: Micromachines | Free Full-Text | A Digitally Controllable Polymer-Based Microfluidic Mixing Module Array | HTML (mdpi.com)
Flow pattern:
The liquids from both inlets passeds the Tesla valves and merged
at the “Y”-shape channel and then flowed into the micromixer
chamber. The backward flow is generated from the fluidic
oscillation during the active mechanical mixing.
Flow characteristics:
• Fluid flow in channels with dimensions of tens of micrometers.
• A low Reynolds number laminar flow, not turbulent.
• Diffusion process for mixing.
Liquid A Liquid B

30. Microfluidic mixing module
Ref: Micromachines | Free Full-Text | A Digitally Controllable Polymer-Based Microfluidic Mixing Module Array | HTML (mdpi.com)
Components:
• Micropump:
It provides hydraulic pressure and volumetric flow
(~0.1–10 mL/min)to displace liquids along channels,
• Microvalve :
• Tesla microvalves are located at the channel
sections between the pumps and the mixers were
applied to reduce potential backward flow since
the backward fluidic resistance of the Tesla valve is
comparatively higher than the forward one.
• This eliminates the net backward flow generated
from the fluidic oscillation during the active
mechanical mixing.
• Micromixer
Mechanical vibration with a frequency in the range
of ~1–10 kHz could induce a highly unsteady flow and
enhance chaotic mixing
Liquid A Liquid B

31. “Y”-shape channel representing Tesla Valve
Liquid A Liquid B
Forward flow Backward flow
Liquid A Liquid B
Forward fluidic resistance < Backward fluidic resistance
“Y”-shape channel

32. “Y”-shape channel
of microfluidic
mixing module
Backward flow Forward flow
Backward fluidic resistance > Forward fluidic resistance
Tesla Valve

33. Simulated pressure (top row) and velocity (bottom row) profiles of a
Tesla valve model for the forward (left) and backward (right) flow
directions.
CFD Analysis of Tesla Valve
used in microfluidic mixing module
Inlet
OUT
OUT
Inlet
• inflow velocity, 0.1667 ms−1 (~0.6 mL/min)
Ref: Micromachines | Free Full-Text | A Digitally Controllable Polymer-Based Microfluidic Mixing Module Array | HTML (mdpi.com)
The reson to choose
backward flow
geometry:
The pressure drop for
backward flow (440.9
kPa) is larger than for
forward flow (383 kPa).
P: 440.9 kPaP: 383 kPa

34. Backward flow Forward flow
Backward fluidic resistance > Forward fluidic resistance
High
Pressure
Low
Pressure
Ref: Micromachines | Free Full-Text | A Digitally Controllable Polymer-Based Microfluidic Mixing Module Array | HTML (mdpi.com)
Flowdirection
Flowdirection
Low
Pressure
High
Pressure
Pressure distribution at “Y”-shape channel of
microfluidic mixing module
P: 440.9 kPa
P: 383 kPa
The backward flow
which is generated
from the fluidic
oscillation during the
active mechanical
mixing.
Elimination of
backward flow
due to higher
pressure drop