PARAMETRIC STUDY FOR IMPROVING DIODICITY OF TESLA VALVE

UNDER DIFFERENT TUNNEL GEOMETRIES

Under the supervision of

` Professor G.R.K GUPTA Avik Saha

M.Tech
Thermal engineering
Roll no:-173603

Picture source:-Simulation and optimization of tesla valve, T-Q quing and N-T Nguyen, Nanyang technological university, Singapore
 Topic introduction
A. There are need to control flow in microfluids.
Pumps and valves are the main things to do this.
B. Several types of valves are available
bilayer valve
Elastic one way valve(operates like a trap door)
Plunger valve.
C. However,these all have atleats one of the following problems,
Requires active control
Requires input energy
Contains moving parts
 Topic introduction
• A valve invented by Nicolas tesla solves these problems
• No moving parts: “no moving part valve ”NMPV”
• Passive with no input energy

Forward flow from right to left is () induces a lot of

recirculation
Reverse flow from left to right () is unimpeded.

Picture source:-Nikola Tesla U.S. Patent 1,329,559 - Valvular Conduit | Tesla Universe
 Topic introduction
The ratio of pressure drop of the forward to the reverse flow is called
“diodicity”
Analogy of diode in an electrical circuit
Higher diodicity is reqired
 One can always chain valves together
Uses
Limits backflow of one fluid into another
Charge a resoirvoir with high pressure a vaccum
Fundamental building blocks of pneumatic “circuit”
Focused on continuum flow-nothing yet on near vaccum conditions
Working terminologies and keywords in
brief:-
• 1 diodicity:- 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 , being the ratio of pressure drops for identical flow rates

∆𝑝𝑟
𝐷𝑖 =
∆𝑝𝑓

Where ∆𝑝𝑟 is the reverse flow pressure drop, and the forward flow pressure drop
∆𝑝𝑓 for flow rate Q
2. The Knudsen number (Kn) :- is a dimensionless number defined as the
ratio of the molecular mean free path length to a representative physical
length scale. This length scale could be, for example, the radius of a
body in a fluid.

𝜆
𝐾𝑛 =
𝐿

Where;
𝜆 = mean free path ,
L = representative physical length scale .

Relation between mach no, Reynolds number and mach no is given below.

𝑀𝑎 𝜆𝜋
𝐾𝑛 =
𝑅𝑒 2

The detailed derivation is given in “statistical thermodynamics-Laurendeau,

Normand M”
PROJECT OBJECTIVE

1) SUMMARY OF PLOTS OF VARIOUS PARAMETERS AND ITS

PRACTICAL RANGES

2) SIMULATION IN ANSYS AND CORELATION WITH PUBLISHED

JOURNALS

3) EXTENSION OF GEOMETRY FROM EXISTINTING DESIGN

4) EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS WITH THE STUDIED DESIGN AND

NEW DESIGNS

5) PRACTICAL APPLICATION
Papers referred

• 1. , T-Q quing and N-T Nguyen,

Simulation and optimization of tesla valve
Nanyang technological university, Singapore
• Nanotech 2003, Vol.1, www.nsti.org, ISBN 0-9728422-0-9

• 2. Adrian R. Gamboa, Christopher J. Morris ,Fred K. Forster.

Improvements in Fixed-Valve Micropump Performance Through
Shape Optimization of Valves,
Department of Mechanical Engineering,Campus Box 3
52600,University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195-2600
• Transactions of the ASME Vol. 127, MARCH 2005
A brief abstract of the papers
• Simulation and optimization of tesla valve, T-Q quing
and N-T Nguyen, Nanyang technological university,
Singapore
• Nanotech 2003, Vol.1, www.nsti.org, ISBN 0-9728422-0-9

In these paper, T-Q quing and N-T Nguyen have constructed a

NMP TMV using SU-8 epoxy where they varied the radius of
valve and plotted its output. Reynolds number of the flow was
varied from 150-600.
Diodicity is inversely propotional to radius, it can be
explained as at fixed values of alpha and l, the circle with
smaller R intersects the X axis at larger angle beta. A larger
beta reduces the amount of flow entering the curve section
in forward flow direction thus reducing pressure drop,
while in reverse flow larger beta helps the flow in the
curve section to block the flow in straight section more
effectively.
This plot is done on diodicity as a function
of flow rate which were obtained by using
continuity equation(area*velocity) where
velocity was derived from the Reynolds
number taken in the paper

This figure shows the plot of diodicity

vs R/W(radius/width) which explains
the inverse proportionality, keeping the
flow rate same
 This plot shows effect of
diodicity by varying the
angle alpha. Its is found
that the value of diodicity
reaches a global
maximum value at certain
alpha and begins to drop
again.

Ref:1 Ref:2
 Figure in Ref 1 shows us the plot between alpha optimum and
Reynolds number, ie the value of flow rate for which the diodicity will
have maximum value and is given by the rekation, given by a straight
line

𝛼𝑜𝑝𝑡 = −0.033𝑅𝑒 + 69.4

For figure Ref 2 shows us the relation between (L/W)ratio and Reynolds
number, given by the relation

(𝐿/𝑊)𝑜𝑝𝑡 = 0.007𝑅𝑒 + 0.58

Problem statement

• Investigate effectiveness of tesla type valve NMPV’s fluid flow

Process
• Set up Ansys for a characteristics valve
• Look at range in molecular regime
• Run forward and reverse case, determine diodicity
Parameters used in simulation

1. 𝜌=1000kg/m3
2. 𝜇 =0.00046
3. 𝛼 =45(in degrees)
4. 𝛽 =90(in degrees)
5. R=228 micrometer
6. D=600 micrometer
7. L=235 micrometer
8. Width= 100 micrometers

Software used by T-Q quing and N-T Nguyen - ansys 6

Software used by me- ansys 15
 Simulation Of results obtained by T-Q quing and N-T Nguyen

GRID INDEPENDENCE TEST OF THE VALVE USING DIFFERENT

SIZING
1.6

1.4

1.2

1
DIODICITY 

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600

reynolds number

REYNOLDS NUMBER 
OBJECTIVE 3:- EXTENSION OF GEOMETRY
Current design

1 width of the junction near beta was narrowed as shown in the following
slide which yielded inconclusive result

2another design proposed by Gamboa altering the beta angle in the acute
range.
Design 1

A tangent was drawn from mid

point of the circular arc to reduce
the width, as shown in the zoomed
in section.
Width was reduced from 600
micrometer to 300 micrometer
 Geometry as per T-Q quing and N-T Nguyen

Design 1

Form the velocity contour as shown the result

were drastic and instead of impeding the flow in
the forward direction the fluid did not enter the
tunnel in significant proportion
Design principle 2:- Valve geometry

1. Based on suggession by gamboda

a. Scaled to 600 µm channel width
This is a characteric scale based on Reynolds number
2. 1000 µm × 800 µm footprint
3. Curves were discretized at 10 µm arclength
ANSYS SETUP

1. Using fluid flow(fluent) in ansys

2. Simulation characteristics
1. 2D simulation
2. water
3. Room temperature(300k)
4. Plane walls
3. Boundary conditions
1. Inlet: velocity based on Re
2. Outlet: vaccum, no bulk velocity
COMPARATIVE RESULTS

Geometry as per T-Q quing and N-T Nguyen

Design 2:- design suggested by gamboa

Results :-

COMPARATIVE RESULTS OF DIODICITY

1.45

1.4

1.35

1.3

1.25

1.2

1.15
0 100 200 300 400 500 600

reynolds number

The upper line represents the result obtained from gamboa whereas the lower line
belongs to T-Q quing and N-T Nguyen
Discussion

1 Literature suggest that fluid momentum exchange as diodicity

mechanism in continuum Supported by low Di at low Re and higher
diodicity at higher Re. Hypothesize that the geometry of the walls
redirecting molecules back at the reverse inlet is the main mechasim
for diodicity .
2 A practical concern pressure drop is around 80% in forward
direction. Wider channels may lower this pressure drop. An artefact
due to lack of back pressure at boundary outlet.
 Velocity vectors comparision
Vector plot of the velocity in the flow loop return region
of the reference valve

Geometry as per T-Q quing and N-T Nguyen

Vector plot of the velocity in the flow loop return region

of the optimized valve

Design 2:- design suggested by gamboa

OBSERVATION ON VELOCITY VECTOR
Vector plots of the velocity in the loop return region of these valves shown in
previous slides reveal that by decreasing beta angle , flow in the loop section is
directed to oppose flow in the main channel. This suggests that the losses
generated by introducing the fluid with a velocity component opposite to the
pressure gradient in the main channel may be important for maximizing
diodicity. While this may seem obvious, it should be noted that if this
observation is correct, other details of the loop geometry need to be such that
significant flow occurs in the loop during the reverse flow period. More work is
necessary to understand this more fully, as the optimized Tesla-type valve
appears to be a subtle balance of channel lengths and orientations.
THE BOUNDARY CONDITION PROBLEM

• The boundary condition isin’t actually steady state, because the

boundary condition should be evolving with time
• Inlet will develop bulk velocity
• Outlet will develop bulk velocity and back pressure
• To find the true steady state solution, we have to iteratively update
the boundary conditions
• At each iteration find local steady state before going on
• Expect to converge on a true steady state solution
Conclusion

• Current results show that tesla type NMPVs produce measurable

diodicity in forward and reverse flow and momentum collision of the
flows yields higer diodicity under suitable conditions
FEW FAILED ATTEMPT AND REMARKS

• Although work until now has been done using liquid as

water, an attempt was made to simulate Knudsen
flow(flows where very light density gases are involved)
on design based on T-Q quing and N-T Nguyen, for the
lower range of Reynolds number there was no
significant changes in diodicity, this could be explained
by the amount of colliding particles to be very low to
produce an effective diodicity.
• Fluid used was di nitrogen gas under room
temperature of 300k
• Diodicity (1.2-1.3)
FEW FAILED ATTEMPT AND REMARKS

• Widening the channel reduced diodicity which were incomparable

with the published journals taken into consideration, which draws up
an important remark, that tesla valves when widened might not
produce suitable diodicity.
• However a positive aspect of geometry observed was that
lengthening the tunnel produces higher diodicity
Supporting literature

1. Laurendeau, Normand M-statistical thermodynamics

2. Ronald Louis Bardell-The Diodicity Mechanism of Tesla-Type No-Moving
Parts Valves
3. Tesla, Nicolas, 1920, “Valvular Conduit,” U.S. Patent No.
1,329,559
4. Jang, L.-S., Sharma, N. R., and Forster, F. K., 2000,“The effect of particles
on the performance of fixed-valve micropumps,” in Micro Total Analysis
Systems 2000,
5. A. van den Berg, W. Olthuis, and P. Bergveld sEds.d, pp . 283– 286. fg
Morris, C. J., and Forster, F. K., 2003, “Low -order Modelling of
resonance for fixed-valve micropumps based on first principles,” J.
Microelectromech. Syst., 12s3d, pp. 325–334
6. T-Q quing and N-T Nguyen -Simulation and optimization of tesla valve,
Nanyang technological university, Singapore- Nanotech 2003, Vol.1,
www.nsti.org, ISBN 0- 9728422-0-9

7. AdrianR.Gamboa,Christopher J.Morris, FreKForster-provements in Fixed-Valve

Micropump Performance through Shape Optimization of Valves,
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Campus Box352600,University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
98195-2600