Performance characterization and structural optimization of a fluid diode

Abstract

As a passive unidirectional flow control device, Tesla valves demonstrate broad application prospects in microfluidics, thermal photovoltaics, and biomedical equipment due to their advantages of no moving parts, easy processing, and scalability. However, current research faces two major bottlenecks: first, the lack of unified performance evaluation metrics, where parameters such as flow rate ratio and pressure drop ratio are often used interchangeably, making results difficult to compare horizontally; second, structural optimization relying on empirical trial-and-error methods, where complex coupling of flow channel parameters results in low optimization efficiency, hindering deeper engineering applications. To address these issues, this paper systematically conducts research on the performance characterization and structural optimization of Tesla valves, aiming to establish a standardized evaluation system and provide efficient optimization methods. This study first established single-section and 1-8-section series models based on ANSYS Fluent, using the rectification ratio (forward/reverse flow velocity/pressure drop ratio) as the core evaluation metric. It was found that the rectification ratio of single-section valves ranges from 1.34 to 1.40 under 1000-3000Pa pressure differentials, while the 8-section series configuration achieves 1.5 times the rectification ratio of single-section valves, with improvement slowing after 4 sections. Building on these simulations, this paper innovatively introduces circuit analogy theory, mapping fluid pressure differentials, flow rates, and flow resistance to circuit voltage, current, and resistance respectively. This establishes a Tesla valve "flow-pressure" voltage-current characteristic model.