Influence of Baffle Location on the Diodicity of Tesla Valves

The Tesla valve (TV) is a valvular conduit that allows fluid to flow in one direction while restricting flow in the opposite direction, making it useful for enhancing fluid control in the field of microfluidics. Our previous research has found that the enhancement of multi-stage TVs’ diodicity is mainly due to the interstage non-uniform flow field. In this study, we introduce baffles in different positions to discover the effect of non-uniform flow field on single-stage TV’s diodicity. We employed 3D printing technology to fabricate a TV for experimental purposes. The experimental data revealed that flow distortion can lead to an increase in diodicity of up to 30% for the studied single-stage TV. Concurrently, we conducted simulations, establishing a simulation model, and then compared the results of the simulation model with the experimental outcomes. This comparison demonstrated the reliability of the model. The detailed analysis indicates that the high-performance optimization is attributed to the baffle design, which preferentially directs fluid into the arc channel, enhancing reverse flow resistance while minimally affecting forward flow resistance. These findings provide valuable strategies for the optimization of the design and performance prediction of single-stage Tesla valves.