4 ms·

"[...] my guess is that it's at the analogous level of a waveguide." In the field of fluid dynamics, it is referred to as a check valve. [1][2] [1] http://en.

• marshray 15y ago
  Well the function of restricting flow in one direction is well known. But those sources you list describe several types of check valves, all of which have moving parts.
  • Retric 15y ago
    They also work. The Tesla valve allows a fair amount of bleed through, and unlike valves with moving parts you can't prevent that from stacking them. In other words it becomes less efficient as the presser differential decreases.
    • marshray 15y ago
      That bleed is also a function of viscosity. There might be some interesting applications for a device that passes two things, say a fluid and a gas, in one direction and resists the fluid (but not the gas) in another.
  • Arjuna 15y ago
    "But those sources you list describe several types of check valves, all of which have moving parts." Most all check valves use moving parts; the Tesla Valve is novel because it does not. I added the sources for those that might want to satisfy their curiosity when thinking, "I wonder what type of device a Tesla Valve is?" Although the Tesla Valve does not use moving parts, that does not mean that it is not classified as a check valve. Tesla's descriptions from his patent [1] describe the valve as only permitting flow through it in one direction, which is the essential operation of a check valve: "[...] a series of recesses or pockets with surfaces that reverse a fluid tending to flow in one direction therein and thereby check or prevent flow of the fluid in that direction." (Page 5, Item 3) "[...] and thereby check their progress when impelled in the opposite sense." (Page 5, Item 5) "[...] reverse such fluid impulses when impelled in the opposite direction and check their flow." (Page 5, Item 6) [1] http://www.google.com/patents?id=Lt1PAAAAEBAJ http://www.google.com/patents?id=Lt1PAAAAEBAJ