Among the inventions of the genius Nikola Tesla, many have been forgotten or have yet to be practically applied, mainly because human technology has not met the vision that this genius conceived over a century ago.
However, recently, one of Nikola Tesla’s nearly forgotten inventions suddenly has practical application potential. This is the macrofluidic valve, commonly referred to as the Tesla valve.
The flow paths within the Tesla valve are quite unusual, interspersed with small branching microchannels that eventually flow back to the main stream. These auxiliary flow paths are designed with curves resembling droplets, ensuring that the fluid in the valve flows in only one direction; if it attempts to flow backwards, it is completely blocked. In other words, the concept of the Tesla valve was proposed to create a type of one-way fluid control valve, with the significant advantage of not requiring pumps or moving parts (such as valve gates or springs, which are prone to wear and tear over time), allowing the microfluidic pathways themselves to facilitate unidirectional flow.
Associate Professor Leif Ristroph from the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute at New York University stated: “Today, the world remembers Tesla as a wizard when it comes to his alternating current invention, but his discoveries and research on controlling fluid flow were also far ahead of their time.” This type of valve, patented by Tesla in 1920, activates the ability to regulate unidirectional flow through the process of creating turbulent and swirling flows inside the conduit, which at certain speeds enables unidirectional drainage, while fluid flowing backwards is immediately blocked.
Associate Professor Ristroph further explained: “Moreover, the swirling flow is generated at a liquid flow rate much lower than those of basic and familiar conduit designs; the flow speed in the pipe invented by Tesla is 20 times lower than that of a regular circular conduit yet still sufficient to create swirling flows, indirectly generating the unidirectional flow control effect. This describes the ability to control flow for many industries.”
The flow paths within the Tesla valve are quite unusual.
That is the theoretical aspect. As for practical applications, the Tesla valve invented over 100 years ago has countless potential real-world applications. The Tesla valve actually performs best under conditions of uneven flow, where the fluid is influenced by vibrations. “It can be used to harness vibrational energy in engines or industrial machines to supply fuel, coolant, lubricants, or various gases and liquids.” In fact, it holds significant application potential in the aerospace industry, where spacecraft experience substantial vibrations, for regulating the fuel supply rhythm to rocket engines.
Associate Professor Ristroph remarked: “It is remarkable to see an invention from over a century ago that humanity still does not fully understand, and that has application potential in ways we have never thought of.”
