Assessing the Efficacy of Tesla Valves as Transient Protection Devices in Water Distribution Systems

This study examines the potential of Tesla Valves in damping transient pressures in water distribution systems (WDSs). A Tesla valve, or valvular conduit, is a passive check valve with a fixed geometry. It is a device that allows fluid to flow preferentially in one direction without requiring any moving parts. The interior of the conduit is provided with enlargements, recesses, projections, baffles, or buckets that affects the hydraulics of the flow. When flowing in one direction, a fluid encounters relatively low resistance, primarily due to surface friction, while in the opposite direction, it experiences increased flow impedance. This study introduces Tesla valve as a low-cost alternative solution in addition to the more conventional non return valves (NRVs) approach for managing pressure transients. For instance, mounting it to the downstream of a pump can help reduce the shock waves generated at shutdowns replacing non return check valves. With no moving parts, Tesla valves are much more resistant to wear and fatigue, especially in applications with frequent pressure reversal. The Tesla valve offers advantages such as scalability, durability, and ease of fabrication in a variety of materials. A simple pipe valve configuration is presented to demonstrate the potential of this approach.