Bistable diverter valve in microfluidics

Bistable diverter valves are useful for a large number of no-moving-part flow control applications, and there is a considerable interest in using them also in microfluidics, especially for handling small pressure-driven flows. However, with decreasing Reynolds number, the Coanda effect—on which the flow diverting effect depends—becomes less effective. Authors performed a study, involving flow visualisation, PIV experiments, measurements of the flow rates, and numerical flowfield computations, aimed at clarifying behaviour of a typical fluidic valve at low Reynolds numbers. A typical fluidic valve originally developed for high Re operation was demonstrated to be useful, though with progressively limited efficiency, down to surprisingly low Re values as small as Re = 800. Also observed was a previously not reported discontinuation in the otherwise monotonic decrease in performance at Re between 1,500 and 2,000.