RC India

RC Models => Self-designed, DIY and College Projects => Topic started by: girishsarwal on April 29, 2014, 12:01:24 PM



Title: DIY Wind Tunnel with smoke
Post by: girishsarwal on April 29, 2014, 12:01:24 PM
Maybe not very practically useful in the hobby but certainly fun and quick to build ... and a novelty ;)... and I've a growing kid who'll soon want to see things to believe

Not my own design, borrowed and modded per requirements.

Open cycle wind tunnel. The main chamber from corro has been cut, not using a contraction cone...

the settling chamber
- plenum made of straws - most time consuming parts, have glued about 300 straws now and still the plenum is only 1/3 the required thickness :(

the drive chamber
- 4 cpu fans for the drive section. powered by a 12v adapter, a 500mA cellphone charger should suffice.

the test section
- window cut on the corro - cover with ohp sheets inside, the inside will be covered with black color for smoke lines to be visible.
- protractor mounted to show angle of attack
- 'dhoop'/dry ice in water for smoke
- may put a uv light later on
- may also put a diy anemometer later on


Build photos coming along...


Title: Re: DIY Wind Tunnel with smoke
Post by: girishsarwal on April 29, 2014, 12:14:49 PM
0 - starting sheet
1 - straws packet opened and it was a mess
2 - test window
3 - power system


Title: Re: DIY Wind Tunnel with smoke
Post by: AnjanBabu on April 29, 2014, 12:22:51 PM
The PC fans are good enough for watching smoke trails, but if you're doing lift/downforce measurements, you'll have to consider getting a small household exhaust fan. ;D


Title: Re: DIY Wind Tunnel with smoke
Post by: girishsarwal on April 29, 2014, 12:25:02 PM
I am just doing this for fun, saurabh (rastsaurabh) will be interested in the measurements :D


Title: Re: DIY Wind Tunnel with smoke
Post by: manojswizera on April 29, 2014, 01:29:23 PM
Nice innovative project Girishji.


Title: Re: DIY Wind Tunnel with smoke
Post by: sanjayrai55 on April 29, 2014, 02:08:00 PM
Wallace. Dam Buster


Title: Re: DIY Wind Tunnel with smoke
Post by: girishsarwal on April 29, 2014, 02:40:58 PM
Hahaha, Sir Wallis was a genius sir... I am miles away...
Thanks for the appreciation, Sanjay sir and Manoj


Title: Re: DIY Wind Tunnel with smoke
Post by: sanjayrai55 on April 29, 2014, 05:14:39 PM
I was wrong and so were you - Barnes WALLIS


Title: Re: DIY Wind Tunnel with smoke
Post by: girishsarwal on April 29, 2014, 05:16:05 PM
Yes yes, I corrected :D


Title: Re: DIY Wind Tunnel with smoke
Post by: topalle on April 29, 2014, 05:52:45 PM
I had built this as a school project... I used a cardboard box and two CPU fans.
I had to show lift being produced on an airfoil cross-section made of plastic.
Used dhoop for smoke..
It worked pretty well.


Title: Re: DIY Wind Tunnel with smoke
Post by: girishsarwal on April 30, 2014, 12:12:32 PM
Making the plenum was the most tedious part... the straws wouldn't stay... so here's how I did the first layer... laid them tightly on a flat piece of cellotape... further layers are built on top, glued with fevicol

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7w3tTkFR_4c# (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7w3tTkFR_4c#)


Title: Re: DIY Wind Tunnel with smoke
Post by: girishsarwal on May 06, 2014, 09:04:29 AM
A little progress everyday


Title: Re: DIY Wind Tunnel with smoke
Post by: teamnamibia on June 24, 2014, 10:22:12 AM
Progress thus far?


Title: Re: DIY Wind Tunnel with smoke
Post by: girishsarwal on June 24, 2014, 04:04:18 PM
lol... I end up leaving a lot of projects in between because other things come up... the last progress was the plenum is complete but one of the cpu fans was not working... so waiting to get a new cpu fan and then will resume.


Title: Re: DIY Wind Tunnel with smoke
Post by: teamnamibia on June 24, 2014, 04:26:06 PM
The way you say that so calmly though? :-D do please post pictures of it in it's current state?


Title: Re: DIY Wind Tunnel with smoke
Post by: girishsarwal on June 25, 2014, 11:44:29 AM
The way you say that so calmly though?

 :) :) I prefer not to rush through my builds. Sure will post some when I reach home.
GS