Week 1 Project Managment

For this 2nd section of week 1, I sketched out a final project idea. My final project idea is: A Desktop Windtunnel

In the field of engineering, one of the most crucial aspects is aerodynamics. The problem is, we cannot see air. The only way to visualize aerodynamics is with either a multi million dollar industrial scale wind tunnel or a digital aerodynamics simulation. For my project, I wanted to make a way for the average person to be able to view air interacting with objects, not in a digital simulation.

I drew this picture which shows my full wind tunnel and the different components.

I would use mistmakers to generate the visual wind and a neo pixel to make the wind even more visible. A small intake fan would be used just to push the mist forward but the main flow would come from the two rear fans. Honeycombs would be used to cancel out the swirls generated by the fans, and a mesh would be used to create laminar flow.

An Intake manifold using a high to low pressure zone would create nice wind lines like the ones seen in many wind tunnels. The high to low pressure zone would also help keep laminar flow and speed up the wind.

I would have buttons at the bottom to control things like LEDs, fans, mist makers, etc.

If possible, I would like to add a mechanism that opens the test chamber using a stepper motor or servo.