Wind Tunnel V1
The development of a deep understanding of aerodynamic concepts
This project was made possible as a result of the generous support provided by local firms. I would like to thank:
Waveney Precision
Supporting the project by supplying the acrylic for the entire project.
Check them out! →
30th June 2025
With sponsorship of the acrylic for the test section and plenum, I am now able to being working on the parts the acrylic will connect to. The first one I started with was the airflow diffuser, mainly due to 3D printing filament constraints.
27th June 2025
To save on cost for powering the fans, I will be using an old laptop power supply and SATA power cable. To ensure this will be safe and set up correctly, I used an online SATA pinout diagram to work out which terminals are which. This then allowed me to decide on a DC-DC buck converter to take the 19V from the laptop PSU and convert it to the 12V the SATA cable is expecting.
(I am using SATA as the fan hub the design uses is powered by SATA)
12th June 2025
With the CAD complete, I could now being the manufacturing of the parts needed in the build. To start, I 3D printed the most complex part: the airflow straightener.
To test the fit, I used masking tape to hold all the parts together and found it fit excellently.
9th June 2025
After researching wind tunnel design, HVAC concepts such as plenums and setting the project goals, I designed the first version of the wind tunnel using Fusion 360. The design is split into 4 main parts:
- Plenum Box - smooths turbulent air from PC fans
- Airflow Straightener - directs airflow laminarly out of the plenum box
- Test Section - clear front panel allows easy viewing of airflow over models
- Air Diffuser - reduces back pressure by allowing air to flow cleanly out of the test chamber
To read about the entire project, click the link below:
Wind Tunnel V1 →