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Uncovered: inner workings of the Dyson Air Multiplier
By Martin Vedris
SYDNEY, NSW: News of Dyson’s latest invention, the Air Multiplier bladeless fan, is circulating around the word and so is the question "how does a fan with no blades blow air ?". And all was revealed at the Sydney launch event last night.
Last night at the Ivy Penthouse, Sir James Dyson joined his Dyson Australia colleagues in celebrating the world-wide launch of the new Air Multiplier fan with the product’s premiere on the Australian market. This morning, this afternoon and this evening, the Dyson roadshow rolled into Melbourne with more media attention and another launch event.
Attending the Sydney launch were retail luminaries such as David Ackery general manager of Harvey Norman, along with celebrities including Kerry Anne Kennelly, Lady Sonia McMahon, and Charlotte Dawson, host of Australia’s Next Top Model. The assembled crowd heard Ross Cameron managing director of Dyson SEA introduce the Air Multiplier concept, and Sir James Dyson explain its inner workings.
Sir James Dyson and the Air Multiplier: air is drawn in through the vent holes in the cylindrical base by a motor with impeller that pressurises the air flow which is then accelerated over the aerofoil section, pulling a lot more air along with it.
The Air Multiplier takes in a small amount of air through its cylindrical base and multiplies it so that 15 times more air is forced out through the circular aperture or hoop. In order to generate a powerful enough jet of air however, the motor needed to be able to suck in at least 20 litres of air per second.
According to the official Dyson explanation, a special motor was developed with an impeller with nine asymmetrically-aligned fins that each have rows of tiny holes to reduce the friction caused by colliding high and low air pressure. This motor with impeller pressurises the air flow.
The pressurised air is then forced through narrow apertures to create jets. But the air is accelerated over a ramp, shaped like an aerofoil which amplifies it by 10 to 20 times and draws in surrounding air through processes called ‘inducement’ and ‘entrainment’.
Apparently a team of 350 engineers developed the Air Multiplier and in the process there were hundreds of tests to determine the ideal dimensions of the ramp angle, aperture width and the amplifier loop shape.
For a more complete definition with illustrations see www.dyson.com.au/fans/
[Tue 20/10/2009 03:12:03]
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