Design of a miniature fan for industrial applications

Miniaturised cooling devices had been playing an important role in the cooling of components in compact electronic devices that generates high heat. The objective of this project was to generate a volume flow rate of 1.2litres/sec while maintaining a pressure difference of 50 Pascal across the device and constraining the volume to be within 60mm x 60mm x 6mm. The prototype design in the project was based on the underlying principles behind the Dyson Air Multiplier, which uses airfoil profiles to generate inducement and entrainment effect to increase overall flow rate. Five variants of prototype design, which varied the orientation and positions of the airfoil, as well as three variants of prototype covers were designed and manufactured. In the experiments, 1.16litres/sec of motive air was supplied at the inlet to each of the prototypes. Inducement and entrainment effect was observed and the highest flow achieved was at 1.78litres/sec across the integrated design prototype, which achieved 149% of the required flow rate. A study was also done to derive the performance curve of two of the best performing prototypes. Evaluation on the curve provided insight on how the device would perform under different objective conditions. In general, the devices were able to achieve 50% of the corresponding parameter while maintaining the performance that met the required flow rate or pressure difference and vice-versa. Flow visualisation had also reassured that the airfoil had achieved its purpose in directing a smooth and fast flow across the device as well as creating inducement and entrainment at the prototypes.Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical Engineering