User:303428mwatson/enes100/My Work

Coanda Effect

Write problem/project Goal
Use the Coanda effect in order to manipulate items to move.

My First Task
For this weekend, I am going to familiarize of the principles of the Bernoulli effect as well as the Coanda effect. When researching the Coanda effect, I will simulate it's two primary applications, with liquid and with air, and post my trials.

Summary of actual work over first weekend
In order to establish an understanding of the Coanda effect, I decided to test out the most popular techniques of demonstrating it; with water and with air. Through my research, I concluded that the Coanda effect is manipulated through three important aspects: speed, volume and design.

I personally tested the Coanda effect through air by taking a blow dryer and testing a uniquely designed paper as well as a carefully designed paper in order to demonstrate how the effect is manipulated by the design of an object, the volume (or viscosity) and the speed of the air. I also simulated a device through a unique design involving paper plates in order to simulate the effect; however, these attempts were not as successful as I hoped they would be. The purpose of my designs, and controlling the speed of the blow dryer were to affirm my aformentioned hypothesis regarding the Coanda effect.

Secondly, I tested the effect through liquid. I concluded that the Coanda effect can be demonstrated best with liquid if, and only if, a fluid fills a container at a large volume.

Week1 Narrative
Considering that there is much to be explored regarding the Coanda effect, I decided to test the effects for myself in order to gain a better understanding of its in's and out's. I have seen through YouTube demos the advanced applications of the Coanda effect; to create hovercraft, to design non motorized aircraft rotors, etc. What I attempted to do in the following videos and illustrations is demonstrate how the Coanda effect is manipulated through volume.

In this video, it is demonstrated that a pitcher of water is filled to the top, and is being poured slowly into a sink. As the water is being poured out of the pitcher, it clings to the side of the pitcher and creates a stream that trickles aound the round form of the pitcher. But in this video,the pitcher is not as full as demonstrated in the first video; it doent trickle down the form of the pitcher, rather, it pours right into the sink. The Coanda effect can not be properly demonstrated in this case as a result of the lack volume needed for a liquid to pour to the form of its container.

These examples prove my hypothesis that the Coanda effect is manipulated by volume of a fluid. In this case, volume affects viscocity. Vicosity, the stickiness or thickness of a fluid, has significent impact on the demonstration of the effect.

In this video, I demonstrated my second hypothesis that the Coanda effect is manipulated by design. This is a demonstration of how air flows in sync with a unique form. This paper that I folded to look like a curved dome was designed so that air, sourced from a blow dryer, could flow up and over the form and under the paper, thus creating a lift-attraction towards the blow dryer, which is quite odd considering that blow dryers usually **blow** things away.

In this video, I attempted to create a simulation of a hover craft which will model the Coanda effect by mocking a design. I took a paper plate and made an incision on the top of it so that there could be a source of aif flow for when I placed the blow dryer over it. I cut the rim off of another paper plate and stuck it to the bottom of the first paper plate. I used adhesive putty, commonly known as "sticky tag" near the incisions of the first paper plate to that air can flow between the two plates and down onto the surface. When actually testing this, I was mildy successful. I believe the reason for the failure of this demonstration is that my design wasnt reflective of the "air flows through, around and below" concept needed to properly demonstrate the Coanda effect. I took a second attempt, here, this time for a side angle, but the results were not much different. However, you can see the lift being created as a result of the design of the object and speed of the air flowing through the blow dryer.

My Second Task
I am stuck in a rut as to how to proceed with the project, but that is what I will do...
 * It was recommended that we could demonstrate the Coanda effect through a C.D. player. I am trying to figure out how an item can be legitimately levitated while demonstrating a true Coanda effect.

Summary of actual work over second weekend
It appears as though I'm going back to the drawing board on how to proceed with the project. What is interesting is that there is often confusion between what can be demonstrated as the Coanda effect and what is demonstrated as the Bernoulli effect. Once this is distingushed, we will be able to manipulate design in order to demonstrate them both. It will require much research, though.

Week2 Narrative
For this second week I was unable to work on the project.

My Third task
For this third week, I am going to revamp my original Coanda design and put it to use. For starters, I proposed a reshift of focus for the project from making a pre-constructed tail motor spin, to trying to utilize the coanda effect such that an object at rest on a track can move forward as air emmits from a unique design, on a surface. Air pumps to inflatable matresses were the best proposal for finding an alternative motor. The issues with this composition are that the motor needed to power the air pumps weighed a great deal and would require an immense form of energy, such as from an AC/DC battery to get the inner mechanism (fan) to spin fast enough to emit a stream of air powerful enough to move an object at rest (this apparantly will harm the AC/DC unit). But first, I will work on the revamping of the design. The purpose of this model is to simulate an aircraft moving through Coanda influences.

Summary of actual work over third weekend
This is my final pursit of the Coanda demonstration through mere design. I will conduct testing regerds to which design is best for demonstrating the Coanda effect. What I will do, I take my first failed design, create a new design that has more form (such as a bowl) and more dynamic flow, and test which design creates the most lift by utilizing the coanda effect. Using an electronic massing scale such as the one in this video, I will conduct three trials of each design to see whether a decrease in mass is relative to the amount of lift created, just as the concept demonstrated in the video. I will post my results and make conclusions based on which design can best demonstrate the coanda effect through lift and how can the design by manipulated for greater, future uses.

Week3 Narrative
''This section is pending --- I need to get my calculations and charts organized!!! I already have them but I need to get them posted.'' 303428mwatson (talk) 20:59, 13 March 2012 (UTC)

My Fourth task
We are a whole week behind on the entire process. So our team has to move forward as quickly as possible. As we fully leave the testing and theory phase of the project, It is time to put our research into application by creating a fully function vehicle consisting of two carboard tubes that will be connected to two battery operated air pumps that are usually used in order to inflate inflatable beds. These pumps will blow air through their respective tubes and excreet air for specified slits in the tube with the intention of the air flowing about the form of the tube and onto a surface. The purpose of this is to manipulate the Coanda effect such that a vehicle can move down a specific path.

The materials needed in the constuction of this final design are
 * Cardboard tubes, roughly 1 inch in diameter.
 * Two battery operated air pumps, we have one, but I have neglected to ask the professor to order one that is similar.
 * An AC/DC battery, to provide an efficient power supply that will be able to emit a powerful stream of air.
 * A black wooden board, one that is light in mass.
 * Reversalbe wheels, such as the ones seen on the legs of office chairs for smooth manuvering.

There are a couple of problems that we identified in the development of this design
 * The influence of weight and friction - just as I mentioned above, it takes a powerful stream of air, to put the object in motion, but it wont take much to keep it in motion, as per 'Newton's Second Law'.
 * The strain on AC/DC batteries could ruin it - we previosly tested our first design and it appears as though the battery immediately got overheated, which can ruin the battery. It started to emit a "burning" smell, which I believe was going to cause the battery to explode, or at least spark a fire.

What we must do to work around these problems
 * Take caution in testing
 * Use a AC/DC that will not require a substantial amount of energy, which having just the right amount of air pressure such that the rolling platform is able to move.

WE NEED THIS!!! This is what Chima has, but we need another in order to make the final design.

Summary of actual work over fourth weekend
In prepaation to launch the second part of our project, I am attempting to expedite and finalize construction of the slot-wing Coanda project. What I am doing in order to bring the first part of this semester's project to a close is buying sheet metal so that I am able to create the awning design blades as well as the curved awning blade for the slot wing project. We have to move along with the final design of the slot wing Coanda project. I anticipate that the final design will consist of...


 * The wooden platform
 * The wheels
 * The two air pumps
 * Outstanding power supply (AC battey)
 * COMPLETED slot-wing designs

What I now intend to do is purchase sheet metal in preparation of designing propellor blades for the Coanda hovercraft, our second Coanda project. It will require me to figure out possible power supplies for the hovercraft. We previously tested basic "blades" made of balsawood, which we expected that will at least redirect the air flow outside of the tube. This proved to be a complete misfire.

Week4 Narrative
The problems that we encountred when utililing balsawood is that it is way too thin; it breaks easily and is dynamically incapable of redirecting air streams whose pressure is in mass qualitity. I tried to cover the balsawood in aluminim foil so that it may have a much more sturdy design; but this was to no avail as well. Just as in the below image, balsa wood was proven a non reliable material in which to make a blade that is strong enough the direct flows of air.

The failure of the "balsawood" blade prompted me to purchase two sheets of aluminum sheet metal from Lowe's. I believe that since aluminum is highly malleable material, that I may be able to cut components of what will be the curved "awning" blade and soder them together to get a unique design. To reiterate, the curved awning blade will be crafted from cut peiced of aluminim sheet metal and will be welded together in order to make a decent blade. Two of the problems that I most likely will encounter in pursuit of making these blades are that, (1) the blades will not be big, so detail is critical. (2) The curve must demonstrate a figure that conforms most with the form of the tube. I will have to make two of them in order to move towards completion of the project.

Lastly, I finally managed to complete the final testing of the research design portion of the project. In this video, I was able to conclude through the failure of the previous designs is that the Coanda effect is moreso freeform and is not dependent of elaborade design, it is a priciple that happens as an effect of physical science. The primary reason for the failures of the revamped designs is that (1) their new design was considerably heavy, and would require much more air pressure other than from a blow dryer to force it out of its static state. (2) The air pressure emitted from the blow dryer was simply not enough to produce lift. However, when I removed the lower chassis of the revamped design (like in the second half of the aforementioned video), the air steam was strong enough to make the bowl incision lift (just a small bit), and gain momentum.

Complete Project Page
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