Wind Tunnel Project

This wind tunnel was designed to test the aerodynamics of scale model cars and to act as an educational demonstrator for airflow visualisation. Inspired by the clean execution of pro setups like those at Lotus and built using mostly accessible parts and 3D-printed components, the project balances low-cost design with function-first engineering.

The tunnel uses 9 Arctic P12 fans housed in a 400 × 400 × 400 mm plenum box, providing a stable airflow into a honeycomb-style air straightener made of ~1300 paper straws. The test section is 500 mm long, 350 mm wide, and 250 mm tall, with a 300 mm-wide working area. At the exit is a flared diffuser to help draw air smoothly through the test zone.

I designed the tunnel entirely in CAD, printed structural parts on my Bambu Labs A1 Mini, and am now assembling the system for testing. The airflow visualisation uses smoke lines fed into a movable delivery tube that allows multiple passes across the length of the test section.

This project pushes my CAD, fabrication, and experimental design skills and forms a key part of my engineering portfolio. It’s also an entry point into future aerodynamic testing for an RC car project and contributes to my understanding of fluid dynamics at a model scale.

The project is ongoing and expected to complete in summer 2025, with visual tests, performance metrics, and a showcase video to come. Support from local engineering firms is being sought in the form of mentoring or materials, with thanks given publicly via branding on the plenum and test section walls.

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