Micro-Hydrodynamic Wind-Tunnel Aerodynamic Smoke Streamer
A challenging, hands-on discovery and STEM project designed for curious young minds aged 10 to 14.
Materials Needed
- • Clear plastic storage box or acrylic display tube (1 unit)
- • 12V computer case cooling fan or small USB fan (1 unit)
- • Plastic drinking straws (for honeycomb straightener) (40–50 straws)
- • Cardboard and wire for airfoil model (1 set)
- • Incense stick and lighter (smoke generation) (1 unit)
Pro Tips
- → Air exiting a fan is turbulent and swirling; packing a bundle of cut plastic drinking straws into a honeycomb straightens the airflow into smooth parallel streams.
- → Mount a miniature cardboard airplane wing on a needle pivot inside the clear observation chamber.
- → Introduce a thin stream of smoke just ahead of the honeycomb to watch clean streamlines curve over the cambered wing.
Safety First
Supervise incense smoke tracing; operate in a well-ventilated space.
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Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1
Build an observation tunnel by cutting the ends off a clear plastic container and installing a computer fan at the exhaust end.
Step 2
Cut 50 plastic straws into 5 cm lengths and pack them tightly across the intake opening to create a laminar honeycomb flow straightener.
Step 3
Mount a curved cardboard teardrop airfoil inside the clear chamber on an adjustable wire pivot.
Step 4
Turn on the fan, hold a lit incense stick at the intake straws, and observe the smoke streamlines curve smoothly over the wing profile.