Will the Dyson Air Multiplier revolutionize quiet computing?

m0002a · Post by **m0002a** » Wed Jun 30, 2010 9:39 am

I am not sure if this has been discussed already, and I don't know much about it, but this looks interesting:

http://www.dysonairmultiplier.com/

Post by **MikeC** » Wed Jun 30, 2010 10:28 am

Very interesting. Will see about a sample.

frenchie · Post by **frenchie** » Wed Jun 30, 2010 10:36 am

I think I've seen this before around here...

The blades are just hidden, but they're here ! (on a fast small motor)

[EDIT : found it : viewtopic.php?t=55768&highlight=dyson]

m1st · Post by **m1st** » Wed Jun 30, 2010 10:40 am

I could've sworn there was a thread somewhere here about this fan...

Anyways, I finally got to see one of these fans at a Bed, Bath, & Beyond about a month or so. How it works is that there is some kind of fan in the base that sucks air in through vents near the bottom of the unit. This air then goes into the loop of the device, using some cool fluid dynamics to multiply the airflow.

The problem about the device in its current state is that it's quite loud. Granted, many electric fans don't have silence as their top priority, but it does have a distinct whining sound. The second thing is that if you look at the device, you see that whatever fan is in the base of the device is quite small compared to the size of the loop. It is a novel design and there is no chance of getting fingers caught in a fan, but in the application of a computer fan, would you rather go with a large, slower-spinning fan or a small, faster-spinning fan? Perhaps the design of the loop allows for a certain amount of multiplication of the airflow from the smaller fan, but I am doubtful that this multiplication would be able to compensate for the small fan's inherent disadvantages.

But this is all conjecture (except for the part about seeing the fan in person), and I have been wrong plenty of times before

Post by **MikeC** » Wed Jun 30, 2010 11:17 am

m1st wrote:The problem about the device in its current state is that it's quite loud. Granted, many electric fans don't have silence as their top priority, but it does have a distinct whining sound.

Thanks for the first-hand experience comments. That is enough to disqualify this fan from an spcr review. No point.

ascl · Post by **ascl** » Wed Jun 30, 2010 1:14 pm

m1st wrote: The problem about the device in its current state is that it's quite loud. Granted, many electric fans don't have silence as their top priority, but it does have a distinct whining sound. The second thing is that if you look at the device, you see that whatever fan is in the base of the device is quite small compared to the size of the loop. It is a novel design and there is no chance of getting fingers caught in a fan, but in the application of a computer fan, would you rather go with a large, slower-spinning fan or a small, faster-spinning fan? Perhaps the design of the loop allows for a certain amount of multiplication of the airflow from the smaller fan, but I am doubtful that this multiplication would be able to compensate for the small fan's inherent disadvantages.

+1

I reached the same conclusion after seeing one (with great interest!) in Myers. Its a nifty design but they aren't solving the noise problem with it!

Mats · Post by **Mats** » Wed Jun 30, 2010 2:06 pm

Sorry for the hijack, but this is what you're looking for.

viewtopic.php?p=402732

http://gizmodo.com/369860/video-rsd5-so ... -in-action

b_rubenstein · Post by **b_rubenstein** » Wed Jun 30, 2010 2:35 pm

m1st wrote:Perhaps the design of the loop allows for a certain amount of multiplication of the airflow from the smaller fan...

Look, an electric motor converts electrical energy in to mechanical energy. The fan blades use that energy to move air. No matter what the configuration is, that's the physics. The efficiency is how much electrical energy goes into the motor divided by air mass x velocity that comes out.

What happens in that Dyson thing is that the internal fan generates relatively high velocity air flow that comes out of the edge of the loop and that pulls the surrounding air into moving. The result is more air mass that moves, but at a lower velocity. In the end it's just a cool looking toy: all sizzle, no steak.

If anyone wants to chase down some real high tech fans, they're the props on a sub.

m0002a · Post by **m0002a** » Wed Jun 30, 2010 3:30 pm

I guess I should have known better than to believe Dyson. Their vacuum cleaners aren't very good either according to Consumers Reports.

Flanker · Post by **Flanker** » Wed Jun 30, 2010 3:40 pm

they cost 10x as much as normal fans as well...

singingbush86 · Post by **singingbush86** » Wed Jun 30, 2010 9:08 pm

I don't think so. Users want convenience. Niches want awesome.

judge56988 · Post by **judge56988** » Thu Jul 01, 2010 12:31 am

m0002a wrote:I guess I should have known better than to believe Dyson. Their vacuum cleaners aren't very good either according to Consumers Reports.

I wouldn't touch Dyson stuff again after having a vacuum cleaner. Granted there are no bags to buy, instead you have to replace the very expensive filters on a regular basis.

Good marketing of gimmicky ideas has made him wealthy though.

Lawrence Lee · Post by **Lawrence Lee** » Thu Jul 01, 2010 1:39 am

The only advantage is you can't hurt yourself on the fan blades.

m0002a · Post by **m0002a** » Thu Jul 01, 2010 12:20 pm

judge56988 wrote:I wouldn't touch Dyson stuff again after having a vacuum cleaner. Granted there are no bags to buy, instead you have to replace the very expensive filters on a regular basis.

Also, when you open the vacuum to throw the dust out, it goes all over the place. Kind of like pissing in the wind.

People in the US will buy anything from someone with a British accent. That is why we have to listen to that Gecko selling insurance 24x7. About one half of the infomercials on US Television have pitchmen (or women) with a British accent (although some of them may be from AU or NZ since few here can tell the difference).

judge56988 · Post by **judge56988** » Fri Jul 02, 2010 12:15 am

m0002a wrote:
People in the US will buy anything from someone with a British accent.

Maybe that "trust" in a British accent will change now after the Tony Hayward experience.

m0002a · Post by **m0002a** » Fri Jul 02, 2010 6:40 am

judge56988 wrote:
m0002a wrote:
People in the US will buy anything from someone with a British accent.
Maybe that "trust" in a British accent will change now after the Tony Hayward experience.

Americans generally don't closely associate private companies with governments or the general population of the home country of the company, as it appears is the case in the UK. So the Gecko with a British accent will continue his rants on American TV ads.