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Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
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When you say small turbines do you mean ones attached top a generator?  Bellow are great for intense bursts of air but maybe not for sustained air flow.  A number of years back we(the museum I was with) built a "kid-powered" component for an air display and we used a large squirrel cage blower with the motor removed and a hand crank added. The output was stepped down to a 1-1/2" dia opening as we were pushing ping pong balls up a 12 foot tube.  Adjacent to this was a bellows to do the same thing.  With the hand cranked blower you could move the ball in a steady speed to the top while the bellows required 2-3 very quick repeated pumps because it would drop back a bit on each pump.  It really showed the difference in the two sources of air power.

FYI, The bellows Paul O.* suggested looks really good but I would still plan to have at least one spare on hand at all times and consider added reinforcement.

* Way more than half of my "resource" bookmarks are ones Paul has suggested! Thanks again Paul "the oracle of exhibit knowledge" Orselli!

Erich Rose

Erich Rose Design
807 The Living End
Austin, TX 78746
512-626-9930; [log in to unmask]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/erichrose/




On Aug 16, 2012, at 2:51 PM, Adele Maurier wrote:

> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
> *****************************************************************************
> 
> Has anyone used or built bellows (like those used for a fireplace or larger)
> for exhibits?  I am looking for a source, and or advice.
> 
> We want them to be able to produce enough wind to turn small turbines.
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> 
> 
> Adele Maurier
> 
> Operations & Design Assistant
> 
> SEE Science Center
> 
> Manchester, NH
> 
> 
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For information about the Association of Science-Technology Centers and the Informal Science Education Network please visit www.astc.org.

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