Where is the picture of the Ford flow bench?

[Jesse Lackman]

I have been searching but cannot find it.

[trader]

Try here....pg 4-5...trader

[Jesse Lackman]

[color=#000000]Thanks.

I looked at the specs for that bench it is a bi-directional bench - it can suck or blow through the test part plenum.
[quote]
SPECIFICATIONS

[Thomas Vaught]

One of the ranges is 3.5 cfm Max flow.

A second range is about 14 cfm.

Don't have the other ranges memorized but have used the lowest two ranges a lot recently for some blow-by work.

The nice thing about the bench is that it can be totatally computer controlled. We set up a head on the stand and use the "trolley" with actuators to open the valves in any combination we want and walk away.

What is nice about that bench, and what I have looked at many times, is that the bench basically is mounted on a wall. Most have an open wall somewhere. Mouse's bench comes the closest to that deal with his Tower of Power design.

Tom V.

[Jesse Lackman]

Here is the main product page for that system;



That system is not really what you would call a "bench".

I love the way it is set up; the multiple, external, bi-directional flow elements, the separate test part plenum plumbed to one side of the flow elements, the blower arrangement on the other side of the flow elements, the blower arrangement allowing either blowing through or sucking through the flow elements/test part plenum.

One could easily use straight edged orifices or bi-directional pitots in place of the Venturi flow elements.

I wonder if we limit our flow test setups by trying to cram them in a "bench".

I know what I will do next time!

[Thomas Vaught]

Jesse,

You cannot see the "Blower" in the picture. It is very large and in another part of the building. In the room you have the "flow manifold", the computer control console, the actuator gantry, the plenum box, and a "High Tech" module that can read many pressure points (with transducers) and send that info to the main computer. The actuator panel
for the electrical relays is the grey panel. The pressure Module is next to the gantry.

Tom V.

[Jesse Lackman]

I figured the blower was in a different room, you can see how it is plumbed on the flow schematic.

[Thomas Vaught]

I have thought long and hard about going this way.

If I get my Vortron Blower system someday, I will definately build a flow stand based on this design.

Even if I used a motor box in place of the blower I think I could duplicate the effort.

Agree that it would have to be a Venturi, Pitot, or an Oifice bench for most but drew up some plans one time where the flow direction through the measurement device (Nozzle) was only in one direction.

Tom V.

[Jesse Lackman]

ozrace built a bench that had bi-directional flow at the test stand and one directional flow through the pitot flow element;



Seemed quite complicated to me with automatic pneumatically actuated doors controlling the flow paths and all this built into an actual stand alone bench. He was very happy with how it turned out and how it works. Very impressive bench.

One could look at the Flow Systems type setup as three basic and somewhat separate subsystems;

the flow element bank,

the test item plenum,

and the blower system.

The flow element bank woud be fairly inexpensive. It could be intstalled on a wall, or in an attic (if the attic was inside the building's insulation envelope), or hung from a high ceiling. The flow elements could be directional or bi-directional.

As you say the blower could be a traditional vacuum motor blower box, regenerative blower, or anything else with an inlet and outlet.

The test item plenum is simple. It could be built into a normal shop type workbench.

The blower, flow element bank, and test item plenum subsystems would be connected with piping. Easy. It could be as simple as one wanted, manual valves for controlling flow or as automatic as one wanted with remote powered valves. The connecting piping could be such that one could have bi-directional flow at the test item plenum using either directional or bi-directional flow elements.

It would end up being more built-in, not portable like a traditional flow bench, but probably easier and cheaper to build plus much easier to troubleshoot and modify. There would be less chance of mysterious hard to find leaks, everying is exposed.

Um, anyone interested in buying my flowbench when I get it done??

I'll sell it for half of what a commercial bench costs.

:p

[Thomas Vaught]

Agree, Jesse, most seem to be basically locked into the MSD style bench concept. Probably this is due to the fact that some plans and pics are available along with basic dimensions for the beginner.

The advantage of this board is that we understand (for the most part) the basics now and can move to a different level.

Never hurts to look at concepts outside of the box or to take ideas from commercial units. That is what MSD did.

Tom V.

[Jesse Lackman]

Chad,

You're wrong if you think I'm one of the guys with a big brain. The reason the Flow Systems type setup is appealing is because it is so simple, it is so easy for my small brain to grasp. I remember how complicated the MercDog bench seemed to me, the Flow Systems setup is not that way at all.

I think it could be both simpler and cheaper than any cabinet type bench.

It looks complicated, but that is just because it has a rack of multiple flow elements, (which could be orifice, venturi, pitot, whatever will make a differential pressure).

It has three basic parts, the flow elements, the blower system, and the test item plenum. Forget about the automatic valve actuator, we don't need that.

Think about it, why not have multiple flow elements instead of futzing around with deck plates and changable orifices? You cannot fit multiple flow elements with teh correct up-stream and downstream piping lengths in a MSD/MercDog bench that is for sure, but once you take the flow element(s) out of the bench you're FREE! You're LIBERATED to mount as many cheap orifices in pipes as you want, and simply valve in a different flow element!

It would be simpler and cheaper to troubleshoot, all the flow elements are external - easily accessable, in fact everything is external and connected with simple piping.

How often have you seen a pipe explode?

How often have you seen a pipe need interior paint to prevent leaks through the walls?

How often would a rack of separate flow elements leak between ranges?

The Flow Systems setup is not "overthought" at all. It is very simple and bulletproof.

Elegant in its simplicity.

Simply elegant.

Perfect in its simple elegance.

Profoundly simple.

Child-like simplicity.

Brothers, reach your hand out to the Flow Systems setup!

Praise the three piece flow setup and pass the french fries!

Say hallelujah brothers!

Evolutionary thinking = MSD/MercDog "bench" with all the required modifications to make it work.

Revolutionary thinking = Flow Systems type setup.

The revolution starts right here....did you find a buyer for my bench yet??

[Jesse Lackman]

I'm on a roll now, my peanut brain is pulsating, let's make that a four piece setup.

1) reversable blower system
2) multiple individually selectable bi-directional flow elements
3) test item plenum
4) cyclone seperator for wet flow testing

Look at the Flow Systems flow diagram, the cyclone seperator would go in between the test item plenum and flow element bank.

Oh yeah!

Totally wipe out all the problem areas with trying to cram the whole flow system into a "bench"!


WAIT.......


ummmm.....


HEY! How about making the test item plenum do double duty?

Like be both the test item plenum AND the cyclone seperator???

1) reversable blower system
2) multiple, individually selectable, bi-directional flow elements
3) test item plenum / cyclone seperator for wet flow testing

Praise the three piece flow setup and PASS THE KETCHUP!!!

[Jesse Lackman]

Or catsup for you republicans out there.

The three piece has something for everyone;

For the true believers use straight edged orifices in the flow elements.

For the atheists pitots could be used.

Agnostics could use both, or neither!!!!

[larrycavan]

I'll say this much. That bench that Ozrace built is by far the nicest flowbench I have ever seen pictures of and that's not just DIY benches I'm referring to. I mean every flowbench I've ever seen. I grabbed photos of that and archived them for future reference. That guy gets my vote for bench builder of the decade.

Larry C

[Jesse Lackman]

[color=#000000]Larry, Larry, Larry, you have used that ... word ... that word BENCH, the one that carries so much baggage, the one who's yoke is hard, and its burden heavy, Larry, throw off that word, THROW OFF THAT BALL AND CHAIN LARRY!!!! Come to the light Larry. BELIEVE with me Larry!

The TractorSport Three Peace Flow System