Bill Pentz cyclone build.

[Matt Mattingley]

So just over year ago I set out to find a really good DC system. To all my searches everything Pointing back to the Bill Pentz system. I thought it would be a neat project to take on, everything from the building of the fan, fan housing, cyclone , and filtration box. Few of my hurdles were how to build efficient fan. I wanted something that had suction and worked as a blower. This is what I came up with. I wouldn't suggest most people building their own fan but, I thought I'd give it a try. I started out by building the hub assembly from aluminium of 6" deep by 2x2 .

[Matt Mattingley]

I drilled and tapped for the blower blades and in my design entry blades. I thought it would be a little more efficient if it was a two-stage blower. I indicated up in and turned the backseat for the entry into the blower housing. Then I drilled and counterbored for the motor mount clamp for the blade hub assembly.

[Matt Mattingley]

Then I screw on blades

[Matt Mattingley]

Initially I wasn't going to go with a backplate but for constant stability and non-flex reasons I decided it would be beneficial. I gave each blade a negative back rake for noise reduction. I'll try to find a picture or two of the completed assembly before I get into the blower housing.

[Matt Mattingley]

Here is the fan. The shrouds/blades are made of .042 " SS. The paddle fan blower are 5 inches tall by 17 1/4 inches diameter the intake shrouds are 1 1/4 inches tall on the 45° angle 8 inches in diameter. I made up a little wood jig and bent each blade equally with the negative rake and TIG welded them together and to the back plate.

Next is building the blower housing.

[Matt Mattingley]

After balancing up the fan I got a little anxious and wanted to see how it turned under high-speed. I knew the 5 hp 240 V motor was rated for 23 A and was unsure what kind of draw it could handle with my homemade fan. I set out just running it free initially on a 20 amp breaker.

[Jason Beam]

This is quite cool, matt - keep the details coming

[Matt Mattingley]

This is quite cool, matt - keep the details coming

Thanks Jason, I'm glad you're enjoying it. I know everybody like seeing pictures but I'm having difficulty trying to upload more than two or three at a time.

[Matt Mattingley]

So I welded up the blower housing. This is made with quarter inch hot rolled steel on the top and bottom and the sides are .092 stainless steel.

[Matt Mattingley]

Next I used paper templates cut out all the stainless steel cyclone parts rolled them and welded them up.

[Matt Mattingley]

With the cyclone complete, I put the fan in the blower housing attached motor.

[Matt Mattingley]

One of the problems I ran into, is that I wanted a better than 2 micron air filter. And I wanted them cheap, easily accessible and fairly small. So doing a lot of Internet researching I found that Bill Pentz suggested an air filter off a fire truck for the intake for the combustion engine. These ones were quite expensive and in the $150 range each. So I went to a local Kentworth big rig dealership and ask them to take a look at their most popular air filters for their Kentworth trucks. At $56 a piece I came home with two 1 micron air filters.

[Matt Mattingley]

Then I started building the filtration box around my newly found air filters. I wanted to filter from the outside in for ability to clean and reuse the filters by just taking the filter out of the box, taking outside and blowing out with compressed air.

[Matt Mattingley]

I added the exhaust plumbing from the blower to the back of the filtration box. I moved the box into place and hid the plumbing through the wall and insulated it from both sides to keep down the noise.

[Matt Mattingley]

To conclude, man this thing really sucks. I tuned it in to draw around 19 A. I figured that would be a safe working load if I accidentally had all blast gates open. Here's a little video hope you guys enjoy.