MAF SWIRL REDUCTION

[Darrell Norquay]

At 09:47 AM 2/12/97, you wrote:

>I am looking for some honeycomb type material, or similar device,
>to begin investigation into swirl reduction in a supercharged blow 
>through MAF situation.
>
>Does anyone know of where I might find resources for this meterial
>or device(s)?

For a quick prototype, try the thinwall brass or aluminum tubing sold in
hobby shops.  Cut a zillion pieces a couple of inches long, (use a jig so
they're all the same length) and stuff 'em into a piece of aluminum tubing
that will fit into your intake hose.  Put a coarse screen on each end to
hold the tubes in place, and -voila- flow straightener.  I've used this
technique succesfully with water (using ordinary soda straws) to make
laminar streams for a flow sensor I was working on.

This technique, as with the honeycomb, will have quite an effect on flow
capability, but I suspect this is not much of a problem in a supercharger
application.  You can make the "laminator" <G> section larger in diameter,
and conical adapters on inlet and outlet to match the hose you're using.
Surprisingly, necking down to a smaller diameter will not affect the laminar
nature of the outlet flow.

As for the honeycomb material, short of salvaging it from old MAF's, check
some of the suppliers that sell flow measurement equipment, I have seen
"flow straighteners" used in liquid flow applications.  

regards
dn
dnorquay at iul-ccs.com