Dyson engineers have engineered a fan called the Dyson Air Multiplier that is so quiet you can barely hear it.
A team of 65 Dyson engineers reduced the turbulence of high velocity air, cancelling out specific tones, yet retaining high performance.
Following on the creation of the first bladeless fans, Dyson, a brand synonymous with vacuum cleaners and digital motors, says the new Air Multiplier fan is up to 75pc quieter than its predecessor, and maintains powerful airflow.
The machine is claimed to be so quiet the Noise Abatement Society in the UK have even endorsed it with a Quiet Mark.
Air is drawn in by an energy-efficient, brushless motor. Airflow is then accelerated through an annular aperture, passing over an airfoil-shaped ramp, which draws in and channels its direction. This creates and projects powerful, smooth, high-velocity airflow.
In the R&D phase, in order to optimise airflow, complex 3D models were used to map sound. Through a translucent Dyson Air Multiplier prototype and a high-speed camera, smoke and UV paint was passed through the machine’s loop amplifier to chart airflow.
To test the sound quality of the machines, aero-acoustics engineers arranged 10 microphones in a hemisphere in semi-anechoic chambers.
It is understood €48m was invested into Dyson’s newest bladeless fans. Dyson spent nearly €1.8m every week on research and development in 2012.
Launched today, the machine will hit the market in April.