This is really cool. Especially the part about, "oh noes, this part won't fit that part (which has wide variance in manufacturing tolerances) within 0.01mm, whatever shall I do?...I know, I'll 'just' electroplate it!" Mad skills.
I wonder how much the design could be scaled down in size and sped up while maintaining performance characteristics. This is fascinating. Does anything think there will be a commercial option anytime soon, or is the design a dead end except as an experiment?
GE developed "dual piezoelectric cooling jets"[1] which work on a somewhat similar lung-like principle. I do not know that they were ever successfully commercialized.
Thanks for pointing that out. Supposedly, Fujikura still sells them [1]. They're out there on the Net through other vendors [1], but rather expensive [3].
> ...how much the design could be scaled down in size and sped up while maintaining performance characteristics.
In the comments, a few people were discussing this, and it was pointed out that smaller size must be compensated by faster cycle time, which trades off with more sound, which compromises one of the primary design criteria (low noise signature).
The range of techniques he uses is amazing. Who would have thought to nickel plate the magnet to change its size? String gaskets. Foam board valves. My making hobbies are far more limited by my narrow imagination and awareness of what's available. You can polish aluminium? No wonder my aluminium things are so ugly.
