Behold the Mechanical

Water distribution and recollection system, and the wooden structure that supports it

Water

To make its magnificent water curtain, Cascade relies on the actuation of 16 solenoid valves. These valves, lined up at the top of the structure, operate at 3 psi. To meet these requirements, Cascade has a large reservoir of 25 gallons and a submersible pump at the bottom of its structure. The pump can supply 1800 gallons per hour at 1/4 horsepower, so to correct the mismatch in flow rates, Cascade has an overflow pipe above the main line of nozzles. This overflow pipe and the water from the curtain flow into a trough, which empties into the reservoir, and starts the whole process over again.

Laminar Flow

In order to display coherent images in the water curtain, water has to be flowing in pleasing and consistent streams out of each of Cascade’s nozzles. This effect is called Laminar Flow (as opposed to turbulent flow) and depends on a variety of factors, including the viscosity of the water, the mean velocity at which it is flowing, and the width of the pipe it is flowing out of. In order to achieve laminar flow, Team Cascade designed and 3D printed nozzles with a slow taper into an elongated straight section. Each of the identical 16 nozzles screws onto a solenoid valve, and narrows the water into a tight, laminar stream.

Housing

To support and house every part of Cascade’s systems, the team designed and laser cut a modular structure out of 3/16” hardboard. This material and manufacturing process proved cost effective, simple, and easy to adapt on the fly. By making the tall supporting pillars out of 11” interlocking cubes, Cascade is able to be disassembled and reassembled at the desired location without the hassle of transporting a 7’ installation. To learn more about the precise design of Cascade’s housing, check out our CAD on Onshape.