Design of the Week: Nuclear Power Plant Humidifier

This week’s selection is the Nuclear Power Plant Humidifier by Reddit contributor RocketPuff. 

This is a classic example of a remix, where an innocuous design is re-worked to become something quite different. But this time the object is not mixed with another 3D model, as it’s mixed with a physical humidifier.

The original design, published on Thingiverse, is a simple Nuclear Power Plant concept by contributor David Lavastre. Lavastre’s designs curiously include a number of nuclear plants that seem to be representations of actual French nuclear plants. I was not aware that this was a thing someone would do. 

Among Lavastre’s 3D models on Thingiverse is a “Tiny Pocket Nuclear Plant”, which seems to be a more conceptual representation rather than a replication of a specific plant. It is this 3D model that “Puff” decided to modify. RocketPuff says: 

“I found a mini nuclear power plant on Thingiverse and modified it to fit on my humidifier.”

By modifications, it seems RocketPuff opened up the bottom and created a path for the humidified air to flow upwards. It appears the rest of the Tiny Nuclear Power Plant is about the same. 

RocketPuff has not posted the 3D model publicly for others to use, but the modifications seem pretty straightforward: just subtract a cylindrical shape through each of the towers and it should be good to go. 

Some who attempt this modification may find the plant may not properly fit onto their humidifier, and so further modifications may be required. In RocketPuff’s image, you can see how the rectangular plant fits neatly into the curved top of the humidifier. 

In the Reddit discussion, contributors remind RocketPuff to clean the Nuclear Power Plant regularly as the moisture will seep into the crevices of the print and create an ideal spot for bacterial growth. I second that recommendation, particularly for a component that is introducing air into a room. 

Finally, Reddit contributor Anasoori asks: 

“What are you going to do in the case of a meltdown?”

To which RocketPuff replies: 

“I’ll put a lead box over it and abandon it for several hundred years. No biggie.”

Via Reddit and Thingiverse