CA2258444C - Snow gun for making artificial snow - Google Patents
Snow gun for making artificial snow Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2258444C CA2258444C CA002258444A CA2258444A CA2258444C CA 2258444 C CA2258444 C CA 2258444C CA 002258444 A CA002258444 A CA 002258444A CA 2258444 A CA2258444 A CA 2258444A CA 2258444 C CA2258444 C CA 2258444C
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- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- gun
- water
- air
- tower
- passageway
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
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Classifications
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25C—PRODUCING, WORKING OR HANDLING ICE
- F25C3/00—Processes or apparatus specially adapted for producing ice or snow for winter sports or similar recreational purposes, e.g. for sporting installations; Producing artificial snow
- F25C3/04—Processes or apparatus specially adapted for producing ice or snow for winter sports or similar recreational purposes, e.g. for sporting installations; Producing artificial snow for sledging or ski trails; Producing artificial snow
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25C—PRODUCING, WORKING OR HANDLING ICE
- F25C2303/00—Special arrangements or features for producing ice or snow for winter sports or similar recreational purposes, e.g. for sporting installations; Special arrangements or features for producing artificial snow
- F25C2303/048—Snow making by using means for spraying water
- F25C2303/0481—Snow making by using means for spraying water with the use of compressed air
Abstract
In a snow gun, each of air and water are discharged through V-jet nozzles in the form of generally flat and V-shaped jets or sprays. The nozzles are spacially positioned and angled so that the air jet intersects the water spray along a line of intersection where they are of equal width. This provides efficient atomization of the water with the result that snow can be made at milder freezing temperature. In another aspect, a flanged connection, having dual sealed openings for passage therethrough of pressurized air and water streams, is provided to join the gun and its supporting tower. In another aspect, the snow gun has a plurality of associated intersecting water sprays and air jets which are oriented to produce non-converging plumes.
Description
CA 022~8444 1999-01-13 FIELD OF THE INVENTION
2 The present invention relates to method and apparatus for making
3 artificial snow.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
6 In general, artificial snow-making involves atomizing a spray of water 7 with a jet of air to create a plume of very fine water droplets which nucleate and form 8 snow as the plume drops to earth under freezing tennperature conditions.
9 The present invention is a modification of a known snow-making system patented and commercialized by Herman K. Dupre.
11 In United States Patent No. 3,706,414, issued December 19, 1972, 12 Dupre taught bringing pressurized air and water through separate flowlines to the 13 bases of hillside towers positioned along a ski trail. The air and water were 14 introduced at controlled rates into a mixing chamber positioned at the foot of each tower. The mixture then flowed upwardly through a conduit forming the tower and 16 was discharged through nozles. Inherent in this system were the following features:
17 ~ some atomization or reduction in water droplet size due to 18 mixing with air;
19 ~ rapid cooling of the water when the pressurized air was released into the freezing atmosphere and it expanded;
21 ~ the provision of dwell time as the plume fell to earth from an 22 elevated starting point; and 23 ~ some control over the air/water ratio, with a view to opli",i~ing it.
CA 022~8444 1999-01-13 In a subsequent United States Patent, No. 3,822,825 issued July 9, 2 1974, Dupre taught bringing the water and air separately up the tower in inner and 3 outer, concentric, spaced apart conduits. The air Flowed through the inner conduit
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
6 In general, artificial snow-making involves atomizing a spray of water 7 with a jet of air to create a plume of very fine water droplets which nucleate and form 8 snow as the plume drops to earth under freezing tennperature conditions.
9 The present invention is a modification of a known snow-making system patented and commercialized by Herman K. Dupre.
11 In United States Patent No. 3,706,414, issued December 19, 1972, 12 Dupre taught bringing pressurized air and water through separate flowlines to the 13 bases of hillside towers positioned along a ski trail. The air and water were 14 introduced at controlled rates into a mixing chamber positioned at the foot of each tower. The mixture then flowed upwardly through a conduit forming the tower and 16 was discharged through nozles. Inherent in this system were the following features:
17 ~ some atomization or reduction in water droplet size due to 18 mixing with air;
19 ~ rapid cooling of the water when the pressurized air was released into the freezing atmosphere and it expanded;
21 ~ the provision of dwell time as the plume fell to earth from an 22 elevated starting point; and 23 ~ some control over the air/water ratio, with a view to opli",i~ing it.
CA 022~8444 1999-01-13 In a subsequent United States Patent, No. 3,822,825 issued July 9, 2 1974, Dupre taught bringing the water and air separately up the tower in inner and 3 outer, concentric, spaced apart conduits. The air Flowed through the inner conduit
4 passageway and the water through the outer annular p~ss~geway formed between
5 the conduits. As a result, the water stream functioned to insulate the air stream.
6 There i.s moisture in the air and it will condense and freeze to form "rime ice" if the
7 atmospheric temperature is low enough and the air stream becomes chilled
8 sufficiently. In another aspect taught, the air was delivered to a tee and released into
9 the atmosphere through a pair of diametrically opposed orifices. These orifices were
10 holes drilled through the wall of the outer conduit, to communicate with the bore of
11 the tee. Dupre taught that the air outlet should be flush with the outer surface of the
12 outer conduit, to avoid cooling of the air while passing through the orifice with
13 consequent formation of rime ice, which could bloch the orifice. Dupre further taught
14 discharging the water through a nozle angled at 45~ relative to the long axis of the
15 conduit and having a shaped orifice adapted to deliver a substantially flat and V-
16 shaped spray. His air orifice was positioned just above the water nozle and was
17 angled at about 90~ relative to the long axis of the conduit. The term "associated
18 pair" is used herein to denote a pair of outlets arranged so that the air jet and water
19 spray which they produce intersect with the result that the air atomizes the water and
20 a nucleated plume is produced. The air orifice was positioned to discharge its jet into
21 the throat of the water spray. In another feature, Dupre taught mounting diametrically
22 opposed associated pairs of air orifices and water nozles, each pair being at a
23 common elevation. This a~ ~ dnge" ~ent is referred to as providing a "bank" of CA 022~8444 1999-01-13 associated pairs of air orifices and a bank of water nozles. Inherent in this design 2 were the following concepts:
3 ~ bringing the air and water through separate conduits to the 4 discharge elevation;
~ using the water stream to insulate the air stream until it was 6 discl ,a, yed to the al" ,osphere;
7 ~ associating the air orifice and water nozle in a spatial 8 arrangement such that the air jet would converge with and g contact the water spray, to cause atomization; and ~ utilizing a bank of air and water outlets.
11In a still more recent patent, United ';tates No. 5,004,151 issued April 122, 1991, Dupre addressed the need to increase snow production capacity. A discrete 13 snow gun was attached to the upper end of a conduit tower secured to a vertical post.
14 The snow gun had an associated pair of water and air outlets, comprising a water 15 nozle and an air orifice. A second water nozle Wc3S inwardly spaced along the gun 16 from the outer water nozle of the associated pair. The second water nozle was 17 inclined at a more acute angle than the first water nozle, so that the water spray of 18 the second nozle would converge into and conltact the plume produced by the 19 associated pair. In this way, the available single jet of air was used to atomize the 20 two sprays of water.
CA 022;i8444 1999-01-13 The Dupre system has won commercial sllccess. The commercial 2 version incorporates the features described above. It can be described more 3 specifically as follows:
4 ~ a snow gun is mounted on a boom or tower having universal movement;
6 ~ the gun has two banks of Vjel: water nozles spaced along the 7 long axis of the gun;
8 ~ a single bank of air orifices ici associated with the outer water g bank;
~ the inner bank of water nozzles directs its sprays into the 11 nucleated sprays of the outer bank; and 12 ~ coaxial water and air conduits form the body of the gun and13 provide an annular outer passageway for supplying pressurized 14 water to the two banks of water nozles and an insulated inner p~ss~geway for supplying pressurized air to the single bank of 16 air orifices.
17 While the Dupre system has been an admirable success, there are still 18 certain shortcomings which could be improved upon. More particularly:
19 ~ the Dupre system is not capable of producing quality snow at freezing temperatures milder than -6~C using a water volume 21 that would be commercially viable. The literature indicates that 22 the system can only operate at ~~C with a low humidity of about 23 60%. There are many ski areas that have a significant number CA 022~8444 1999-01-13 of days during the season when the temperature is milder than -2 6~C. There is therefore a neeld to develop a system which can 3 operate at milder freezing temperatures;
4 ~ it is always desirable to increase the snow-making capacily of the snow gun;
6 ~ there is a need to provide a snow gun which can be used 7 without air when the temperahlre is cold; and 8 ~ there is a need to provide a flanged snow gun that is 9 disconnectable from the tower, for easy removal to permit service to the snow gun and to permit replacement with a snow 11 gun having upgraded componlents.
12 It is an objective of the present invention to provide a snow gun which 13 satisfies these needs.
14 By way of further background, it is pointed out that the Vjet nozles used in the art are classified by the designations 5020, 5040 and 5060. A 5020 16 nozle produces a flat, V-shaped spray having an angularity of about 50~ and 17 discharges 2 U.S. gpm of water, when operated at 40 psi. A 5040 nozle produces a 18 similar spray at 4 U.S. gpm at 40 psi. And the 5060 nozle produces a similar spray 19 at 6 U.S gpm at 40 psi. If the pressure is increased, all of the nozles will deliver 20 more water at a wider angle.
CA 022~8444 l999-0l-l3 SUMMARY OF THE INVE.NTION
2 In one feature of the present invention, an air nozle which produces a 3 substantially flat and V-shaped air jet is associated with a water nozle which 4 produces a substantially flat and V-shaped water spray, in the context of a snow gun, the two nozles being spacially arranged or coupled so that the air jet and water6 spray converge and intersect along a line where the!ir widths are substantially equal.
7 The phrase "coupled pair" is used to denote an air nozle and water nozle pair as 8 described in the previous sentence. A coupled pair is a specific embodiment of an 9 associated pair.
When a snow gun having a coupled pair of air and water outlets, as 11 described is operated, a remarkably efficient and complete alorilk~Lion of the water 12 into very fine droplets is achieved. This degree of atomization has enabled the gun 13 to produce snow at -1 1/2~C at 85% humidity.
14 In another feature, a plurality of banks of associated pairs of air and 15 water outlets are spaced along the length of a snow gun. The ~.ssoci~ted pairs are 16 oriented so that the plumes which they produce clo not significantly converge and 17 intersect. For example, the water nozles of one bank can be similarly angled 18 relative to those of the next bank so that the plumes travel substantially in parallel.
19 By implementing this feature, efficient and complete nucleation of multiple water 20 sprays is obtained while increasing the snow-making capacity of the gun relative to 21 the prior art.
-CA 022~8444 1999-01-13 The air nozle preferably should be embedded in the wall structure 2 forming the air and water conduits of the snow gun, to minimize the formation of rime 3 ice.
4 To provide more than one bank of embedded air nozles has required the development of a unique conduit structure and ra~ric~lion prucess. This has 6 been achieved and is described hereunder.
7 As a result, it is now possible to provicle in a snow gun multiple coupled 8 pairs of air and water outlets along the length of the gun, each involving Vjet nozles 9 for both air and water. This has meant that the snow-making capacity of the gun can 10 be increased by using a plurality of banks of coupled pairs and each V-shaped water 11 spray is individually atomized by its own V-shaped air jet. The nozles of the water 12 banks are angled so that their produced plumes are non~onverging; thus one water 13 nozle bank does not significantly increase the wate!r droplet size of another.
14 By providing air and water outlets that each incorporate Vjet nozles, 15 one can now provide a 5020 nozle in one outlet and a 5040 nozle in the other 16 outlet. One then has the option of supplying each of water or air to either the 5020 17 nozle or the 5040 nozle, by changing over the fluid supply lines at the base of the 18 tower. Thus, in cold weather when the air/water ratio can be low, one can supply the 19 water through the 5040 nozle and the air through the 5020 nozle, with high snow 20 output. In milder weather, when the air/water ral:io needs to be higher, one can 21 supply the water through the 5020 nozle and the air through the 5040 nozle - the 22 snow output is diminished but the increased atomization due to higher energy input 23 results in finer water droplets being produced; these finer droplets have a better CA 022~8444 1999-01-13 chance of forming snow at the mild conditions.
2 If desired, at cold temperatures the air can be shut right off and water 3 sprayed through the 5020 nozle will make snow at an adequate rate without the cost 4 of air compression and without coping with air nozzle freeze up problems. At very cold temperatures, both nozles can be supplied with water alone.
6 In summary so far then, the attributes of a system incor~.ordling 7 features of the invention can include:
8 ~ improved atomization, which leads to finer droplet size and the 9 ability to nucleate and form snow at freezing temperatures milder than ~~C;
11 ~ more con,,~'ete atomization, clS the entire width of the water 12 spray preferably is contacted by the air jet;
13 ~ increased snow-making capacity, as more water banks can now 14 be incorporated into a single snow gun and their sprays can be independently nucleated;
16 ~ versatility, in that nozles of different capacity can be used in a 17 coupled pair and the nature of the fluid discharge of these 18 nozles can be switched from ground; and 19 ~ the option to terminate air supply during cold weather conditions.
CA 022;i8444 1999-01-13 Broadly stated, in one aspect the invention is embodied in a snow gun 2 for making artificial snow, comprising: an inner conduit having a wall forming a first 3 passageway, extending longitudinally of the gun, for delivering a stream of 4 pressurized air; an outer conduit having a wall combining with the inner conduit to form a second pAssage~vay, also extending longitudinally of the gun, for delivering a 6 stream of pressurized water; the first p~.ssagewa~y extending through the second 7 passageway; a water nozle connected with the outer conduit and communicating 8 with the second pass~geway for the discharge of water therer~ùn1, said water nozle 9 having an orifice operative to produce a substantially flat and V-shaped water spray;
an air nozle connected with the inner conduit and communicating with the first 11 p~ss~geway for the discharge of air ll,erer,ur", ciaid air nozle having an orifice 12 operative to produce a substantially flat and V-shaped air jet; the air nozle being 13 associated with the water nozle as a coupled pair cio that the water spray and the air 14 jet produced converge and intersect along a line where their widths are substantially 1 5 equal.
16 The foregoing paray,aph states the SllOW gun in the context of the way 17 that it will be operated for at least part of the time - that is, with air passing through 18 the core p~ss~geway and water through the outer passageway. However, as 19 previously outlined, it is conte",plated to be within the scope of the invention that the streams can be reversed or only water alone will be flowed through both 21 passageways.
22 In still another aspect, the invention cc,n,~ rises providing a flanged 23 connection connecting the lower end of the gun to the upper end of the tower, said .. _ , CA 022~8444 1999-01-13 connection for" ,ing dual sealed openings for connecting the air and water 2 passageways of the tower and gun, so that the streams may pass through the 3 connection without leakage.
4 In another aspect, the invention is embodied in a method for makingsnow at freezing temperatures, cor~ rising: supplying water under pressure to a 6 water nozle forming part of a snow gun elevated above ground and disch2l"~ ng the 7 water from the nozle in the form of a substantially flat and V-shaped spray;
8 simultaneously supplying air under pressure to an alir nozle forming part of the snow 9 gun and discharging the air from the nozle in the Form of a substantially flat and V-10 shaped jet; and directing the nozles so that the spray and jet converge and intersect 11 along a line where their widths are substantially equal.
12 In still another aspect, the invention involves orienting associated pairs 13 of air and water outlets so that their plumes are non-converging. Broadly stated, the 14 invention comprises a snow gun for making artifiicial snow comprising: an inner 15 conduit having a wall forming an air passageway, extending longitudinally of the gun, 16 for delivering a stream of pressurized air; an outer conduit having a wall combining 17 with the inner conduit to form an annular wal:er p~.ss~geway, also extending 18 longitudinally of the gun, for delivering a strealm of pressurized water; the air 19 passageway extends through the water passageway; and said gun has a plurality of 20 longitudinally spaced apart associated pairs of air and water outlets respectively 21 communicating with the air p~ssageway and water p~.ss~geway, for delivering 22 intersecting air jets and water sprays and producing plumes of atomized water; the 23 water outlets being oriented so that the plumes produced when the gun is in CA 022~8444 1999-01-13 operation are non-converging.
2 In still another aspect, the invention is embodied in a method for 3 making snow at freezing temperature, comprising: supplying water under pressure to 4 a plurality of water nozles distributed longitudinally along a snow gun elevated above ground and discharging the water from the nozles in the form of substantially 6 flat and V-shaped sprays; simultaneously supplying air under pressure to a plurality 7 of air outlets, each air outlet being associated with a water nozle to form an 8 associated pair, and discharging the air from the nozles in the form of jets; and 9 directing the nozles so that each associated spray and jet converge and intersect 10 and the plumes produced by the coupled pairs are non-converging.
11 In still another aspect, the invention is concerned with an appa,~tus for 12 making artificial snow co~lp~ising a tower having an upper end and comprising13 tubular, concentric, co-extensive, spaced apart inner and outer conduits forming an 14 inner air p~.ss~geway for delivering a pressurized air stream and an annular outer 15 water p~ss~geway for delivering a pressurized water stream; a snow gun having a 16 lower end and comprising inner and outer conduits forming an inner air p~ss~geway 17 and an annular outer water passageway; a flangecl connection connecting the lower 18 end of the gun to the upper end of the tower, said connection forming a sealed 19 central opening extending therethrough and joining the tower air p~ss~geway with 20 the gun air p~ss~geway and a sealed second opening means extending therell " uugh 21 and joining the tower water passageway with the gun water p~ss~geway, so that the 22 air and water sl,ear"s may pass form the tower through the connection into the gun 23 without leakage; said gun having air and water outlets communicating with the gun's CA 022~8444 1999-01-13 air and water passageways, respectively, for producing plumes of atomized water.
3 DESCRIPTION OF THE D~WINGS
4 Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a snow gun mounted on the end of a tower;
6 Figure 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing the base, boom 7 and lift assembly of the tower;
8 Figure 3 is a cross-sectional side view of the snow gun;
9 Figure 4 is a top view, sectioned along the line A--A of Figure 3, showing the intersecting, flat, V-shaped air jet and water spray of a coupled pairing of 1 nozles;
12 Figure 5 is a plan view of a thick-walled ring, sectioned along the line 13 B--B of Figure 3;
14 Figure 6 is an expanded, partly sectional side view of the outer coupled banks of air and water nozles of a snow gun having a blanked end;
16 Figure 7 is a side sectional view showing the nozled end cap of Figure 17 3;
18 Figure 8 is a side sectional view showing the end cap of Figure 7, 19 taken along a plane at 180~ relative to that of Figure 7;
Figure 9 is a side sectional view showing the flanged connection 21 joining the snow gun with the tower;
CA 022~8444 1999-01-13 Figures 1 OA - 1 OK show the fabrication sequence used in constructing 2 the snow gun with welds;
3 Figure 11 is a sectional side view showing the two bank snow gun used 4 to provide the data of Example l; and Figure 12 is a sectional side view of part of the tower showing a bleed 6 valve for bleeding water into the air stream.
8 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREF:ERRED EMBODIMENT
9 Having reference to Figure 1 a snow gun 1 is shown mounted on theupper end of a tower 2 by a flanged connection 3. The tower 2 comprises a boom 4.
11 The boom 4 is rolalably and pivotally supported by a base 5.
12 The base 5 comprises a mounting pipe 6 and lifting assembly 7.
13 Mounting pipe 6 slides over a post 8 which pro;~cts from the ground. The lifting 14 assembly 7 enables raising and lowering of the boom 4 to change the elevation of the gun 1 and to access it.
16 As shown in Figure 2 the lifting assembly 7 coi"prises a pivot pin 9 17 connected with the mounting pipe 6 and passing through boom 4. A threaded jacking 18 screw 10 is pivotally connected at one end with the pivot pin 9. A collar 11 is 19 mounted on the jacking screw 107 for axial movement therealong. A threaded nut 12 engages the jacking screw 10 and functions to bias the collar 11 therealong. A
21 handwheel 13 is attached to the nut 12 for rotalion thereof. Two cori,pression 22 members 14 15 are pivotally connected at their inner ends to the collar 11. The first 23 compression member 14 is pivotally connected at its outer end to the boom 4 by pivot CA 022~8444 1999-01-13 pin 16 at a point above pivot pin 9 The second compression member 15 is 2 connected at its outer end to the mounting pipe 6 by a pivot pin 17 located below 3 pivot pin 9. Thus, as the collar 11 is advanced along the jacking screw 10 toward 4 pivot pin 9, col"pressio" members 14, 15 approach co-linear alignment and raise the boom 4.
6 This arrangement provides significant mechanical advanlage and 7 minimizes the height of the base 5. The minimal height enables a single operator to 8 lift the mounting pipe 6 upwardly to clear the post 8 for un-mounting and 9 transportation of the assembly to another site.
The tower 2 comprises inner and outer, co-extensive, co"ce, lll ic tubes 11 18, 19. The inner tube 18 forms an internal p~.ssAgeway 20. An annular 12 passageway 21 is formed between the tubes 18, 19. The inner tube 18 can be 13 connected by a quick-connect coupling (not shown) with an air hose 22 for the supply 14 of pressurized or compressed air to the inner passa!3eway 20. The outer tube 19 can 15 be connected by a quick-connect coupling (not shown) with a water hose 23 for the 16 supply of pressurized water to the annular passageway 21.
17 As shown in Figure 3, the snow gun l also comprises inner and outer, 18 substantially co-extensive and concentric tubes 24, 25 forming an inner p~ss~geway 19 26 and outer annular passageway 27. The inner passageway 26 thus extends 20 through the outer annular p~ssageway 27 and is substantially co-extensive therewith.
21 The tower and snow gun inner p~ss~geways 20, 26 are connected, as shown, as 22 are the annular passageways 21, 27. (The inner p~ss~geways 20, 26 are hereafter 23 referred to as the air passageways 20, 26 and the annular p~ss~geways 21, 27 are CA 022~8444 1999-01-13 referred to as the water passageways 21 27.) 2 The tower 2 is connected to the snow gun 1 by the flanged connection 3 3 having dual openings connecting the air passageways 20 26 and water 4 p~ss~geways 21 27.
The flanged connection 3 is designed to resist the high pressure 6 differential between the water passageway (typically at 700 psi) and the air 7 passageway (typically at 110 psi) and prevent leakage therebetween. Having 8 reference to Figure 9 the tower 2 is provided with a flat-faced (or non-grooved) tower 9 flange 28 forming bolt openings 29 water passageway opening means 30 and air 10 passageway opening 31. The snow gun 1 is provided with a flat-faced gun flange 32 11 forming bolt openings 33 water p~ss~geway opening means 34 and an air 12 passageway opening 35. ~ plate 36 is provided between the tower and gun flanges 13 28 32. The plate 36 also forms bolt openings 37 water passageway opening means 14 38 and an air p~ss~geway opening 39 positioned to register with the corresponding 15 openings and opening means of the tower and gun flanges to provide continuity of 16 the water and air p~ss~geways. Inner and oute!r conce"~,ic grooves 40 41 are 17 formed in the annular lands 200 201 of the top and bottom faces of the plate 36 for 18 receiving O-rings 42 for sealing the water and air p~ss~geways. The flanged 19 connection 3 is completed by bolts 81 and nuts 80 securing together tower flange 28 20 plate 36 and gun flange 32.
CA 022~8444 1999-01-13 Having reference to Figure 3, the snow gun's inner tube 24 comprises, 2 from its inner end outward, a series of sequentially repeated units 90, (see Figure 3 1 OC) joined end to end. Each unit 90 comprises a relatively thin-walled tube segment 4 43 joined to a relatively thick-walled ring 44.
Each thick-walled ring 44 (see Figure 5) forms a pair of radial, 6 internally threaded openings 45 for receiving Vjet air nozles 46. When screw-7 threaded into the openings 45, the air nozles 46 are generally diametrically aligned 8 and are each fully embedded or recessed in the wall of the ring 44. The ring 44 9 further forms an axial central opening 70 which forms part of the air p~ss~geway 26 and a plurality of relatively small, axial openings 47 which form part of the water 11 p~ss~geway 27. The radial openings 45 and the air nozles 46 contained therein 12 communicate with the central opening 70, which forrns part of the air p~ss~geway 26.
13 The snow gun's outer tube 25 cornprises a series of sequentially 14 repeated outer units 48 (see Figures 3, 10K). The innermost outer unit 48 joins the gun flange 32 and the innermost thick-walled ring 44. The remaining outer units 16 segments 48 join adjacent pairs of thick-walled rings 44. Each outer unit 4817 comprises a tube 92 and a tubular section forme~d of "doors" 60a/b, as described 1 8 below.
19 Broadly stated, the inner and outer units 90, 48 combine to form a wall structure in which the air nozles 46 are embedded and are insulated by the water21 moving through the structure.
CA 022~8444 1999-01-13 Each outer unit 48 forms a pair of generally diametrically opposed 2 openings 49 into which is welded an angularly directed, tubular dowel 50. Each 3 dowel 50 is internally threaded. A Vjet water nozle 51 is screwed into each dowel 4 50.
The dowels 50 are parallel so that the produced atomized plumes 52 6 do not converge or intersect.
7 At its outer end, the snow gun 2 is closed by a cap 53. The cap shown 8 in Figures 3, 7 and 8 comprises an axially directed air nozle 54 and a pair of 9 angularly directed water nozles 55. Alternatively, the cap 53 may simply blank off 10 the end, as shown in Figure 6.
11 The water and air nozles 51, 46, 54, 55 all have shaped orifices 5612 operative to produce a substantially flat and V-shaped spray or jet. Usually a 5020 13 air nozle and 5040 water nozle is the combination used.
14 An outer air nozle and inner water nozle are coupled or relatively 15 positioned as shown in Figure 3, so that the air jet 66 intercepts the water spray 57 16 along an imaginary line 58 where the widths of the jet and spray are substantially 17 equal (see Figure 4). A plume 52 of atomized water is produced.
18 The snow gun is constructed by welding in order to avoid leakage, 19 given that water and air at relatively high pressure are passing therethrough.
CA 022~8444 1999-01-13 A novel snow gun structure and welding fabrication sequence has 2 been developed in order to enable the provision of a plurality of thick-walled rings 44.
3 More particularly, as shown in Figures 10a - 10k:
4 ~ a thick-walled ring 44a is welded to a cap 53a at W1;
~ an inner tube segment 43a is seated in the inner end of the ring 6 44a and welded thereto at W2;
7 ~ an outer tube 92a, having waler nozle dowels 50, is slid onto 8 inner tube segment 43a and welded to ring 44a at W3 to 9 produce unit 100;
~ in a separate second sequenc,e, an inner tube segment 43b is 11 welded to the inner end of a lthick-walled ring 44b at W4 - an 12 outer tube 92b is slid onto se~3ment 43b and welded thereto at 13 W5 to produce unit 101;
14 ~ in a separate third sequence, an inner tube segment 43c is welded to the inner end of a thick-walled ring 44c at W6 - an 16 outer tube 92c is slid onto segment 43c and welded thereto at 17 W7 to produce unit 102;
18 ~ unit 101 is slid onto unit 100 so that the inner end of inner tube 19 segment 43a seats in the outer end of thick-walled ring 44b and is welded at W8;
21 ~ similarly, unit 102 is slid onto unit 101 so that the inner end of 22 inner tube segment 43b seat~i in the outer end of thick-walled 23 ring 44c and is welded at W9;
.
CA 022~8444 1999-01-13 ~ pairs of doors 60a/b and 60b/c are then emplaced to close in 2 the space between outer tube! 92a and ring 44b and outer tube 3 92b and ring 44c respectively and are welded at W10 - W17 as 4 shown;
~ a collar 61 is slid onto the inner end of inner tube segment 43c 6 and welded at W18;
7 ~ in a separate fourth sequence, a frusto-conical tube 62 is 8 welded to gun flange 32 at W19 to produce unit 103;
9 ~ unit 103 is then slid onto inner tube segment 43c and is welded to outer tube 92c at W20; and 11 ~ bottom collar 61 is welded to l:he gun flange 32 to complete the 12 assembly of the snow gun.
13 The snow gun and its operation has been described in the context of 14 air being supplied to the inner conduit p~.ssAgewa~y 26 and water being supplied to 15 the outer annular passageway 27. This is the mode in which the gun will likely be 16 operated most of the time. However, because Vjet nozles are used in all of the fluid 17 outlets, the air and water supply can be switched to p~ss~geway 27 and passageway 18 26 respectively, when appropriate.
19 As shown in Figures 2 and 12, a cross-mix needle valve 91 can be 20 provided for bleeding a small stream of water (typically about 5 U.S. gpm) from the 21 annular p~.ss~ge 21 into the inner tube passageway 20, for melting rime ice formed 22 therein, when desirable. It has been found desirable to wet the air stream when 23 temperatures drop below-8~C (17~F).
CA 022~8444 1999-01-13 An example is now given to report on a test in which a snow gun in 2 accordance with the invention was operated to produce snow at freezing 3 temperatures milder than -6~C.
4 More particularly, a snow gun in accorclance with Figure 11 and having5 the dimensions set forth in Table I was built and tes,ted.
7 ~ gun length I = 2.5 feet;
8 ~ outer tube: 2" O.D. Schedule 80 alunninium pipe;
9 ~ inner tube: 1-1/4" O.D. aluminum tubing having an l.D. of 1";
~ thick-walled ring having 1/4" O.D. water openings, a 1" central air 11 opening and 1/4" NPT nozle connections;
12 ~ air nozles - 5020;
13 ~ air nozle angle - 90~ to gun axis;
14 ~ water nozles - 5020;
~ angle of first bank of water nozles - 45~;
16 ~ angle of second bank of water nozles - 45~;
17 ~ distance a between first and second bank - 8";
18 ~ distance b between the center of each dowel opening and the center of19 each air nozle - 2-1/2".
When tested at the following conditions: -1.5~C, 85% humidity, 40 U.S.
21 gpm at 600 psig, 100 cfm air at 100 psi; the gun produced good base snow.
22 The scope of protection to be accorded the invention is now set forth in 23 the following claims.
, . . , . , ... _
3 ~ bringing the air and water through separate conduits to the 4 discharge elevation;
~ using the water stream to insulate the air stream until it was 6 discl ,a, yed to the al" ,osphere;
7 ~ associating the air orifice and water nozle in a spatial 8 arrangement such that the air jet would converge with and g contact the water spray, to cause atomization; and ~ utilizing a bank of air and water outlets.
11In a still more recent patent, United ';tates No. 5,004,151 issued April 122, 1991, Dupre addressed the need to increase snow production capacity. A discrete 13 snow gun was attached to the upper end of a conduit tower secured to a vertical post.
14 The snow gun had an associated pair of water and air outlets, comprising a water 15 nozle and an air orifice. A second water nozle Wc3S inwardly spaced along the gun 16 from the outer water nozle of the associated pair. The second water nozle was 17 inclined at a more acute angle than the first water nozle, so that the water spray of 18 the second nozle would converge into and conltact the plume produced by the 19 associated pair. In this way, the available single jet of air was used to atomize the 20 two sprays of water.
CA 022;i8444 1999-01-13 The Dupre system has won commercial sllccess. The commercial 2 version incorporates the features described above. It can be described more 3 specifically as follows:
4 ~ a snow gun is mounted on a boom or tower having universal movement;
6 ~ the gun has two banks of Vjel: water nozles spaced along the 7 long axis of the gun;
8 ~ a single bank of air orifices ici associated with the outer water g bank;
~ the inner bank of water nozzles directs its sprays into the 11 nucleated sprays of the outer bank; and 12 ~ coaxial water and air conduits form the body of the gun and13 provide an annular outer passageway for supplying pressurized 14 water to the two banks of water nozles and an insulated inner p~ss~geway for supplying pressurized air to the single bank of 16 air orifices.
17 While the Dupre system has been an admirable success, there are still 18 certain shortcomings which could be improved upon. More particularly:
19 ~ the Dupre system is not capable of producing quality snow at freezing temperatures milder than -6~C using a water volume 21 that would be commercially viable. The literature indicates that 22 the system can only operate at ~~C with a low humidity of about 23 60%. There are many ski areas that have a significant number CA 022~8444 1999-01-13 of days during the season when the temperature is milder than -2 6~C. There is therefore a neeld to develop a system which can 3 operate at milder freezing temperatures;
4 ~ it is always desirable to increase the snow-making capacily of the snow gun;
6 ~ there is a need to provide a snow gun which can be used 7 without air when the temperahlre is cold; and 8 ~ there is a need to provide a flanged snow gun that is 9 disconnectable from the tower, for easy removal to permit service to the snow gun and to permit replacement with a snow 11 gun having upgraded componlents.
12 It is an objective of the present invention to provide a snow gun which 13 satisfies these needs.
14 By way of further background, it is pointed out that the Vjet nozles used in the art are classified by the designations 5020, 5040 and 5060. A 5020 16 nozle produces a flat, V-shaped spray having an angularity of about 50~ and 17 discharges 2 U.S. gpm of water, when operated at 40 psi. A 5040 nozle produces a 18 similar spray at 4 U.S. gpm at 40 psi. And the 5060 nozle produces a similar spray 19 at 6 U.S gpm at 40 psi. If the pressure is increased, all of the nozles will deliver 20 more water at a wider angle.
CA 022~8444 l999-0l-l3 SUMMARY OF THE INVE.NTION
2 In one feature of the present invention, an air nozle which produces a 3 substantially flat and V-shaped air jet is associated with a water nozle which 4 produces a substantially flat and V-shaped water spray, in the context of a snow gun, the two nozles being spacially arranged or coupled so that the air jet and water6 spray converge and intersect along a line where the!ir widths are substantially equal.
7 The phrase "coupled pair" is used to denote an air nozle and water nozle pair as 8 described in the previous sentence. A coupled pair is a specific embodiment of an 9 associated pair.
When a snow gun having a coupled pair of air and water outlets, as 11 described is operated, a remarkably efficient and complete alorilk~Lion of the water 12 into very fine droplets is achieved. This degree of atomization has enabled the gun 13 to produce snow at -1 1/2~C at 85% humidity.
14 In another feature, a plurality of banks of associated pairs of air and 15 water outlets are spaced along the length of a snow gun. The ~.ssoci~ted pairs are 16 oriented so that the plumes which they produce clo not significantly converge and 17 intersect. For example, the water nozles of one bank can be similarly angled 18 relative to those of the next bank so that the plumes travel substantially in parallel.
19 By implementing this feature, efficient and complete nucleation of multiple water 20 sprays is obtained while increasing the snow-making capacity of the gun relative to 21 the prior art.
-CA 022~8444 1999-01-13 The air nozle preferably should be embedded in the wall structure 2 forming the air and water conduits of the snow gun, to minimize the formation of rime 3 ice.
4 To provide more than one bank of embedded air nozles has required the development of a unique conduit structure and ra~ric~lion prucess. This has 6 been achieved and is described hereunder.
7 As a result, it is now possible to provicle in a snow gun multiple coupled 8 pairs of air and water outlets along the length of the gun, each involving Vjet nozles 9 for both air and water. This has meant that the snow-making capacity of the gun can 10 be increased by using a plurality of banks of coupled pairs and each V-shaped water 11 spray is individually atomized by its own V-shaped air jet. The nozles of the water 12 banks are angled so that their produced plumes are non~onverging; thus one water 13 nozle bank does not significantly increase the wate!r droplet size of another.
14 By providing air and water outlets that each incorporate Vjet nozles, 15 one can now provide a 5020 nozle in one outlet and a 5040 nozle in the other 16 outlet. One then has the option of supplying each of water or air to either the 5020 17 nozle or the 5040 nozle, by changing over the fluid supply lines at the base of the 18 tower. Thus, in cold weather when the air/water ratio can be low, one can supply the 19 water through the 5040 nozle and the air through the 5020 nozle, with high snow 20 output. In milder weather, when the air/water ral:io needs to be higher, one can 21 supply the water through the 5020 nozle and the air through the 5040 nozle - the 22 snow output is diminished but the increased atomization due to higher energy input 23 results in finer water droplets being produced; these finer droplets have a better CA 022~8444 1999-01-13 chance of forming snow at the mild conditions.
2 If desired, at cold temperatures the air can be shut right off and water 3 sprayed through the 5020 nozle will make snow at an adequate rate without the cost 4 of air compression and without coping with air nozzle freeze up problems. At very cold temperatures, both nozles can be supplied with water alone.
6 In summary so far then, the attributes of a system incor~.ordling 7 features of the invention can include:
8 ~ improved atomization, which leads to finer droplet size and the 9 ability to nucleate and form snow at freezing temperatures milder than ~~C;
11 ~ more con,,~'ete atomization, clS the entire width of the water 12 spray preferably is contacted by the air jet;
13 ~ increased snow-making capacity, as more water banks can now 14 be incorporated into a single snow gun and their sprays can be independently nucleated;
16 ~ versatility, in that nozles of different capacity can be used in a 17 coupled pair and the nature of the fluid discharge of these 18 nozles can be switched from ground; and 19 ~ the option to terminate air supply during cold weather conditions.
CA 022;i8444 1999-01-13 Broadly stated, in one aspect the invention is embodied in a snow gun 2 for making artificial snow, comprising: an inner conduit having a wall forming a first 3 passageway, extending longitudinally of the gun, for delivering a stream of 4 pressurized air; an outer conduit having a wall combining with the inner conduit to form a second pAssage~vay, also extending longitudinally of the gun, for delivering a 6 stream of pressurized water; the first p~.ssagewa~y extending through the second 7 passageway; a water nozle connected with the outer conduit and communicating 8 with the second pass~geway for the discharge of water therer~ùn1, said water nozle 9 having an orifice operative to produce a substantially flat and V-shaped water spray;
an air nozle connected with the inner conduit and communicating with the first 11 p~ss~geway for the discharge of air ll,erer,ur", ciaid air nozle having an orifice 12 operative to produce a substantially flat and V-shaped air jet; the air nozle being 13 associated with the water nozle as a coupled pair cio that the water spray and the air 14 jet produced converge and intersect along a line where their widths are substantially 1 5 equal.
16 The foregoing paray,aph states the SllOW gun in the context of the way 17 that it will be operated for at least part of the time - that is, with air passing through 18 the core p~ss~geway and water through the outer passageway. However, as 19 previously outlined, it is conte",plated to be within the scope of the invention that the streams can be reversed or only water alone will be flowed through both 21 passageways.
22 In still another aspect, the invention cc,n,~ rises providing a flanged 23 connection connecting the lower end of the gun to the upper end of the tower, said .. _ , CA 022~8444 1999-01-13 connection for" ,ing dual sealed openings for connecting the air and water 2 passageways of the tower and gun, so that the streams may pass through the 3 connection without leakage.
4 In another aspect, the invention is embodied in a method for makingsnow at freezing temperatures, cor~ rising: supplying water under pressure to a 6 water nozle forming part of a snow gun elevated above ground and disch2l"~ ng the 7 water from the nozle in the form of a substantially flat and V-shaped spray;
8 simultaneously supplying air under pressure to an alir nozle forming part of the snow 9 gun and discharging the air from the nozle in the Form of a substantially flat and V-10 shaped jet; and directing the nozles so that the spray and jet converge and intersect 11 along a line where their widths are substantially equal.
12 In still another aspect, the invention involves orienting associated pairs 13 of air and water outlets so that their plumes are non-converging. Broadly stated, the 14 invention comprises a snow gun for making artifiicial snow comprising: an inner 15 conduit having a wall forming an air passageway, extending longitudinally of the gun, 16 for delivering a stream of pressurized air; an outer conduit having a wall combining 17 with the inner conduit to form an annular wal:er p~.ss~geway, also extending 18 longitudinally of the gun, for delivering a strealm of pressurized water; the air 19 passageway extends through the water passageway; and said gun has a plurality of 20 longitudinally spaced apart associated pairs of air and water outlets respectively 21 communicating with the air p~ssageway and water p~.ss~geway, for delivering 22 intersecting air jets and water sprays and producing plumes of atomized water; the 23 water outlets being oriented so that the plumes produced when the gun is in CA 022~8444 1999-01-13 operation are non-converging.
2 In still another aspect, the invention is embodied in a method for 3 making snow at freezing temperature, comprising: supplying water under pressure to 4 a plurality of water nozles distributed longitudinally along a snow gun elevated above ground and discharging the water from the nozles in the form of substantially 6 flat and V-shaped sprays; simultaneously supplying air under pressure to a plurality 7 of air outlets, each air outlet being associated with a water nozle to form an 8 associated pair, and discharging the air from the nozles in the form of jets; and 9 directing the nozles so that each associated spray and jet converge and intersect 10 and the plumes produced by the coupled pairs are non-converging.
11 In still another aspect, the invention is concerned with an appa,~tus for 12 making artificial snow co~lp~ising a tower having an upper end and comprising13 tubular, concentric, co-extensive, spaced apart inner and outer conduits forming an 14 inner air p~.ss~geway for delivering a pressurized air stream and an annular outer 15 water p~ss~geway for delivering a pressurized water stream; a snow gun having a 16 lower end and comprising inner and outer conduits forming an inner air p~ss~geway 17 and an annular outer water passageway; a flangecl connection connecting the lower 18 end of the gun to the upper end of the tower, said connection forming a sealed 19 central opening extending therethrough and joining the tower air p~ss~geway with 20 the gun air p~ss~geway and a sealed second opening means extending therell " uugh 21 and joining the tower water passageway with the gun water p~ss~geway, so that the 22 air and water sl,ear"s may pass form the tower through the connection into the gun 23 without leakage; said gun having air and water outlets communicating with the gun's CA 022~8444 1999-01-13 air and water passageways, respectively, for producing plumes of atomized water.
3 DESCRIPTION OF THE D~WINGS
4 Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a snow gun mounted on the end of a tower;
6 Figure 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing the base, boom 7 and lift assembly of the tower;
8 Figure 3 is a cross-sectional side view of the snow gun;
9 Figure 4 is a top view, sectioned along the line A--A of Figure 3, showing the intersecting, flat, V-shaped air jet and water spray of a coupled pairing of 1 nozles;
12 Figure 5 is a plan view of a thick-walled ring, sectioned along the line 13 B--B of Figure 3;
14 Figure 6 is an expanded, partly sectional side view of the outer coupled banks of air and water nozles of a snow gun having a blanked end;
16 Figure 7 is a side sectional view showing the nozled end cap of Figure 17 3;
18 Figure 8 is a side sectional view showing the end cap of Figure 7, 19 taken along a plane at 180~ relative to that of Figure 7;
Figure 9 is a side sectional view showing the flanged connection 21 joining the snow gun with the tower;
CA 022~8444 1999-01-13 Figures 1 OA - 1 OK show the fabrication sequence used in constructing 2 the snow gun with welds;
3 Figure 11 is a sectional side view showing the two bank snow gun used 4 to provide the data of Example l; and Figure 12 is a sectional side view of part of the tower showing a bleed 6 valve for bleeding water into the air stream.
8 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREF:ERRED EMBODIMENT
9 Having reference to Figure 1 a snow gun 1 is shown mounted on theupper end of a tower 2 by a flanged connection 3. The tower 2 comprises a boom 4.
11 The boom 4 is rolalably and pivotally supported by a base 5.
12 The base 5 comprises a mounting pipe 6 and lifting assembly 7.
13 Mounting pipe 6 slides over a post 8 which pro;~cts from the ground. The lifting 14 assembly 7 enables raising and lowering of the boom 4 to change the elevation of the gun 1 and to access it.
16 As shown in Figure 2 the lifting assembly 7 coi"prises a pivot pin 9 17 connected with the mounting pipe 6 and passing through boom 4. A threaded jacking 18 screw 10 is pivotally connected at one end with the pivot pin 9. A collar 11 is 19 mounted on the jacking screw 107 for axial movement therealong. A threaded nut 12 engages the jacking screw 10 and functions to bias the collar 11 therealong. A
21 handwheel 13 is attached to the nut 12 for rotalion thereof. Two cori,pression 22 members 14 15 are pivotally connected at their inner ends to the collar 11. The first 23 compression member 14 is pivotally connected at its outer end to the boom 4 by pivot CA 022~8444 1999-01-13 pin 16 at a point above pivot pin 9 The second compression member 15 is 2 connected at its outer end to the mounting pipe 6 by a pivot pin 17 located below 3 pivot pin 9. Thus, as the collar 11 is advanced along the jacking screw 10 toward 4 pivot pin 9, col"pressio" members 14, 15 approach co-linear alignment and raise the boom 4.
6 This arrangement provides significant mechanical advanlage and 7 minimizes the height of the base 5. The minimal height enables a single operator to 8 lift the mounting pipe 6 upwardly to clear the post 8 for un-mounting and 9 transportation of the assembly to another site.
The tower 2 comprises inner and outer, co-extensive, co"ce, lll ic tubes 11 18, 19. The inner tube 18 forms an internal p~.ssAgeway 20. An annular 12 passageway 21 is formed between the tubes 18, 19. The inner tube 18 can be 13 connected by a quick-connect coupling (not shown) with an air hose 22 for the supply 14 of pressurized or compressed air to the inner passa!3eway 20. The outer tube 19 can 15 be connected by a quick-connect coupling (not shown) with a water hose 23 for the 16 supply of pressurized water to the annular passageway 21.
17 As shown in Figure 3, the snow gun l also comprises inner and outer, 18 substantially co-extensive and concentric tubes 24, 25 forming an inner p~ss~geway 19 26 and outer annular passageway 27. The inner passageway 26 thus extends 20 through the outer annular p~ssageway 27 and is substantially co-extensive therewith.
21 The tower and snow gun inner p~ss~geways 20, 26 are connected, as shown, as 22 are the annular passageways 21, 27. (The inner p~ss~geways 20, 26 are hereafter 23 referred to as the air passageways 20, 26 and the annular p~ss~geways 21, 27 are CA 022~8444 1999-01-13 referred to as the water passageways 21 27.) 2 The tower 2 is connected to the snow gun 1 by the flanged connection 3 3 having dual openings connecting the air passageways 20 26 and water 4 p~ss~geways 21 27.
The flanged connection 3 is designed to resist the high pressure 6 differential between the water passageway (typically at 700 psi) and the air 7 passageway (typically at 110 psi) and prevent leakage therebetween. Having 8 reference to Figure 9 the tower 2 is provided with a flat-faced (or non-grooved) tower 9 flange 28 forming bolt openings 29 water passageway opening means 30 and air 10 passageway opening 31. The snow gun 1 is provided with a flat-faced gun flange 32 11 forming bolt openings 33 water p~ss~geway opening means 34 and an air 12 passageway opening 35. ~ plate 36 is provided between the tower and gun flanges 13 28 32. The plate 36 also forms bolt openings 37 water passageway opening means 14 38 and an air p~ss~geway opening 39 positioned to register with the corresponding 15 openings and opening means of the tower and gun flanges to provide continuity of 16 the water and air p~ss~geways. Inner and oute!r conce"~,ic grooves 40 41 are 17 formed in the annular lands 200 201 of the top and bottom faces of the plate 36 for 18 receiving O-rings 42 for sealing the water and air p~ss~geways. The flanged 19 connection 3 is completed by bolts 81 and nuts 80 securing together tower flange 28 20 plate 36 and gun flange 32.
CA 022~8444 1999-01-13 Having reference to Figure 3, the snow gun's inner tube 24 comprises, 2 from its inner end outward, a series of sequentially repeated units 90, (see Figure 3 1 OC) joined end to end. Each unit 90 comprises a relatively thin-walled tube segment 4 43 joined to a relatively thick-walled ring 44.
Each thick-walled ring 44 (see Figure 5) forms a pair of radial, 6 internally threaded openings 45 for receiving Vjet air nozles 46. When screw-7 threaded into the openings 45, the air nozles 46 are generally diametrically aligned 8 and are each fully embedded or recessed in the wall of the ring 44. The ring 44 9 further forms an axial central opening 70 which forms part of the air p~ss~geway 26 and a plurality of relatively small, axial openings 47 which form part of the water 11 p~ss~geway 27. The radial openings 45 and the air nozles 46 contained therein 12 communicate with the central opening 70, which forrns part of the air p~ss~geway 26.
13 The snow gun's outer tube 25 cornprises a series of sequentially 14 repeated outer units 48 (see Figures 3, 10K). The innermost outer unit 48 joins the gun flange 32 and the innermost thick-walled ring 44. The remaining outer units 16 segments 48 join adjacent pairs of thick-walled rings 44. Each outer unit 4817 comprises a tube 92 and a tubular section forme~d of "doors" 60a/b, as described 1 8 below.
19 Broadly stated, the inner and outer units 90, 48 combine to form a wall structure in which the air nozles 46 are embedded and are insulated by the water21 moving through the structure.
CA 022~8444 1999-01-13 Each outer unit 48 forms a pair of generally diametrically opposed 2 openings 49 into which is welded an angularly directed, tubular dowel 50. Each 3 dowel 50 is internally threaded. A Vjet water nozle 51 is screwed into each dowel 4 50.
The dowels 50 are parallel so that the produced atomized plumes 52 6 do not converge or intersect.
7 At its outer end, the snow gun 2 is closed by a cap 53. The cap shown 8 in Figures 3, 7 and 8 comprises an axially directed air nozle 54 and a pair of 9 angularly directed water nozles 55. Alternatively, the cap 53 may simply blank off 10 the end, as shown in Figure 6.
11 The water and air nozles 51, 46, 54, 55 all have shaped orifices 5612 operative to produce a substantially flat and V-shaped spray or jet. Usually a 5020 13 air nozle and 5040 water nozle is the combination used.
14 An outer air nozle and inner water nozle are coupled or relatively 15 positioned as shown in Figure 3, so that the air jet 66 intercepts the water spray 57 16 along an imaginary line 58 where the widths of the jet and spray are substantially 17 equal (see Figure 4). A plume 52 of atomized water is produced.
18 The snow gun is constructed by welding in order to avoid leakage, 19 given that water and air at relatively high pressure are passing therethrough.
CA 022~8444 1999-01-13 A novel snow gun structure and welding fabrication sequence has 2 been developed in order to enable the provision of a plurality of thick-walled rings 44.
3 More particularly, as shown in Figures 10a - 10k:
4 ~ a thick-walled ring 44a is welded to a cap 53a at W1;
~ an inner tube segment 43a is seated in the inner end of the ring 6 44a and welded thereto at W2;
7 ~ an outer tube 92a, having waler nozle dowels 50, is slid onto 8 inner tube segment 43a and welded to ring 44a at W3 to 9 produce unit 100;
~ in a separate second sequenc,e, an inner tube segment 43b is 11 welded to the inner end of a lthick-walled ring 44b at W4 - an 12 outer tube 92b is slid onto se~3ment 43b and welded thereto at 13 W5 to produce unit 101;
14 ~ in a separate third sequence, an inner tube segment 43c is welded to the inner end of a thick-walled ring 44c at W6 - an 16 outer tube 92c is slid onto segment 43c and welded thereto at 17 W7 to produce unit 102;
18 ~ unit 101 is slid onto unit 100 so that the inner end of inner tube 19 segment 43a seats in the outer end of thick-walled ring 44b and is welded at W8;
21 ~ similarly, unit 102 is slid onto unit 101 so that the inner end of 22 inner tube segment 43b seat~i in the outer end of thick-walled 23 ring 44c and is welded at W9;
.
CA 022~8444 1999-01-13 ~ pairs of doors 60a/b and 60b/c are then emplaced to close in 2 the space between outer tube! 92a and ring 44b and outer tube 3 92b and ring 44c respectively and are welded at W10 - W17 as 4 shown;
~ a collar 61 is slid onto the inner end of inner tube segment 43c 6 and welded at W18;
7 ~ in a separate fourth sequence, a frusto-conical tube 62 is 8 welded to gun flange 32 at W19 to produce unit 103;
9 ~ unit 103 is then slid onto inner tube segment 43c and is welded to outer tube 92c at W20; and 11 ~ bottom collar 61 is welded to l:he gun flange 32 to complete the 12 assembly of the snow gun.
13 The snow gun and its operation has been described in the context of 14 air being supplied to the inner conduit p~.ssAgewa~y 26 and water being supplied to 15 the outer annular passageway 27. This is the mode in which the gun will likely be 16 operated most of the time. However, because Vjet nozles are used in all of the fluid 17 outlets, the air and water supply can be switched to p~ss~geway 27 and passageway 18 26 respectively, when appropriate.
19 As shown in Figures 2 and 12, a cross-mix needle valve 91 can be 20 provided for bleeding a small stream of water (typically about 5 U.S. gpm) from the 21 annular p~.ss~ge 21 into the inner tube passageway 20, for melting rime ice formed 22 therein, when desirable. It has been found desirable to wet the air stream when 23 temperatures drop below-8~C (17~F).
CA 022~8444 1999-01-13 An example is now given to report on a test in which a snow gun in 2 accordance with the invention was operated to produce snow at freezing 3 temperatures milder than -6~C.
4 More particularly, a snow gun in accorclance with Figure 11 and having5 the dimensions set forth in Table I was built and tes,ted.
7 ~ gun length I = 2.5 feet;
8 ~ outer tube: 2" O.D. Schedule 80 alunninium pipe;
9 ~ inner tube: 1-1/4" O.D. aluminum tubing having an l.D. of 1";
~ thick-walled ring having 1/4" O.D. water openings, a 1" central air 11 opening and 1/4" NPT nozle connections;
12 ~ air nozles - 5020;
13 ~ air nozle angle - 90~ to gun axis;
14 ~ water nozles - 5020;
~ angle of first bank of water nozles - 45~;
16 ~ angle of second bank of water nozles - 45~;
17 ~ distance a between first and second bank - 8";
18 ~ distance b between the center of each dowel opening and the center of19 each air nozle - 2-1/2".
When tested at the following conditions: -1.5~C, 85% humidity, 40 U.S.
21 gpm at 600 psig, 100 cfm air at 100 psi; the gun produced good base snow.
22 The scope of protection to be accorded the invention is now set forth in 23 the following claims.
, . . , . , ... _
Claims (4)
EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS
FOLLOWS:
1. Apparatus for making artificial snow comprising:
a tower having an upper end and comprising tubular, concentric, co-extensive, spaced apart inner and outer conduits forming an inner air passageway for delivering a pressurized air stream and an annular outer water passageway for delivering a pressurized water stream;
a snow gun having a lower end and comprising inner and outer conduits forming an inner air passageway and an annular outer water passageway;
a flanged connection connecting the lower end of the gun to the upper end of the tower, said connection forming a sealed central opening extending therethrough and joining the tower air passageway with the gun air passageway and a sealed second opening means extending therethrough and joining the tower water passageway with the gun water passageway, so that the air and water streams may pass form the tower through the connection into the gun without leakage;
said gun having air and water outlets communicating with the gun's air and water passageway, respectively, for producing plumes of atomized water.
a tower having an upper end and comprising tubular, concentric, co-extensive, spaced apart inner and outer conduits forming an inner air passageway for delivering a pressurized air stream and an annular outer water passageway for delivering a pressurized water stream;
a snow gun having a lower end and comprising inner and outer conduits forming an inner air passageway and an annular outer water passageway;
a flanged connection connecting the lower end of the gun to the upper end of the tower, said connection forming a sealed central opening extending therethrough and joining the tower air passageway with the gun air passageway and a sealed second opening means extending therethrough and joining the tower water passageway with the gun water passageway, so that the air and water streams may pass form the tower through the connection into the gun without leakage;
said gun having air and water outlets communicating with the gun's air and water passageway, respectively, for producing plumes of atomized water.
2. Apparatus for making artificial snow, comprising:
a tower comprising tubular, concentric, co-extensive, spaced apart inner and outer conduits forming an inner air passageway and an outer annular water passageway, said conduits having a flange at their outer ends for connection with a snow gun;
said tower flange forming a central opening communicating with the air passageway and an outwardly spaced second opening communicating with the water passageway;
a snow gun comprising inner and outer conduits forming an inner air passageway and an outer annular water passageway, said conduits having a flange at one end for connection with the tower flange;
said gun flange forming a central opening communicating with the snow gun's air passageway and an outwardly spaced second opening communicating with the snow gun's water passageway;
the central openings and second openings of the flanges being in register;
means, positioned between the flanges and between the central openings and the second openings for sealing around the central openings;
means, positioned between the flanges, for sealing around the second openings; and means for clamping the flanges together.
a tower comprising tubular, concentric, co-extensive, spaced apart inner and outer conduits forming an inner air passageway and an outer annular water passageway, said conduits having a flange at their outer ends for connection with a snow gun;
said tower flange forming a central opening communicating with the air passageway and an outwardly spaced second opening communicating with the water passageway;
a snow gun comprising inner and outer conduits forming an inner air passageway and an outer annular water passageway, said conduits having a flange at one end for connection with the tower flange;
said gun flange forming a central opening communicating with the snow gun's air passageway and an outwardly spaced second opening communicating with the snow gun's water passageway;
the central openings and second openings of the flanges being in register;
means, positioned between the flanges and between the central openings and the second openings for sealing around the central openings;
means, positioned between the flanges, for sealing around the second openings; and means for clamping the flanges together.
3. Apparatus for making artificial snow, comprising:
a tower comprising tubular, concentric, co-extensive, spaced apart inner and outer conduits forming an inner air passageway and an outer annular water passageway, said conduits having a flange at their outer ends for connection with a snow gun;
said tower flange forming a central opening communicating with the air passageway, an outwardly spaced, annular second opening communicating with the water passageway, and a ring of bolt holes adjacent the outer periphery of the flange;
a snow gun comprising inner and outer conduits forming an inner air passageway and an outer annular water passageway, said conduits having a flange at one end for connection with the tower flange;
said gun flange forming a central opening communicating with the snow gun's air passageway, an outwardly spaced, annular second opening communicating with the snow gun's water passageway and a ring of bolt holes adjacent the outer periphery of the flange; and a plate positioned between the flanges and having a central opening, an outwardly spaced, annular second opening and a ring of bolt holes adjacent the outer periphery of the plate;
the central openings, second openings and bolt holes of the flanges and plate being in register;
the plate having first and second faces for abutting the faces of the tower and gun flanges respectively, each of said first and second faces having an annular first land between the central opening and the second opening and an annular second land between the second opening and the bolt holes, said first land forming a first O-ring groove surrounding the plate's central opening and said second land forming a second O-ring groove concentric with the first O-ring groove and surrounding the plate's second opening; and O-rings positioned in the grooves of each face of the plate, for sealing against leakage.
a tower comprising tubular, concentric, co-extensive, spaced apart inner and outer conduits forming an inner air passageway and an outer annular water passageway, said conduits having a flange at their outer ends for connection with a snow gun;
said tower flange forming a central opening communicating with the air passageway, an outwardly spaced, annular second opening communicating with the water passageway, and a ring of bolt holes adjacent the outer periphery of the flange;
a snow gun comprising inner and outer conduits forming an inner air passageway and an outer annular water passageway, said conduits having a flange at one end for connection with the tower flange;
said gun flange forming a central opening communicating with the snow gun's air passageway, an outwardly spaced, annular second opening communicating with the snow gun's water passageway and a ring of bolt holes adjacent the outer periphery of the flange; and a plate positioned between the flanges and having a central opening, an outwardly spaced, annular second opening and a ring of bolt holes adjacent the outer periphery of the plate;
the central openings, second openings and bolt holes of the flanges and plate being in register;
the plate having first and second faces for abutting the faces of the tower and gun flanges respectively, each of said first and second faces having an annular first land between the central opening and the second opening and an annular second land between the second opening and the bolt holes, said first land forming a first O-ring groove surrounding the plate's central opening and said second land forming a second O-ring groove concentric with the first O-ring groove and surrounding the plate's second opening; and O-rings positioned in the grooves of each face of the plate, for sealing against leakage.
4. Apparatus for making artificial snow comprising:
a tower having upper and lower ends and comprising tubular, concentric, co-extensive, spaced apart inner and outer conduits forming an inner air passageway for delivering a pressurized air stream and an annular outer water passageway for delivering a pressurized water stream, said conduits having a tower flange connected with their upper ends;
said tower flange having a flat end face and forming a central opening communicating with the tower air passageway and a second opening means outwardly spaced from the central opening and communicating with the tower water passageway;
a snow gun having upper and lower ends and comprising inner and outer conduits forming an inner air passageway and an annular outlet water passageway, said gun conduits having a gun flange connected with their lower ends;
said gun flange having a flat end face and forming a central opening communicating with the gun air passageway and a second opening means, outwardly spaced from the gun flange central opening, communicating with the gun water passageway;
a plate positioned between the flanges and having a central opening and a second opening means outwardly spaced from the plate central opening;
the gun flange, plate and tower flange being connected together so that the central openings and second opening means of the flange and plate are in register;
the plate having first and second faces abutting the end faces of the tower and gun flanges respectively, each of said first and second faces having an annular first land between the central opening and second opening means of the plate and an annular second land between the second opening means and the outer edge of the plate, each said first land forming a first O-ring groove extending around the plate's central opening and each said second land forming a second O-ring groove also extending around the plate's central opening;
O-rings positioned in the grooves of each face of the plate, for sealing against leakage;
said gun having air and water outlets communicating with the gun's air and water passageways respectively, for producing plumes of atomized water.
a tower having upper and lower ends and comprising tubular, concentric, co-extensive, spaced apart inner and outer conduits forming an inner air passageway for delivering a pressurized air stream and an annular outer water passageway for delivering a pressurized water stream, said conduits having a tower flange connected with their upper ends;
said tower flange having a flat end face and forming a central opening communicating with the tower air passageway and a second opening means outwardly spaced from the central opening and communicating with the tower water passageway;
a snow gun having upper and lower ends and comprising inner and outer conduits forming an inner air passageway and an annular outlet water passageway, said gun conduits having a gun flange connected with their lower ends;
said gun flange having a flat end face and forming a central opening communicating with the gun air passageway and a second opening means, outwardly spaced from the gun flange central opening, communicating with the gun water passageway;
a plate positioned between the flanges and having a central opening and a second opening means outwardly spaced from the plate central opening;
the gun flange, plate and tower flange being connected together so that the central openings and second opening means of the flange and plate are in register;
the plate having first and second faces abutting the end faces of the tower and gun flanges respectively, each of said first and second faces having an annular first land between the central opening and second opening means of the plate and an annular second land between the second opening means and the outer edge of the plate, each said first land forming a first O-ring groove extending around the plate's central opening and each said second land forming a second O-ring groove also extending around the plate's central opening;
O-rings positioned in the grooves of each face of the plate, for sealing against leakage;
said gun having air and water outlets communicating with the gun's air and water passageways respectively, for producing plumes of atomized water.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002276016A CA2276016C (en) | 1995-10-30 | 1995-10-30 | Snow gun for making artificial snow |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2161720 CA2161720C (en) | 1995-10-30 | 1995-10-30 | Snow gun for making artificial snow |
Related Parent Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2161720 Division CA2161720C (en) | 1995-10-30 | 1995-10-30 | Snow gun for making artificial snow |
Related Child Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002276016A Division CA2276016C (en) | 1995-10-30 | 1995-10-30 | Snow gun for making artificial snow |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2258444A1 CA2258444A1 (en) | 1997-05-01 |
| CA2258444C true CA2258444C (en) | 2000-02-22 |
Family
ID=4156871
Family Applications (3)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2161720 Expired - Fee Related CA2161720C (en) | 1995-10-30 | 1995-10-30 | Snow gun for making artificial snow |
| CA002258424A Expired - Fee Related CA2258424C (en) | 1995-10-30 | 1995-10-30 | Snow gun for making artificial snow |
| CA002258444A Expired - Fee Related CA2258444C (en) | 1995-10-30 | 1995-10-30 | Snow gun for making artificial snow |
Family Applications Before (2)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2161720 Expired - Fee Related CA2161720C (en) | 1995-10-30 | 1995-10-30 | Snow gun for making artificial snow |
| CA002258424A Expired - Fee Related CA2258424C (en) | 1995-10-30 | 1995-10-30 | Snow gun for making artificial snow |
Country Status (4)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| EP (1) | EP0809774A1 (en) |
| AU (1) | AU7272896A (en) |
| CA (3) | CA2161720C (en) |
| WO (1) | WO1997016686A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (6)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FR2784905B1 (en) * | 1998-10-23 | 2001-01-12 | York Neige | VERSATILE SPRAY HEAD USABLE IN PARTICULAR FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL SNOW |
| AU2284199A (en) | 1998-02-06 | 1999-08-23 | York Neige | Snow, ice particle generator, or nucleation device, integrated in a pressurised water spray head for making artificial snow |
| CA2347990C (en) * | 1998-10-23 | 2010-09-07 | York Neige | Multipurpose spray head useful in particular for making artificial snow |
| FR3009861B1 (en) * | 2013-08-26 | 2015-08-07 | Myneige Sas | DEVICE FOR PRODUCING CULTIVATION SNOW, AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING CULTIVATION SNOW |
| ITUB20160735A1 (en) * | 2016-02-15 | 2017-08-15 | Technoalpin Holding S P A | Nucleatore nozzle and method for the formation of freezing nuclei |
| EP3480538B1 (en) * | 2017-11-03 | 2020-09-30 | Innosnow AB | A snow making device and a system and method for producing artificial snow |
Family Cites Families (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US3979061A (en) * | 1974-02-04 | 1976-09-07 | Kircher Everett F | Method and apparatus for making artificial snow |
| US5004151A (en) * | 1989-11-20 | 1991-04-02 | Dupre Herman K | Method and apparatus for making snow |
-
1995
- 1995-10-30 CA CA 2161720 patent/CA2161720C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1995-10-30 CA CA002258424A patent/CA2258424C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1995-10-30 CA CA002258444A patent/CA2258444C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
-
1996
- 1996-10-25 WO PCT/CA1996/000709 patent/WO1997016686A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 1996-10-25 EP EP96934259A patent/EP0809774A1/en not_active Withdrawn
- 1996-10-25 AU AU72728/96A patent/AU7272896A/en not_active Abandoned
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| EP0809774A1 (en) | 1997-12-03 |
| WO1997016686A1 (en) | 1997-05-09 |
| CA2258424C (en) | 2000-04-25 |
| CA2258444A1 (en) | 1997-05-01 |
| AU7272896A (en) | 1997-05-22 |
| CA2161720C (en) | 1999-04-20 |
| CA2161720A1 (en) | 1997-05-01 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEER | Examination request | ||
| FZDC | Correction of dead application (reinstatement) | ||
| MKLA | Lapsed |