CN110799254A

CN110799254A - Climate strategy for indoor entertainment facilities

Info

Publication number: CN110799254A
Application number: CN201880041097.7A
Authority: CN
Inventors: C·J·P·阿尔伯斯
Original assignee: Infinite Leisure Holding Co Ltd
Current assignee: Infinite Leisure Holding Co Ltd
Priority date: 2017-04-28
Filing date: 2018-04-24
Publication date: 2020-02-14
Also published as: NL2018805B1; WO2018197488A1; US20200190758A1; EP3628020A1

Abstract

A climate facility comprising one or more recreational areas with ice or snow covers; a climate control system that maintains the facility at a temperature above freezing, within a temperature range that allows a portion of the snow or ice to melt for a predetermined period; an exhaust system for collecting the melt; and a recirculation system that uses the melt to form new snow.

Description

Climate strategy for indoor entertainment facilities

Technical Field

The present invention relates to indoor winter recreation and in particular to indoor recreation with snow and/or ice.

Background

Indoor winter recreation facilities come in many forms, but there are often areas of snow and ice for winter recreation such as skiing, skis, snow tubes, skating, snow fighting, snow hearings, snow mobiles, snow football, mountain treatment, ice climbing, ice sculptures, and the like. These facilities are often located in warmer climates that are generally free of snow or ice, and thus these facilities must support indoor climates that are sometimes much cooler than the outdoor area. In addition, some of these facilities are located in desert climates, and the availability of water for supporting such facilities is poor.

Facilities are typically maintained at sub-freezing temperatures to ensure proper temperature of snow and ice. This results in high energy costs and requires cooling even under the floor when the facility is located in warmer climates.

As people use these facilities, the snow and/or ice is compacted and becomes dirty, thus requiring renewal. Furthermore, at temperatures below freezing, the snow is compacted and converted into ice, making it difficult to remove. Snow removal in many areas must be done manually because it is difficult for the groomer to access certain areas, such as ski runs or various snow-playing venues or tracks.

Furthermore, frozen snow is a less desirable experience for guests, as most people prefer fresh and loose snow. Older snow also prevents certain activities, such as heaping a snowman or making a snowball. In addition, snow below freezing is not compacted and therefore it is not possible to heap or snowball snowmen at temperatures below freezing.

EP1756489 discloses a method for maintaining the quality of snow cover in indoor skiing or winter sports areas involving temperature cycling. The temperature is maintained above freezing to cause the snow to sometimes partially melt, and then cycled to a different temperature below freezing for use in producing snow. The above freezing temperature is typically maintained for 12-18 hours, and the sub-freezing temperature is typically maintained for between 6 and 12 hours for a total cycle time of 24 hours.

US6962534 also discloses an indoor winter recreation facility, in this case dedicated to semi-arid or desert regions. The temperature is kept below freezing and water from the facility can be melted and used to form new snow. US5272883 discloses a similar system but it states that due to contamination it is not possible to rely solely on melting snow to produce fresh snow and one third of the liquid for fresh snow needs to come from fresh water.

Disclosure of Invention

According to a first aspect of the invention, a climate facility comprises one or more recreational areas with ice or snow covers; a climate control system that maintains the facility at a temperature above freezing, within a temperature range that allows a portion of the snow or ice to melt at a predetermined period; a discharge system for collecting the melt; and a recirculation system for forming new snow using the melt.

Such climate facilities may be permanent structures or may be mobile climate facilities. Climate facilities can maintain a more comfortable temperature for people within the facility, thereby providing a more pleasant experience for guests, while ensuring that the entertainment area has a sufficiently cool temperature and that fresh snow and/or ice is regularly renewed, by including a climate control system that maintains the facility at a temperature in a range above freezing such that a portion of the snow or ice melts at a predetermined period. By ensuring that a portion of the snow or ice melts at a predetermined period, new snow or ice may also be generated at that period to replace the old snow or melt, thereby giving the user a more desirable experience. Furthermore, the use of an exhaust system to collect the melt and a recirculation system to use the melt provides an overall energy efficient climate facility that requires less energy to maintain than past indoor climate facilities.

According to one embodiment, the one or more recreational areas with ice or snow covers include one or more of the following: skiing areas, skating areas, ski areas, tube areas, slides, snow track areas, snow sports areas, winter villages, and winter food and/or beverage areas. Other winter recreation areas and/or configurations may also be present depending on guest needs and desires, available space, etc. Existing climate facility systems allow for the support and maintenance of a variety of different winter recreation areas in a very energy efficient manner through the use of climate control systems, exhaust systems, and recirculation systems.

According to one embodiment, the discharge system comprises a collection system for collecting the melt; and a flow system for conveying the melt from the collection system to the recirculation system. Such a system may include, for example, a drain channel, odor trap, valve, filter, specific drain inlet, or other features tailored to the specific system. The drainage system may facilitate the collection of melt from any number of entertainment areas that melts at a predetermined period and is transported to an area for recycling.

According to one embodiment, the recirculation system includes a filter system to clean the melt for reuse. Such a filter system may enable easy and efficient cleaning of the melt for reuse in a climatic facility.

According to one embodiment, the climate control system maintains the facility temperature in the range of zero degrees Celsius to 20 degrees Celsius. By maintaining the temperature in the range of zero degrees centigrade to 20 degrees centigrade, guests and workers in the climatic facility are able to use the facility at a more comfortable temperature. This is particularly useful for outdoor dining areas or other areas where people are not active.

According to one embodiment, the climate control system maintains the facility at a temperature such that about 3% of the snow melts in a predetermined period. A 3% melting rate may allow all snow and ice to be adequately melted and replaced on a regular cycle. Optionally, the predetermined period is a 24 hour period. If a 3% thaw rate is used with a predetermined period of 24 hours, all of the snow and ice will be thawed and replaced within a period of about 3 months, ensuring that the guest enjoys relatively new snow and ice at all times.

According to one embodiment, the climate control system operates at different temperatures to achieve a desired cyclical melt rate. Optionally, the climate control system modifies the operating temperature based on one or more of: expected guests, outside temperature, events in the facility, and snow quality. This may allow the climate facility to achieve a desired melt rate under a variety of different conditions.

According to another aspect of the invention, a method of operating an indoor winter recreation facility, the method comprising: operating the facility so that the temperature is above zero degrees centigrade and so that daily melting of snow and/or ice is achieved; collecting a melt; and recycling the melt. Operating an indoor winter recreation facility in this manner provides a very energy efficient system that brings a pleasurable enjoyment to the guest. Operating the facility so that the temperature is above zero degrees centigrade provides a more pleasant environment for the personnel in the room and ensures that at least some melting is constantly occurring. This ensures that the old snow is melted and replaced periodically so that the user experiences fresh ice and snow in the facility.

According to one embodiment, the step of operating the facility so that the temperature is above zero degrees centigrade and so that daily melting of snow and/or ice is achieved comprises: operating the facility at a temperature between zero degrees Celsius and 20 degrees Celsius. Such a temperature range allows a certain percentage of the melt and provides the desired temperature for the guest using the facility.

According to one embodiment, the step of operating the facility so that the temperature is above zero degrees centigrade and so that daily melting of snow and/or ice is achieved comprises: the facility is operated at a temperature such that 1% -5% melting of the daily snow and/or ice is achieved. Such a melting rate may produce an ideal schedule for updating all of the snow and/or ice to avoid the accumulation of old and/or dirty ice or snow in the facility. This creates a more pleasant and desirable user experience and also ensures that the guest can perform some activities that are best or only possible with fresh snow or ice.

According to one embodiment, the step of collecting the melt includes: discharging the melt to one or more collection devices; and passing the melt to one or more collection tanks. This may ensure that the melt can be collected and stored for recycling.

According to one embodiment, the step of recycling the melt comprises recycling the melt (recovering the melt) to form new ice and/or snow. This is a very efficient way of forming new ice and/or snow, since the melt is already at a low temperature and does not require a large amount of energy to reach the freezing temperature for forming ice or snow.

According to one embodiment, the step of recycling the melt comprises filtering the melt for reuse. This filtering step may ensure that the melt is in a very clean condition for forming very clean new ice and/or snow.

Drawings

The invention will be discussed in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

fig. 1 shows an indoor winter recreation facility.

Figure 2A shows a second indoor entertainment facility.

Fig. 2B shows a schematic view of a cross-section of the skiing area of fig. 2A.

Fig. 2C shows a schematic view of the indoor entertainment facility of fig. 2A.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 shows an indoor entertainment facility 10 having a plurality of different areas for a number of different winter activities. These areas include throwing a snowball 16, ice hockey or skating 17, snow and snow throwers 18, curling 20, skis or tubes 22, and other areas of winter activity. The area 23 may also be used as a downhill skiing area, or in some versions a part of the slope 22 may be used for skiing. The indoor entertainment facility 10 also includes a winter village 26 with outdoor eating areas. Such an indoor entertainment facility 10 may be stationary or may be mobile for movement to different locations.

Since various areas of the facility 10 require snow or ice for recreational activities, a climate system is provided that supports maintenance of the various areas. Such climate systems operate at temperatures above freezing (zero degrees centigrade). Even at normal air conditioning temperatures, the temperature may be in a range of, for example, zero degrees centigrade to 10 degrees centigrade, 2 degrees centigrade to 5 degrees centigrade, 0.5 degrees centigrade to 3 degrees centigrade, or other ranges. The temperature is set to a point or range such that a portion of the snow or ice melts at a predetermined period. The predetermined period may be, for example, a 24 hour period, and the goal is that a certain percentage of the snow or ice will melt in 24 hours. The percentage may be based on the frequency with which the snow or ice needs to be completely replaced, and the percentage may be, for example, 1% -3% melted per cycle, so that all melted over a period of weeks to months. In some cases, the desired melt rate may be lower, only hopefully all of the snow or ice is replaced in the annual cycle.

The climate system 11 may also control other factors that affect the environment of the indoor entertainment facility 10, such as humidity. Humidity can affect the quality and sustainability of the snow and is thus preferably kept as low as possible in combination with the recommended temperature.

The exemplary facility 10 may be maintained at a temperature in a range of about 2 degrees celsius to about 3 degrees celsius. This will provide a daily melt rate of about 3%, ensuring that all snow and ice melts and is replaced within a period of about 3 months.

The temperature and melting rate may be based on a number of factors, including but not limited to anticipated guests, outside temperature, events in the facility, and the quality of the snow; the climate control system may thus adjust the temperature to achieve a desired melt rate based on changes in these or other factors. Thus, the temperature may vary even more dramatically, for example, an event lasting hours may raise the temperature to a fairly high temperature of about 7 to 20 degrees celsius and/or drop to a lower temperature at night or when changing snow and/or ice.

The use of a climate control system that maintains the facility 10 at a temperature above freezing, at least during use, can maintain people within the climate facility at a more comfortable temperature. Because it is less cold, it can bring a more pleasant experience to guests and employees. This is particularly advantageous in outdoor eating areas where people in the facility are not as active as other areas and may be cooler.

In addition, by maintaining the temperature above freezing, the melting cycle can be controlled so that snow and ice can be refreshed periodically. Users of climate facilities often desire clean and fresh snow or ice as an ideal surface for activities. This is particularly true for certain activities such as skiing and skating. By melting a percentage of the snow or ice at a predetermined period, it is also possible to generate new snow or ice at the period to replace the melted snow or ice, thereby providing a more desirable experience for the user.

In existing systems, it is common in such climatic facilities to maintain the temperature below freezing to ensure proper temperature of the snow and ice. However, this means that there is little to no melting and the snow and ice will become dirty and compact or lose their consistency in use, thus behaving like sand. Older snow also cannot be used for some purposes, such as snowpiling or making snowballs. The old snow and ice then needs to be removed periodically, usually by turning a forklift or other fairly large groomer to remove the old snow and ice and prepare for new snow and ice. This is a difficult task, especially in areas that are difficult to reach with the removal machines used, for example snow-playing type sites. By maintaining a climate control system that maintains the temperature above freezing within a certain range so that a portion of the snow or ice melts at a predetermined period, it is no longer necessary to remove old snow and ice by a separate machine. The portion of the snow and/or ice that melts at the predetermined period ensures that some of the snow and/or ice constantly melts, provides space for new snow and/or ice, and provides a more pleasant user experience. This constant replenishment of fresh snow and ice provides a fresh appearance and desirability and can be used for all purposes. This also helps to avoid ice accumulation in undesirable locations, especially in ski hills or other pedestrian traffic areas prone to snow and ice.

Maintaining the climate facility 10 at a temperature above freezing may also be beneficial for the overall structure or building in which the climate facility 10 is housed. At lower temperatures, structures and buildings have more structural problems, such as concrete cracking, icicle formation, condensation, the need for insulation, and various materials that can withstand sub-freezing temperatures. Thus, by maintaining the climate facility 10 at a temperature above freezing, many of these problems can be minimized or avoided.

Temperatures above freezing also ensure efficient melting and discharge of snow to areas where snow is not needed, while retaining snow only in the areas where it is needed. This has the advantage that: keeping snow and ice free in areas where snow is not needed makes the area easier to clean and maintain, warmer for normal standing, and less likely to be an area for a user to slip on due to unexpected snow or ice.

Fig. 2A shows a second indoor entertainment facility 10 that includes a track 12, a ice house village 28 and a winter sports field 30, the track 12 being usable for cross-country skiing, snowfield cycling, winter skiing and/or snow skiing. Fig. 2B shows a schematic view of a cross section of a rail 12 comprising a snow layer 32, a snow mat 33, a drainage layer 34, a concrete layer 35, insulation layers 36, 37, a levelling layer 38, a waterproofing membrane 39 and an existing floor 40. A drainage channel 41 extends from the drainage layer 34 through the existing floor 40. FIG. 2C shows a schematic view of the facility 10 with the entertainment area 10, the entertainment area 10 having the climate control system 11, the exhaust system 42, and the recirculation system 44.

As shown in fig. 2B, snow layer 32 is located on snow mat 33, and snow mat 33 is placed on drain mat 34. Snow mat 33 holds the snow in place while drain mat 34 allows liquid to drain through drain channel 41 to drain system 38. The drain channel 41 may include a variety of features such as odor traps, valves, filters, specific drain inlets, and the like. The drain pad may have various drain features to direct the melted snow to the drain channel 41. Snow mat 33 and drain mat 34 also prevent the melt from eroding snow layer 32 from below as the melt melts and enters drain system 42.

The concrete layer 35 may be reinforced and may be waterproof to help insulate and support various areas of the facility 10. The concrete layer 35 may also be inclined to help direct emissions into the discharge channel 41. Insulation layers 36 and 37 may help to conserve (retain) the temperature required by snow layer 32 and facility 10, and gravel layer 38 may help to level existing floor 40. The film 39 helps keep the existing flooring 40 dry to maintain the desired structural conditions.

After flowing through snow mat 33 and drain mat 34, the melt enters drain channel 41 and then into drain system 42, which drain system 42 may comprise a flow system having flow channels or drain channels and/or tubes. The melt may be directed to be collected in a region, such as a dirty water tank 43. Various materials and/or devices may be used in the drainage system 42 to collect and transport the melt, such as membranes, pipes, tanks, pumps, etc. For example, the bottom of an area with the most accumulation of melt water, such as a snow slide or ski slope, may have a separate sump in which the melt is collected and subsequently pumped through a drain to the recirculation system 44. The dirty water tank 43 may be connected directly to the drain system and recirculation system 44.

The exhaust system 42 delivers the melt to a recirculation system 44 where the melt can be cleaned for reuse. The recirculation system may include one or more filters 45, a UV water disinfection device 46, and/or other devices for cleaning the melted snow and/or ice. The recirculation system 44 may also include a fresh water supply (if needed) and a clean water tank 47 for collecting clean water. The recirculation system 47 may then deliver the cleaned liquid for reuse in the climate facility 10, for example, to an ice or snow maker 48, which uses a blower 49 to distribute the snow to a desired snow area. Such clean water may also be used in other ways, for example, for watering plants or other wildlife or for cleaning facilities. Depending on the system settings, many pumps, valves, etc. may be used throughout the exhaust and recirculation systems.

The climate facility 10 is able to operate more energy efficiently and provide a more desirable user experience by having a complete system in which the climate control system 11 controls the temperature inside the climate facility 10 to a temperature above freezing within a range to achieve a certain melt volume per predetermined time period and the exhaust system 42 exhausts the controlled melt to the recirculation system 44 in preparation for reuse. As described above, temperature control by the climate control system 11 allows for a more desirable user experience in a number of ways. The user may enjoy the climatic facility 10 and recreational activities at more pleasant and less cold temperatures. In addition, the temperature allows for controlled melting, allows for periodic renewal and replacement of snow and ice and improves the quality of the snow by avoiding old snow that may be compacted and frozen through the use of the climate facility 10. The temperature also benefits the entire climate facility 10 and the building in which it is housed by minimizing or avoiding problems associated with the maintenance of structures and buildings at colder temperatures below freezing.

The discharge system 42 provides a simple method of removing and collecting old snow and ice without requiring large machines to travel through various areas of the climate facility 10 for physically removing the snow and ice. The exhaust system also provides a flow path for delivering the melt to the recirculation system 44 for cleaning and reuse. The recirculation system 44 may be particularly advantageous when the climate facility is located in a dry or desert climate where there is a shortage of water. Furthermore, by using the melt to make new snow or ice, less energy is required to convert the melt liquid into snow or ice than if the liquid were delivered at ambient temperature, since the temperature is already quite cold, and it does not have to be cooled as cold as it would be to reach the temperature required to make snow and/or ice.

Although the climate facility 10 has been shown in two particular configurations, these are merely examples, and the climate facility 10 may have many different configurations with many different activity areas and/or arrangements of activity areas.

While the invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular or preferred embodiment disclosed, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A climate installation, the climate installation comprising:

one or more recreational areas with ice or snow covers;

a climate control system that maintains the temperature of the facility above freezing throughout a predetermined period and maintains the facility within a temperature range such that snow or ice melts from 1% to 5% during the predetermined period;

an exhaust system to collect melt; and

a recirculation system that forms new snow using the melt, wherein the predetermined period is a 24-hour period.

2. The facility of claim 1, wherein the one or more recreational areas with ice or snow coverings comprise one or more of the following: skiing areas, skating areas, ski areas, tube areas, slides, snow track areas, snow sports areas, winter villages, and winter food and/or beverage areas.

3. The plant according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the discharge system comprises a collection system for collecting the melt; and

a flow system that conveys the melt from the collection system to the recirculation system.

4. The plant according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the recirculation system comprises a filter system to clean the melt for reuse.

5. The facility according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the climate control system maintains the temperature of the facility in the range of zero degrees Celsius to 20 degrees Celsius.

6. The facility according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the climate control system maintains the facility at a temperature such that about 3% of the snow melts during the predetermined period.

7. The facility according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the climate control system is operated at different temperatures to achieve a desired periodic melt rate.

8. The facility of claim 7, wherein the climate control system modifies an operating temperature based on one or more of: expected guests, outside temperature, events in the facility, and snow quality.

9. A method of operating an indoor winter recreation facility, the method comprising:

operating the facility such that throughout the daily cycle the temperature is above zero degrees centigrade and such that 1-5% of the daily snow and/or ice melting is achieved;

collecting a melt; and

recycling the melt.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of operating the facility so that the temperature is above zero degrees centigrade and so that daily melting of snow and/or ice is achieved comprises:

operating the facility at a temperature between zero degrees Celsius and 20 degrees Celsius.

11. A method according to any one of claims 9 to 10, wherein the step of operating the facility so that the temperature is above zero degrees centigrade and so that daily melting of snow and/or ice is achieved comprises:

the facility is operated at a temperature such that 3% melting of the daily snow and/or ice is achieved.

12. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the step of collecting the melt comprises:

discharging the melt to one or more collection devices; and

passing the melt to one or more collection tanks.

13. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 12, wherein the step of recycling the melt comprises: the melt is recirculated to form new ice and/or snow.

14. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 13, wherein the step of recycling the melt comprises: filtering the melt for reuse.