DK3084324T3

DK3084324T3 - IMPROVED SNOW CANNON FOR THE MANUFACTURING OF THE ART

Info

Publication number: DK3084324T3
Application number: DK14830707.7T
Authority: DK
Inventors: Francesco Besana
Original assignee: Nevexn S R L
Priority date: 2013-12-19
Filing date: 2014-12-18
Publication date: 2019-01-07
Also published as: ITVI20130303A1; WO2015092730A1; EP3084324A1; EP3084324B1

Description

DESCRIPTION

[0001] The present invention concerns an improved gun for producing artificial snow, also called "programmed" snow or snow for "programmed snowfalls", starting from a liquid substance, suited to be positioned at pre-determined points of a snow-making system installed along a ski slope or of a snowpark or of a centre for the production of snow.

[0002] The invention concerns also the snow-making system that includes the use of one or more of the improved guns for the production of artificial snow according to the invention.

[0003] It is known that in many cases along ski slopes, both for alpine skiing and nordic skiing, there are snow-making systems that during the winter make it possible to deal with the problem of insufficient snowfalls, in such a way as to maintain the slopes in such conditions that they can be used by skiers.

[0004] It is also known that said snow-making systems include a network of hydraulic pipes that is arranged along the ski slope and makes it possible to supply said liquid substance to be processed to devices for the production of snow, like snow guns or lances, installed along the same network of pipes at predefined distances from one another.

[0005] In this way, each one of said devices produces an amount of artificial snow that is successively distributed homogeneously along the slope using special machines, for example the so-called "snow cats" in technical jargon.

[0006] There are two main types of devices for the production of artificial snow available on the market, that is, the so-called "low pressure snow guns" and the "high pressure lances".

[0007] To disadvantage, the functionality and production effectiveness of both of said types of devices are strongly influenced by the environmental conditions in which they work.

[0008] In particular, the production of snow depends on the temperature of the external environment, the humidity and the wind speed.

[0009] In fact, both of said devices operate by atomizing and dispersing the liquid substance that is supplied to them in the external environment at several metres in height.

[0010] Consequently, the very small droplets of the atomized liquid substance that are present in the air undergo a phase transformation and crystallize, and during their fall towards the ground they have time to develop and become bigger.

[0011] It is thus clear that with the devices belonging to the known art the actual production of snow takes place in the external environment, depending on the atmospheric conditions that may allow said phase transformation and growth or not.

[0012] In particular, to disadvantage, the production of snow with said devices of the known art can be obtained only in the case where the ambient temperature is lower than a given threshold, called "marginal temperature" in technical jargon and usually equal to approximately -3°C.

[0013] Consequently, a further drawback of the known art lies in that the production of artificial or programmed snow is possible only in the winter months, that is, in the months in which the marginal temperature is below said -3°C and, very probably, the slopes are already covered by a layer of natural snow.

[0014] Instead, to disadvantage, it is not possible to produce artificial snow in the months at the beginning and/or end of the skiing season, like October or April, that is, when the marginal temperature on the average is above -3°C and there is the need, respectively, to prepare the slopes for the coming season or to extend the skiing season. Furthermore, generally said devices of the known art are not even suitable for the production of artificial snow in the so-called ski domes or indoor ski slopes, which by definition are operative over the entire solar year. W02006/090387A2 discloses a compact heat pump system suitable for producing artificial snow or ice slurry for snow related activities in above zero conditions.US3443393 and US3342039 disclose similar apparatuses used in a desalination plant.

[0015] It is also known that a further drawback of the known art is due to the fact that the liquid substance used for the production of artificial snow is water enriched with additives, like for example the snomax® additive, which ensure greater effectiveness in the production of snow and better preservation of the same even at relatively high temperatures.

[0016] Therefore, to disadvantage, the use of water with additives involves an increase in the production costs of artificial snow. At the same time, the use of water with additives may expose the users-skiers to the risk of contact with substances that are dangerous to the health and may also cause damages to the environment.

[0017] The present invention intends to overcome the drawbacks mentioned above.

[0018] In particular, it is the object of the present invention to provide a gun for the production of artificial or programmed snow that works independently of the external environmental conditions.

[0019] Consequently, the present invention has the object to provide a gun for the production of artificial snow that makes it possible to cover the ski slopes with snow even in the days and/or periods of the year in which the temperature is not below the marginal temperature, usually -3°C.

[0020] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a gun for the production of artificial snow that includes the use of water without the addition of artificial chemical substances as liquid substance to be processed.

[0021] It is another object of the present invention to provide a gun for the production of snow whose size and overall dimensions can be compared to those of the snow-making devices, such as snow guns or lances, belonging to the known art.

[0022] For this reason, it is another object of the present invention to provide a gun for the production of artificial snow that is compatible with and can comfortably replace said devices belonging to the known art, with no need to intervene on the structure of the already present snow-making system.

[0023] The objects illustrated above are achieved by an improved gun for the production of artificial snow having the characteristics described in the main claim.

[0024] The invention includes also the snow-making system comprising one or more snow guns of the invention.

[0025] Further characteristics of the improved gun for the production of artificial snow of the invention are described in the dependent claims.

[0026] Advantageously, the use of the gun for the production of artificial snow of the present invention allows considerable energy savings to be obtained compared to the use of the snowmaking devices belonging to the known art, even if the latter are powered by means of sources of renewable energy like solar or biomass energy.

[0027] Again, to advantage, the use of the guns for the production of snow of the invention, which can produce snow independently of the external environmental conditions, allows the managers of ski facilities to open the slopes in advance and close them later compared to the present opening periods. Furthermore, advantageously, for the organizers of sports events the use of the snow guns of the invention makes it possible to provide a suitable amount of snow on the occasion of said events, with no fear of having to postpone or even cancel the event.

[0028] The use of the snow guns of the invention makes it also possible to carry out marketing activities in the urban centres located downhill with respect to the skiing areas.

[0029] The objects and advantages described above are highlighted in greater detail in the description of a preferred embodiment of the invention that is provided here below by way of non-limiting example with reference to the attached drawings, wherein: • Figure 1 shows a schematic sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the snow gun of the invention, according to a vertical plane; • Figure 2 shows an axonometric view of the preferred embodiment of the snow gun of the invention; • Figure 3 shows a schematic sectional view of a second alternative example not forming part of this invention, according to a vertical plane; • Figure 4 shows a schematic sectional view of an alternative embodiment of the snow gun of the invention, according to a vertical plane; • Figure 5 shows a schematic view of the snow-making system of the invention; • Figure 6 shows in detail the snow gun of the invention that belongs to the snow-making system shown in Figure 5.

[0030] The improved gun for the production of artificial snow that is the subject of the invention is shown as a whole in Figures from 2 to 4, where it is indicated by 1. According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, visible in Figures 1 and 2, said snow gun 1 comprises an inlet mouth 3 that is connected to a system I for supplying a liquid substance S to be processed, and an outlet mouth 4 suited to allow the produced artificial/programmed snow N to be distributed in the external environment.

[0031] In variant embodiments of the invention, the snow gun 1 may have more than one inlet mouth 3 and/or more than one outlet mouth 4.

[0032] Concerning the liquid substance S from which the artificial snow N can be obtained by means of the snow gun 1 of the invention, it is preferably, but not necessarily water.

[0033] It cannot be excluded, however, that in different embodiments of the invention said liquid substance S can be water with additives or another type of substance.

[0034] As can be observed in Figure 1, the snow gun 1 of the invention comprises also an evaporation chamber 5, in which the liquid substance S, in this case water, is introduced through said inlet mouth 3, in such a way as to trigger and carry out a process of evaporation of a portion of the same liquid substance S. In particular, said evaporation takes place at the level of the triple point of the liquid substance S and substantially in conditions of vacuum inside the evaporation chamber 5.

[0035] Preferably, but not necessarily, the evaporation chamber 5 comprises mixing means 6, revolvingly connected to the bottom 51 of the same chamber 5, in such a way as to stir the liquid substance S inside it in order to increase the part of its surface that is exposed to said evaporation process and to avoid the packing of the crystals.

[0036] It cannot be excluded, however, that in different embodiments of the invention said mixing means 6 can be absent.

[0037] Furthermore, in the preferred embodiment of the snow gun 1 of the invention, the inlet mouth 3 has, at the level of its end 31 communicating with the evaporation chamber 5, a plurality of nozzles 7 capable of distributing the conveyed liquid substance S as rain inside the same evaporation chamber 5. Also in this case, in an alternative embodiment of the invention the inlet mouth 3 can be in communication with the evaporation chamber 5 at the level of the bottom 51 of the latter.

[0038] In further embodiments of the invention, the liquid substance S can be conveyed into the evaporation chamber 5 in different manners, provided that they belong to the known art.

[0039] Therefore, with the evaporation process it is possible to obtain the production of steam V of the evaporated portion of the liquid substance S and the removal of heat from the remaining, non-evaporated mixture M of the same liquid substance S.

[0040] In greater detail, said mixture M is substantially constituted by a portion in the liquid state L and a portion in the crystallization phase C, as a consequence of the fact that heat is removed from the liquid substance S, supplied at the inlet of said evaporation chamber, thanks to the evaporation process.

[0041] It should be noted that with this evaporation process and, in particular, with the production of steam V, the pressure inside the evaporation chamber 5 tends to increase and, consequently, to interrupt the same evaporation process.

[0042] In order to avoid the interruption of the process, therefore, the snow gun 1 of the invention is provided with compression means 8 having their own inlet that communicates with said evaporation chamber 5, in such a way as to draw the steam V out of the latter and substantially maintain a condition of vacuum inside it.

[0043] Preferably, the compression means 8 comprise, as shown in Figure 1, a thermocompressor 81 that communicates with the ceiling 52 of said evaporation chamber 5 through a first inlet 811. The thermocompressor 81, also called ejector 81, is powered through a second inlet 812 by a steam generator 14 that produces a flow of high-pressure steam, called drive steam Va, that is capable of obtaining, at the level of the first inlet 811 of the ejector 81, the compression of the steam V to be removed from the evaporation chamber 5. The two fluids V and Va, mixed at the outlet 813 of the ejector 81, are conveyed to a condensation chamber 9, as is described in detail below.

[0044] It cannot be excluded, however, that in an alternative example not forming part of the invention, as shown in Figure 3, said compression means 8 may comprise a centrifugal or axial compressor 82 whose inlet is in communication with said evaporation chamber 5.

[0045] As already mentioned, the snow gun 1 of the invention furthermore comprises a condensation chamber 9 connected to the outlet 813 of said ejector 81, in such a way that the compressed steam V coming from the evaporation chamber 5 is introduced inside it.

[0046] The function of the condensation chamber 9 during the entire production process of the artificial snow N is to condense the steam V into a condensed liquid substance Sc, in such a way as to maintain a low pressure inside the same condensation chamber 9.

[0047] According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, said condensed liquid substance Sc is successively re-used in the production cycle of the snow gun 1 of the invention, meaning that it is conveyed into the steam generator 14 so that it is vaporized again and re-introduced in the cycle in the form of drive steam Va. For this purpose, said condensation chamber 9 is in communication with said steam generator 14. In an alternative example not forming part of this invention, said condensed liquid substance Sc can be used for other purposes or can simply be considered process waste. Furthermore, as can be observed in Figure 1, the condensation chamber 9 is suited to be connected to means for the generation of vacuum 10, in order to contribute to the creation and successive maintenance of vacuum conditions in the chambers 5 and 9 described up to now.

[0048] In particular, said vacuum generating means 10 comprise a vacuum generating pump 101.

[0049] According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the snow gun 1 furthermore comprises a crystallization tank 11 that communicates with the evaporation chamber 5 through a first duct 12 and suction means 13, in such a way as to allow the remaining non-evaporated mixture M to be transferred into the crystallization tank 11 itself.

[0050] Said transfer into the crystallization tank 11 makes it possible to implement a process of growth of the portion of the remaining mixture M in the crystallization phase C, thanks to which the artificial snow N is obtained.

[0051] The crystallization tank 11 is provided, along its side surface 111, with a point 16 for the extraction of the portion of non-evaporated mixture M in the liquid state L, in such a way as to separate and extract it from the portion in the crystallization phase C that is developing inside the same tank 11.

[0052] Finally, the snow gun 1 of the invention is provided with a collection unit 17 that is capable of collecting the artificial snow N and distributing it in the external environment through said outlet mouth 4, said artificial snow being the final result of the process of growth of the portion in the crystallization phase C inside the crystallization tank 11.

[0053] Preferably, but not necessarily, the collection unit 17 comprises screening means 18 suited to collect the artificial snow N from the inside of the crystallization tank 11, in such a way as to separate and further extract the remaining portion in the liquid state L from the snow N itself.

[0054] The collection unit 17 furthermore comprises means 19 for distributing the artificial snow N that are arranged at the outlet of the screening means 18 so as to distribute the snow N towards the external environment.

[0055] In particular, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, said distribution means 19 are constituted by a rotating drum 191.

[0056] In different embodiments of the snow gun 1 of the invention, said screening means 18 may be absent and the collection and distribution of the snow N may be carried out directly by the distribution means 19.

[0057] Moreover, in further embodiments of the invention, said distribution means 19 can be of a type different from the rotating drum 191, provided that they make it possible to distribute the snow N towards the external environment and that they belong to the known art.

[0058] According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, all of said components of the snow gun 1 are contained in a single casing 2.

[0059] In an alternative embodiment of the invention, as can be observed in Figure 4, the snow gun 1 may have two outer casings 21 and 22 in communication with each other.

[0060] In particular, inside the first casing 21 there are the evaporation chamber 5, the compression means 8, the condensation chamber 9 associated with the vacuum generating means 10 and the steam generator 14, while inside the second outer casing 22, communicating with the first casing 21 through the first duct 12, there are the crystallization tank 11 and the collection unit 17.

[0061] It cannot be excluded that in other embodiments of the invention, different from the preferred embodiment and from the alternative one just described above, the snow gun 1 of the invention may comprise more than two outer casings 2 in communication with one another, in such a way as to perform said process of production of artificial snow N.

[0062] As already explained above, the compactness of the gun 1 for the production of snow N of the invention advantageously makes it possible to comfortably replace the snow-making devices belonging to the known art, with no need to carry out further operations on the snowmaking system.

[0063] In particular, as already explained in the description of the known art, a snow-making system 200 comprises, as can be observed in Figure 5, a network of hydraulic pipes 201 suited to convey the liquid substance S to be processed from a collection point 202 to the various devices for the production of snow that are arranged along the slope P at predetermined distances from one another.

[0064] In order to allow the connection of the devices for the production of snow to the network of hydraulic pipes 201, in the points of the latter where said devices are to be installed there are traps 203 with special connection fittings.

[0065] According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the snow gun 1 of the invention is arranged, as a replacement of the devices of the known art, with its outer casing 2 partially inserted in the corresponding trap 203, as can be observed in Figure 6, obviously with the outlet mouth 4 directed towards the ski slope P.

[0066] It is not excluded, however, that in different embodiments said snow guns of the invention can be located completely outside said traps 203.

[0067] Therefore, the invention includes also the snow-making system 200 installed along a ski slope R which comprises a network of hydraulic pipes 201 arranged along the slope P and one or more guns 1 for the production of artificial snow N of the invention.

[0068] In particular, the network of hydraulic pipes 201 makes it possible to supply the liquid substance S to be processed to one or more guns 1 for the production of artificial snow N of the invention.

[0069] Based on that which has been explained above, it can thus be understood that the snow gun 1 of the invention and the snow-making system 200 of the invention achieve all of the set objects.

[0070] In particular, the invention achieves the object to provide a gun for the production of artificial snow that works independently of the external environmental conditions.

[0071] Consequently, the invention also achieves the object to provide a gun for the production of artificial snow that makes it possible to cover with snow ski slopes, snowparks or ski domes even in the days and/or periods of the year in which the temperature is not below the marginal temperature, usually -3°C.

[0072] The present invention achieves the further object to provide a gun for the production of artificial snow in which water without the addition of chemical substances is used as liquid substance to be processed.

[0073] The invention also achieves the object to provide a gun for the production of snow whose size and overall dimensions can be compared to those of the devices for the production of artificial snow, like snow guns or lances, that belong to the known art.

[0074] For this reason, another object achieved by the invention is the object to provide a gun for the production of artificial snow that is compatible with and can be used to comfortably replace said devices belonging to the known art, with no need to carry out operations on the structure of the already present snow-making system.

[0075] In the construction stage, the snow gun of the invention and the snow-making system can be subjected to construction variants that, although not represented and not described herein, must all be considered protected by the present patent, provided that they fall within the scope of the following claims.

REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader's convenience only. It does not form part of the European patent document. Even though great care has been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be excluded and the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.

Patent documents cited in the description • WQ2006090387A2 [66141 • US3443393A [60141 • US3342039A [66141

Claims

IMPROVED SNOW CANNON FOR THE MANUFACTURING OF THE ART

A snow cannon (1) for the production of the art (N), of the type comprising: - at least one inlet opening (3) suitable for being connected to a system for supplying a liquid substance (S) to be processed; - at least one outlet opening (4) for the artificial snow (N); - an evaporation chamber (5) in which the liquid substance (S) is introduced through the inlet opening (3), the evaporation chamber (5) being configured in such a way as to perform a process of evaporating part of the liquid substance (S) at its triple point and substantially under vacuum conditions, thereby obtaining steam (V) and removing heat from the remaining non-evaporated mixture (M) of the liquid substance (S) constituting a portion of the liquid state (L) and a portion of the crystallization phase (C); - a condensing chamber (9) communicating with the evaporation chamber (5) through the insertion of compression means (8) configured in such a way that the steam (V) is withdrawn from the evaporation chamber (5) and is substantially maintained. a vacuum relationship within it, the condensing chamber (9) being configured in such a way as to condense the steam (V) which is compressed by the compression means (8) into a condensed liquid substance (Sc); vacuum generating means (10) connected to the condensing chamber (9) and configured in such a way that they generate and successively maintain the evaporation chamber (5) and the condensing chamber (9) under vacuum conditions; a crystallization tank (11) connected to the evaporation chamber (5) through a first conduit (12) and suction means (13) for transferring the remaining non-evaporated mixture (M) to the crystallization tank (11), the crystallization tank (11) is configured in such a way that a growth process of the moiety in the crystallization phase (C) is implemented to obtain the artificial snow (N); characterized in that the compression means comprise a thermocompressor (81) which communicates with the evaporation chamber (5) through a first inlet (811) and with a steam generator (14) through a second inlet (812), the steam generator being configured so that it produces a high-pressure vapor stream (Va) suitable for compressing the vapor (V) at the level of the first inlet (811) to remove it from the evaporation chamber (5) and to transport it towards the condensing chamber (9) through a outlet (813) in the thermocompressor (81), the condensing chamber (9) communicating with the steam generator (14) in such a way that the condensed liquid substance (Sc) is atomized and reintroduced into the cycle in the form of the high pressure steam (Va).

Snow cannon (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a withdrawal unit (17) configured in such a way that the artificial snow (N) is withdrawn from the crystallization tank (11) and distributed in the external environment through the outlet opening ( 4).

Snow gun (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the withdrawal unit (17) comprises: - means for sieving (18) the artificial snow (N), which means are located at the outlet of the crystallization tank (11) and configured in such a way that the portion in the liquid state (L) is separated and extracted from the artificial snow (N); means for distributing (19) the artificial snow (N), which are arranged at the outlet of the screening means (18) and configured for distributing the artificial snow (N) into the external environment.

Snow cannon (1) according to claim 3), characterized in that the distribution means (19) comprise a rotating drum (191).

Snow cannon (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inlet opening (3) is arranged at the level of its end (31) which is connected to the evaporating chamber (5) with one or more nozzles. (7), which is suitable for distributing the liquid substance (S) as rain in the evaporation chamber (5).

Snow cannon (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the crystallization tank (11) along the side surface (111) comprises at least one extraction point (16) for the portion in the liquid state (L) of the remaining non-liquid state (L). evaporated mixture (M).

Snow cannon (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the liquid substance (S) is water.

Snow making system (200) suitable for installation along a ski slope (P), characterized in that it comprises a network of hydraulic lines (201) laid along the slope (P) and one or more guns (1) for the manufacture of the art (N), of the type according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the network of hydraulic lines (201) is configured in such a way as to provide one or more snow cannons (1) with a liquid substance (S) to be processed.