EP0787960A2

EP0787960A2 - High performance snowmaker

Info

Publication number: EP0787960A2
Application number: EP97830031A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Luciano Marcantoni; Ivano Marcantoni
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1996-02-02
Filing date: 1997-01-31
Publication date: 1997-08-06
Also published as: EP0787960A3; ITVR960004U1; IT241283Y1

Abstract

The device consists of a snowmaker composed of a particular combination between a low pressure snowmaker and a high pressure snowmaker, offering the advantage that the flow of air generated by a fan in the low pressure snowmaker substantially lengthens the trajectory of the jet exiting from the high pressure snowmaker, creating consequent high performance combined with low energy consumption.

Basically the snowmaker (1) in question is composed of manifold tube (2) that conveys the air produced by fan (3), located in its rear section, towards outlet opening (4) where crown of nozzles (5) is installed. High pressure snowmaker (7) is installed in the inner central part of manifold tube (2). Compressed air and water arrive inside this unit supplied, respectively, by pipelines (8) and (9).

Description

The present invention has as its object a high performance snowmaker which functions to make snow in skiing establishments.
As is known, snowmakers can be classified in two basic categories: low pressure snowmakers, also called low pressure snowmaking "guns" and high pressure snowmakers, also called high pressure snowmaking "guns".
Low pressure snowmakers are generally composed of a fan powered by an electric motor, a manifold tube to convey the air generated by the fan and a nozzle-bearing crown located at the outlet from the manifold tube and used to spray the water in the direction of the air flow generated by the fan.
Other special nozzles are installed external to the nozzle-bearing crown, called nucleators and which spray a mixture of water and compressed air. These nozzles function to generate high level atomization of a certain amount of water so as to create the seeding germs for crystallization of the mass of water exiting from the inner nozzles in the crown. The compressed air necessary for these nozzles can be furnished by a compressor mounted on the machine or by a central compressor that supplies the entire snowmaking system where the snowmaker is working.
Snowmakers with fans are called low pressure snowmakers because they exploit the air generated by the fan and which has very low pressures.
High pressure snowmakers, on the other hand, consist of a special supply valve that compressed air and water are delivered to. Water is broken up by the compressed air present in the valve, generating very small water droplets which freeze when they come in contact with the external ambient and transform into ice crystals. These snowmakers are also called high pressure snowmakers because they use compressed air.
The quantity of water that can be used to produce snow depends on the external ambient temperature: the lower the temperature the more water that can be transformed into snow. The flow of water consequently varies depending on the temperature.
Certain limits, both in terms of snow quality and quantity, have been encountered when using low pressure snowmakers at marginal temperatures. High pressure snowmakers have optimized atomization of water particles by introducing compressed air but, due to a maximum flow rate limit, the atomized particles in this case can only be delivered with a limited trajectory, still permitting good snow production at marginal temperatures. It is not possible to produce snow beyond these maximum delivery limits, however, not even at very low temperatures.
The purpose of the present invention is to eliminate the limits encountered by the two known snowmaking systems and to combine their positive qualities, creating a new snowmaker that includes the advantages offered by a low pressure snowmaker and those offered by a high pressure snowmaker, achieving a first fundamental advantage by which the flow of air generated by the low pressure fan greatly lengthens the trajectory of the jet exiting from the high pressure snowmaker, permitting the water to remain suspended for a longer time and consequently have more time available for crystallization.
A second advantage is the fact that the flow of air created by the fan absorbs heat from the jet of water. This means that snow production can be increased while temperature remains the same.
The innovation in question also has the advantage of being able to increase the delivery rate of high pressure snowmakers by introducing water from the outside through the crown of a low pressure snowmaker which also maintains its nucleators and, obviously, its fan. In this way we obtain simultaneous operation of two machines.
These objects, advantages and particular functions are all achieved by the present invention by a high performance snowmaker characterized by the fact that it is composed of a particular combination between a low pressure snowmaker and a high pressure snowmaker and by the fact that it includes a manifold tube, at least one fan, at least one nozzle-bearing crown which is in part composed of nucleating nozzles and is installed at the outlet from the manifold tube and at least one high pressure snowmaker placed in the center of the aforementioned manifold tube. The compressed air from the nucleating nozzles can be taken from that introduced in the aforementioned high pressure snowmaker, and part of the water introduced into the snowmaker is controlled by a pressure reducer for subsequent delivery to the high pressure snowmaker where it is mixed with compressed air. The remaining part of water is filtered to feed the crown segments and nucleators, these latter being controlled by a pressure stabilizer/reducer.
Other characteristics and details of the present invention are better explained in the following description of a preferential executive form illustrated, as an indicative but not limiting form, in the attached drawing where:
fig. 1 gives a schematic and perspective view of the overall snowmaker according to the present invention. In reference to the attached figure, 1 is used to indicate a complete assembly of a snowmaker according to the invention which is principally used in high pressure snowmaking systems, including already existing systems, where it substantially increases performance. Snowmaker 1 is composed of manifold tube 2 which conveys the air produced by fan 3, situated in its rear section, towards outlet opening 4 where crown of nozzles 5 is located.
Nozzles 5 installed on the crown are used to spray water in the direction of the flow of air generated by the fan. The crown can be composed of a variable number of nozzles 5 depending on design choices even though the number of nozzles should preferably be high, for example 156, subdivided into three independent rings.
Other special nucleating nozzles 6 are installed external to nozzle-bearing crown 5. These generate a mixture of water and compressed air. These nozzles function to generate a high degree of atomization of a certain quantity of water, creating the seeding germs for crystallizing the mass of water exiting from internal nozzles 5 of the crown.
The number of nucleators 6 can also vary depending on design choices.
The compressed air necessary for nucleating nozzles 6 can be furnished by a compressor mounted on the machine or by a centralized compressor that supplies the snowmaking system of which the machine is a part. High pressure snowmaker 7 is installed in the central section of manifold tube 2. Compressed air and water, respectively supplied by pipelines 8 and 9, are delivered to the inside of this snowmaker.
In order to function the snowmaker according to the invention requires electrical energy to drive fan 3 and sensors for parts subject to freezing. It also requires water at a pressure of approximately 10-30 bar and compressed air at a pressure of approximately 5-10 bar. Water and air are furnished by a centralized pump in the snowmaking system or by auxiliary pumps mounted directly on the snowmaker.
Air arrives directly into high pressure snowmaker 7. A small part of air is used to operate nucleators 6 on the crown. The air that goes to nucleators 6 can be controlled by pressure reducer 10, used when the system functions with air pressures that are too high. Water comes to the snowmaker under pressure. Part of the water is checked by pressure reducer 11 and then sent to nozzle 7 where it is mixed with the compressed air. The remaining water is filtered and sent to nozzles 5 and to nucleators 6. Water sent to nucleators 6 on the crown is controlled by pressure reducer 12 that stabilizes its pressure.
Crown segments are opened or closed depending on the external ambient temperature. Consequently it is possible to start making snow at relatively high temperatures and achieve higher performance at lower temperatures.
Another advantage is represented by the fact that the entire system can be automated and monitored by an electronic control unit or a similar device.
And, according to a possible variant, the aforementioned high pressure snowmaker can be simply combined with a manifold tube and a fan to convey its jet.
As it is possible to see the snowmaker in question combines the production principles of high pressure and low pressure snowmaking, achieving simultaneous operation of two machines that collaborate with each other and achieving all the consequent advantages. The snowmaker in question has been described and illustrated according to a preferential solution but several variants can be forecast, technically equivalent to the aforementioned components and machine parts, and which are therefore to be held to be included within the limits of protection of the present invention.

Claims

High performance snowmaker (1) characterized by the fact that it is composed of a particular combination between snowmaking elements designed to be activated simultaneously and in a combined manner in order to permit more effective snowmaking actions; these snowmaking elements consist of a low pressure snowmaker and a high pressure snowmaker (7); the aforesaid snowmaker includes a manifold tube (2), at least one fan (3), at least one nozzle-bearing crown (5) which is preferably in part composed of nucleating nozzles (6), placed at the outlet (4) from the manifold tube (2) and at least one high pressure snowmaker (7) placed in the center of this manifold tube (2).
High performance snowmaker (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized by the fact that the compressed air goes directly to the aforesaid high pressure snowmaker (7) whereas part of the air is taken and used to operate the aforementioned nucleating nozzles (6), if necessary going through a suitable pressure regulator (10).
High performance snowmaker (1) according to the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that at least part of the water introduced into the snowmaker is controlled by a pressure reducer (11) and then sent to the high pressure snowmaker (7) where it is mixed with compressed air while the remaining part of the water is filtered to feed the crown segments and nucleators which latter are controlled by a pressure reducer-stabilizer (12).
High performance snowmaker (1) according to the previous claims, characterized by the fact that water flow adjustment is obtained by opening or closing the several segments on the aforementioned crown (5).
High performance snowmaker (1) according to the previous claims, characterized by the fact that the particular combination between a low pressure snowmaker and a high pressure snowmaker (7) offers high performance with low energy consumption, which is the energy absorbed by the fan (3).
High performance snowmaker (1) according to the previous claims, characterized by the fact that the entire system can be monitored and automated by an electronic control unit or similar device.
High performance snowmaker (1) according to the previous claims, characterized by the fact that according to a possible variant the aforementioned high pressure snowmaker (7) can be simply combined with a manifold tube (2) and a fan (3).