EP0945694B1 - Method and device for making snow - Google Patents

Abstract

A continuously operating flake ice producer (3) is positioned on a mobile or stationary frame (1), and cooperates with a blower and mixer unit (16) with housing open at the top. The flake-ice producer consists of a cylindrical drum (4) whose inner surface is in the form of a cooling casing moistened with water to form a layer of ice. The layer of ice is continuously scraped off by an ice-scraper rotating on the drum's center lengthwise axis. The ice is removed in the form of flake ice (15). Pressurized air enters by an inlet (20) opposite an outlet (21).

Description

The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for producing snow according to the preamble of independent patent claims 1 and 4.

So-called snow cannons for generating snow from the prior art Known snow. Such snow cannons are used to secure the Guaranteed snow in ski areas. Disadvantage of the previously known Snow cannons is that they only operate at temperatures around freezing or including being able to produce snow. This is due to the principle of snow production. With snow cannons, water is atomized finely and by a blower blown out, this water at a correspondingly lower Ambient temperature crystallizes and precipitates as snow. A Snow cannons of this type are described in US-A-4,593,854. Disadvantage here is as already indicated above, that such snow cannons only in the area work below freezing.

EP-A-0 034 930 relates to a method and a device for producing Ice and snow, initially at temperatures around or below the Freezing point of water over a pipe of a straight, elongated Surface water is supplied, which freezes to ice on the surface. to A device is provided for converting the ice into snow, which prevents the ice from removed and crushed the surface using a blower can be used to blow the snow onto the surface to be humidified.

US-A-2 066 431 relates to an apparatus for making ice cream, which has a plurality of cooled cylindrical tubes arranged in a container. The inner surfaces of the tubes are continuously wetted with water, whereby Ice forms on the surfaces, which means inside the tubes arranged ice scraper is removed and for further use Available.

US-A-4 549 408 discloses an apparatus for making ice cubes a cooled drum, the inner surface of which is continuously wetted with water becomes. The water freezes to ice on the surface and is transformed by means of a Cutting device removed from the surface and shaped into ice cubes.

GB-A-2 324 596 shows a device as the closest prior art for the production of snow, which consists of a cooled drum, the inner Surface is sprayed with water that freezes to ice on the surface. The ice is removed from the surface using a spiral scraper and subsequently crushed into snow particles by a rotating knife.

The devices known from the prior art have the disadvantage that either not suitable for mobile use, only at temperatures around the freezing point to work or a small compared to the size To have production output. Furthermore, the facilities have no means to to supply the snow produced to its place of use in a simple manner

The present invention has for its object a method and a To propose a device for producing snow, with which, in essentially regardless of the ambient temperature, snow on site with a high generation rate can be produced.

The task set is characterized by the characteristics of the independent Claims 1 and 4 solved.

The invention is based on the fact that a suitable device in known Way and continuously flake ice is produced, which in a mixing and Blower unit mixed with air and blown into the environment.

Flake ice is produced in an actively cooled drum and is essentially independent of the ambient temperature.

The entire device is preferably designed and has a mobile device Sliding shoes or rollers so that they can be used to produce snow directly on site can be transported. Training as a stationary device is also possible.

The flake ice machine consists of a cylindrical drum, whose inner surface is designed as a cooling jacket, which wets with water is so that an ice layer forms, which by means of a around the central longitudinal axis the drum rotating ice scraper is scraped off continuously and as Flake ice can be removed. The thickness (thickness) of the flake ice leaves yourself in by regulating the water supply and the speed of the ice scraper change wide areas.

There will be a significant increase in flake ice production achieved in that in the drum coaxial to the outer cooling jacket at least a second inner cooling jacket is arranged, both on its radially inward as well as on its radially outer surface Water is wetted. As with the outer cooling jacket, here too assigned to the surface wetted with water ice scraper, which around the Rotate the central longitudinal axis of the drum and the ice that forms on the cooling jacket Scrape. By using a second inner cooling jacket, the So increase the ice production rate by about the area ratio factor 3.

The mixing and blowing unit is designed to shred the flake ice and to mix with air so that the volume is increased and blowing out of "snow" to the environment is possible. The mixing and Blower unit on an open housing, in which a rotatingly driven Cell wheel is arranged. There is one in the lower area of the housing Injection opening for the supply of compressed air and, approximately opposite the Blowing opening, a blowing opening. Depending on the position of the cell wheel of the mixing and blowing unit forms between the housing and the webs of the cellular wheel a cavity which is pressurized with compressed air through the injection opening, so that the snow-shaped flake ice contained therein mixed with air and through the Blow-out opening is blown out. This gives the possibility of the snow via hose lines over 100 m and more, depending on the compressor capacity promote (increased mobility).

In a preferred embodiment, the flake ice is by means of a Conveyor from flake ice machine to mixing and blowing unit transported. Of course, it is also provided that the mixing and blowing unit is direct is arranged on the flake ice machine, so that the conveyor is omitted.

The cooling jackets are cooled by means of a cooling generator, which Cooling jackets supplied with cooling fluid.

Depending on the capacity and size of the snow gun, that is provided Power supply for the drive of the motors, for the compressed air generation, for the Drive the refrigeration generator, etc., as a separate transportable unit. The Supply is essentially independent of the energy source, e.g. B. tension from Network, power generator, hydraulic power transmission etc. This has the advantage that smaller units are formed that are easier to transport individually and have it stationed on the ski slope.

Main advantage of the invention is the ability to snow even at temperatures above the freezing point and the mobility of the entire system, which thereby can be positioned directly at the place to be snowed. Since the device is a has active cooling and snow production, for example at minus 20 ° Celsius is done, the consistency of the snow produced is much better than with conventional snow cannons. That means that the snow produced also at has a very good durability at higher temperatures. A very big benefit the invention lies in securing the snow reliability of the ski areas also in Spring with warmer temperatures. Loss in sales, e.g. B. because of locked Valley runs can be avoided.

Another area of application is the trend-setting indoor ski arenas, the with such a device can be inexpensively supplied with high quality snow can.

The invention is described below using an exemplary embodiment Reference to several drawing figures explained in more detail.

Fig. 1:

Eine schematische Seitenansicht des Schnee-Erzeugers mit den wichtigsten Baugruppen;

Fig. 2:

einen Querschnitt durch die Misch- und Blaseinheit;

Fig. 3:

einen Längsschnitt durch den Doppelmantel-Scherbeneiserzeuger;

Fig. 4:

einen Querschnitt durch den Doppelmantel-Scherbeneiserzeuger;

Fig. 5:

eine schematisch Darstellung des Transportes des Schnee-Erzeugers.

It shows:

Fig. 1:

A schematic side view of the snow gun with the most important components;

Fig. 2:

a cross section through the mixing and blowing unit;

Fig. 3:

a longitudinal section through the double-wall flake ice machine;

Fig. 4:

a cross section through the double-wall flake ice machine;

Fig. 5:

a schematic representation of the transport of the snow producer.

Figure 1 shows the mobile snow gun, consisting of a Frame construction 1, which with skids 2 or wheels (not shown) is provided. This frame construction 1 carries the various assemblies of the Device, wherein in operation the frame structure 1 by metal or Plastic sheets (not shown) is clad.

The heart of the snow generator is the flake ice generator 3, which consists of a actively cooled drum 4, which via a water meter 6 and the Water supply 7 water is supplied. The supplied water freezes on the Inner wall of the drum 4 to ice and is solved by means of ice scrapers, which by a drive 5 are driven in rotation.

A cooling generator 8 is provided as cooling for this drum 4. This delivers a cooled cooling fluid, which the flake ice machine 3 via the line 12th is fed and leaves the drum 4 via line 11 again. Between Flake ice maker 3 and cold generator 8, a heat exchanger 9 is provided, which cools the cooling fluid before entering the cooling generator 8. For support of the cooling capacity, a fan 10 can be provided. With increased cooling requirements Several heat exchangers can also be provided.

The flake ice 15 produced by the flake ice generator 3 occurs on the underside of the Drum 4 falls out and falls onto a conveyor 14 which contains the flake ice 15 conveyed in direction 24 and fed to a mixing and blowing unit 16. How to get in Figure 2 recognizes the mixing and blowing unit 16 includes a housing 22 in which a cell wheel 17 which is driven to rotate in the direction of rotation 23 is arranged. The Flake ice 15 is fed through the conveyor 14 and passes through an opening in the housing 22 and in the individual chambers of the cellular wheel 17th The cellular wheel is driven by a motor 18. The mechanical Effect of the cellular wheel 17, the flake ice 15 is crushed somewhat and arrives in the lower area of the housing 22, where an injection opening 20 is arranged, which is connected via a pipeline to a compressed air generator 19. The Compressed air generated passes through the injection opening 20 in the lower region of the Housing 22 and the corresponding chamber of the cellular wheel 17, which crushed flake ice 15 is mixed with air and immediately by a blowing opening 21 lying opposite the blowing opening 20 as snow to the Environment is blown out. A hose line can be connected to the outlet opening 21 be connected so that the snow is blown specifically to the site can be.

Figures 3 and 4 show a longitudinal section or cross section through the Double-wall flake ice machine 3. The flake ice machine consists of a approximately cylindrical drum 4, in which an outer cooling jacket 26 and at least one inner cooling jacket 27 are arranged, which with cooling fluid are flowed through, which is supplied by the refrigeration generator 8. The necessary Water for flake ice production passes from the water metering device 6 via the Water supply 7 in a water collecting basin 28 and from there via openings 29 the individual water distributors 30a, 30b and 30c, which are in several over the Circumference of the drum are distributed. These water distributors end in the upper area the cooling jackets 26, 27 and wet the respective surface in that the Water trickles down the cooling jackets, becoming thin Ice layer freezes. Excess water gets into a collecting channel 31 and is in turn fed to the water meter 6. There are three surfaces of the Cooling jackets 26, 27 wet, namely the inner surface of the outer cooling jacket 26 and the inner and outer surface of the inner cooling jacket 27. Die resulting ice layer is in each case one of the surfaces of the cooling jackets 26, 27 assigned ice scraper 32, 33, 34 scraped off. The ice scrapers are by means of a holding arm 37 attached to a shaft 25, which by a drive 5th is driven in rotation. Due to the continuous wetting of the surfaces of the Cooling jackets 26, 27 continuously form an ice layer, which by means of the rotating Ice scraper 32 to 34 is scraped off cyclically, so that thin ice flakes, in Specialist jargon known as flake ice. As can be seen in Figure 4, the Layer of ice on the cooling jackets before scraping by the ice scrapers 32 to 34 freed of excess water by pullers 35, 36. The pullers or the Ice scrapers rotate in the direction of rotation 38.

The drum 4 of the flake ice machine 3 is largely open at the bottom, so that the scraped-off flake ice 15 falls out of the drum in the direction of arrow 39 and is available for further use.

FIG. 5 illustrates the mobility of the snow generator 41 according to the invention, which is equipped with runners 2 or wheels and thus of a suitable Tractor 40, in the example of a snow groomer, to be pulled to the site can. To ensure better mobility of the unit, the Power generation for the snow generator 41 by a separate unit 42 respectively. With snow producers of lower capacity, this energy production can 42 can also be integrated.

drawing Legend

1

frame assembly

2

skid

3

Flake ice

4

drum

5

drive

6

Wasserdosierer

7

water supply

8th

cold generator

9

heat exchangers

10

fan

11

management

12

management

13

management

14

Conveyor

15

flake

16

Mixing and blowing unit

17

feeder

18

drive

19

Air compressor

20

inflation opening

21

exhaust vent

22

casing

23

direction of rotation

24

conveying direction

25

wave

26

Cooling jacket (outside)

27

Cooling jacket (inside)

28

melting pot

29

openings

30a-c

water distributor

31

collecting channel

32

Ice scraper

33

Ice scraper

34

Ice scraper (outside)

35

Puller

36

Puller (outside)

37

holding arm

38

Direction of rotation of the Scraper, puller

39

arrow

40

tractor

41

Generators of snow

42

energy producers

Claims (13)

1. Method for producing snow in which flake ice is continuously produced by a flake ice generator (3) comprising a cylindrical drum (4), a refrigerator (8) being provided which supplies the cooling jackets (26, 27) with refrigerating fluid, the inner surface of the drum being configured as a cooling jacket (26) which is wetted with water so that an ice layer forms which is continuously scraped off by an ice scraper (34) rotating about the central longitudinal axis of the drum (4) and can be removed as flake ice (15), and the flake ice being fed to a mixing and blowing unit where it is mixed with air and blown out into the environment, characterized in that in addition to the outer cooling jacket (26) at least one inner cooling jacket (27) is used which is wetted with water on both its radially inner and its radially outer surfaces so that an ice layer forms on the radially inner and radially outer surfaces which is continuously scraped off by ice scrapers.
2. Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that the snow is produced directly at the point of use.
3. Method according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, characterized in that depending on the position of the rotary-vane feeder of the mixing and blowing unit a void is formed between the casing and the vanes of the feeder into which compressed-air enters through an inlet so that the flake ice is mixed with air and blown out through an outlet.
4. Apparatus for producing snow, comprising:

   a frame arrangement (1) with a flake ice generator (3) for continuous production of flake ice arranged thereon, which flake ice generator (3) consists of a cylindrical drum (4) whose inner surface is configured as a cooling jacket (26) which is wetted with water so that an ice layer forms which is continuously scraped off by an ice scraper (34) rotating about the central longitudinal axis of the drum (4) and can be removed as flake ice (15), and also a blowing and mixing unit (16) for fragmenting the flake ice, mixing it with air and ejecting it, and a refrigerator (8) which supplies the cooling jackets (26, 27) with refrigerating fluid, characterized by:

   at least one inner cooling jacket (27) arranged inside the drum (4) coaxially with the outer cooling jacket (26), and wetted with water on both its radially inner and its radially outer surfaces, the radially inner and radially outer surfaces each being associated to an ice scraper (32, 33) which rotates about the central longitudinal axis of the drum (4) and makes flake ice (15).
5. Apparatus according to Claim 4, characterized in that the frame arrangement (1) is configured to be mobile or stationary.
6. Apparatus according to Claim 4 or Claim 5, characterized in that the ice scrapers (32, 33) rotate about the central longitudinal axis of the drum (4).
7. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the radially outer ice scraper (34) is driven by an external drive.
8. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 4 to 7, characterized in that the mixing and blowing unit (16) has an open casing (22) in which a rotary-vane feeder (17), driven in rotation, is arranged.
9. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 4 to 8, characterized in that a compressed-air inlet (20) is arranged in the lower region of the casing (22) and a blower outlet (21) is arranged approximately opposite the said inlet (20).
10. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 4 to 9, characterized in that the mixing and blowing unit (16) is arranged directly underneath the flake ice generator (3).
11. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 4 to 10, characterized in that a conveyor (24) which receives the flake ice (15) produced and transports it to the mixing and blowing unit (16) is arranged underneath the flake ice generator (3).
12. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 4 to 11, characterized in that the frame arrangement (1) is configured as a trailer with rollers and/or runners (2).
13. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 4 to 12, characterized in that a separate power generator (42) is provided to supply the apparatus with power.

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