GB2452947A - Cooling a Ski Slope and Drainage of Moisture - Google Patents
Cooling a Ski Slope and Drainage of Moisture Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2452947A GB2452947A GB0718331A GB0718331A GB2452947A GB 2452947 A GB2452947 A GB 2452947A GB 0718331 A GB0718331 A GB 0718331A GB 0718331 A GB0718331 A GB 0718331A GB 2452947 A GB2452947 A GB 2452947A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- duct
- base
- air
- snow
- moisture
- 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.)
- Withdrawn
Links
- 238000001816 cooling Methods 0.000 title abstract description 3
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims description 5
- 238000004378 air conditioning Methods 0.000 abstract description 2
- 239000004927 clay Substances 0.000 abstract description 2
- 238000005057 refrigeration Methods 0.000 abstract description 2
- 239000012466 permeate Substances 0.000 abstract 2
- 238000007710 freezing Methods 0.000 abstract 1
- 230000008014 freezing Effects 0.000 abstract 1
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 6
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 230000015572 biosynthetic process Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000010276 construction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000007547 defect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000002844 melting Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000008018 melting Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000013508 migration Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000005012 migration Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000003204 osmotic effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000003507 refrigerant Substances 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E01—CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS, RAILWAYS, OR BRIDGES
- E01C—CONSTRUCTION OF, OR SURFACES FOR, ROADS, SPORTS GROUNDS, OR THE LIKE; MACHINES OR AUXILIARY TOOLS FOR CONSTRUCTION OR REPAIR
- E01C13/00—Pavings or foundations specially adapted for playgrounds or sports grounds; Drainage, irrigation or heating of sports grounds
- E01C13/10—Pavings or foundations specially adapted for playgrounds or sports grounds; Drainage, irrigation or heating of sports grounds for artificial surfaces for outdoor or indoor practice of snow or ice sports
- E01C13/12—Pavings or foundations specially adapted for playgrounds or sports grounds; Drainage, irrigation or heating of sports grounds for artificial surfaces for outdoor or indoor practice of snow or ice sports for snow sports, e.g. skiing or ski tow track
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Architecture (AREA)
- Civil Engineering (AREA)
- Structural Engineering (AREA)
- Duct Arrangements (AREA)
Abstract
A ski slope has a duct 2 below a layer of snow 1, and within the duct a cooled and dehumidified air stream flows. The duct has a permeable wall such that moisture on the outside of the duct permeates through the duct wall and is removed by the air stream. The duct may be arranged integrally with a base (2 fig 2) or may be arranged above a base 3. Cooling may be provided by an air conditioning unit, a refrigeration unit, or from the cold environment of an outdoor snow piste. The air pressure in the duct may be maintained at less than atmospheric pressure, such that air and moisture are drawn through the permeable wall. Alternatively, moisture may permeate the wall by osmosis, and the wall may be impervious to air flow. The duct may permit heat transfer between the cooled air and the snow, such that the snow is cooled by the duct. The duct may be made of clay pottery or concrete, and the permeable duct prevents moisture condensing and freezing on the outer surface of the duct.
Description
* 2452947
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAINTAINING THE SNOW BED IN A SKI
PISTE
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a method of maintaining and preserving the snow in a ski piste.
Description of Related Art.
UK patent 2342148 describes a method of preserving the snow by injecting cooled air through nozzles in ducts buried in the snow.
For these methods the method of construction is expensive and does not prevent ice build around the duct supplying the nozzles.
A number of existing artificial ski slopes are cooled by plastic pipe conveying chilled water or refrigerant. These systems suffer from the defect that moisture in the air around the snow condenses and then freezes on the outer surface of the pipes, this forms a thick layer of ice that has to be periodically removed.
Pipe systems can also lead to damage to the snow if there is a leak.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method of cooling the snow by conveying dry cold air in a permeable duct or slab buried beneath the snow.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a cross section with ducts on top of the slab and beneath the snow Figure 2 is a cross section with ducts inside the base slab beneath the snow.
Figure 3 is a plan.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION.
In Figure I the snow (I) lies on top of a base (3). Ducts (2) made of a permeable material such as clay pottery or concrete are laid on top of the base and beneath the snow. Air is drawn through the ducts. The air is cooled and de-humidified.
In Figure 2 the snow (I) lies on top of a base (2). The base is made of a permeable material such as concrete. The base is formed with continuous holes to form ducts (3) Air is drawn through the ducts. The air is cooled and de-humidified.
in the case of an indoor snow piste the air in the building is cooled by refrigeration or air conditioning system. In the case of an outdoor snow piste the air is cooled by natural means.
In the case of an indoor snow piste, snow is produced by a snow making device and settles in a layer on a base. In the case of an outdoor snow piste the natural base has ducts made of permeable material placed upon it.
Air is drawn through the ducts or permeable base. The air in the ducts is dehumidified and cooled so that heat is transferred from the snow to prevent melting. The duct or base is permeable so that water vapour that might condense on the surface passes through by osmotic pressure to the dry air inside the duct or beneath the base.
The moisture entrained in the air passing through the ducts or base will then be extracted in a heat exchanger.
The air in the permeable duct or base is kept at a lower moisture content than the air in the snow so that there is a continuous migration of moisture from the snow to the air in the duct or base. In this manner the snow is kept in a dry condition preventing the formation of slush whilst the outer surface of the duct or base is kept free of ice and ice will be prevented from forming beneath the snow layer.
Claims (4)
- WHAT IS CLAIMED IS: Claim 1.A base constructed of permeable material beneath which air at a low temperature and lower vapour pressure than that above the base is passed so that moisture in the air in the snow is not condensed upon the surface of the base but is transferred though the permeable layer.
- Claim 2 A base upon which ducts made of permeable material is laid below the snow through which at a low temperature and lower vapour pressure than that above the base is passed so that moisture in the air in the snow is not condensed upon the surface of the base but is transferred though the permeable layer.
- Claim 3 A permeable base or duct in Claim I or Claim 2 where there is no physical transfer of air through the permeable layer or duct wall but moisture is transferred by osmosis.
- Claim 4.A permeable base or ducts as in Claim I or Claim 2 where the air in the base or ducts is kept at below atmospheric pressure so that air from the snow layer is drawn through the duct or base wall.Claim 5 A permeable base or ducts as in Claim I or Claim 2 where there is moisture transfer by both osmosis and physical air transfer.Claim 6 A permeable base or ducts as in Claims I or Claim 2 where the base of the snow is cooled by heat transfer through the wall of the duct or base to air inside which is cold.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB0718331A GB2452947A (en) | 2007-09-20 | 2007-09-20 | Cooling a Ski Slope and Drainage of Moisture |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB0718331A GB2452947A (en) | 2007-09-20 | 2007-09-20 | Cooling a Ski Slope and Drainage of Moisture |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB0718331D0 GB0718331D0 (en) | 2007-10-31 |
| GB2452947A true GB2452947A (en) | 2009-03-25 |
Family
ID=38670205
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB0718331A Withdrawn GB2452947A (en) | 2007-09-20 | 2007-09-20 | Cooling a Ski Slope and Drainage of Moisture |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB2452947A (en) |
Citations (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPH03137313A (en) * | 1989-10-20 | 1991-06-11 | Toyoji Goto | Plumbing device for outdoor stadium |
| GB2325298A (en) * | 1997-05-16 | 1998-11-18 | Mitsubishi Heavy Ind Ltd | Indoor skiing ground |
| US20050239564A1 (en) * | 2002-10-10 | 2005-10-27 | Henri Mollin | Skiing run with means for preserving snow |
| GB2427532A (en) * | 2005-06-23 | 2007-01-03 | Proctor Group Ltd A | Ground drainage system |
-
2007
- 2007-09-20 GB GB0718331A patent/GB2452947A/en not_active Withdrawn
Patent Citations (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPH03137313A (en) * | 1989-10-20 | 1991-06-11 | Toyoji Goto | Plumbing device for outdoor stadium |
| GB2325298A (en) * | 1997-05-16 | 1998-11-18 | Mitsubishi Heavy Ind Ltd | Indoor skiing ground |
| US20050239564A1 (en) * | 2002-10-10 | 2005-10-27 | Henri Mollin | Skiing run with means for preserving snow |
| GB2427532A (en) * | 2005-06-23 | 2007-01-03 | Proctor Group Ltd A | Ground drainage system |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB0718331D0 (en) | 2007-10-31 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAP | Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1) |