JP2540799Y2 - Ski resort - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a ski resort in which artificial slopes other than snow caused by natural snowfall are piled up on a slope constructed on the ground surface.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Natural snowfall and snowfall depend on the natural outside temperature and humidity. However, in Japan, there are many places where ski resorts are provided with the purpose of utilizing natural snowfall of natural snowfall that has been piled up on natural mountains, etc., and suffer from lack of snow.

Recently, an artificially sloped slope has been constructed in the suburbs of a large city where there is almost no natural snowfall even in winter, and the slope is artificially created from the beginning instead of the natural snow of natural snowfall. Construction of an artificial skiing area that is open all year, and is made of artificial snow, is underway.

[0004] Artificial snow other than such natural snowfall is roughly classified into the following three types. (1) A method in which fine water droplets are sprayed into cold air using a so-called artificial snowfall machine to produce a large amount of fine ice particles close to a sphere, and the snow is deposited on the slope as snow. This method is used in ski resorts that utilize natural mountains, etc., and is used in rural areas suffering from the lack of snow due to natural snowfall. There are many places. It can be said that the snow produced by the artificial snowfall machine artificially reproduces natural snow.

(2) A method in which a large number of artificially crushed ice particles are produced by a crusher and the resulting ice particles are snow-covered on a slope. (3) A water-swellable polymer swollen with water is sprayed and frozen to form snow, or a cooled polymer material having properties similar to snow is converted to snow, and this is applied to a slope. A method of snow accumulation. The methods (2) and (3) are generally used to enable skiing in places and at times when natural snow accumulation cannot be expected.

Meanwhile, the artificial snow described above cools the snow or its surroundings or maintains a constant low temperature in order to maintain the snow itself or after snow accumulation, that is, to prevent melting and maintain good snow quality. It must be kept in a state. Especially,
In cases (2) and (3), the natural outside air temperature is often used for snow cover in places and times of climatic and natural conditions that are not suitable for the formation and maintenance of natural snow. Cold air is not available and needs to be artificially and almost always cooled to low temperatures.

[0007] In the case of (1), since artificial snow falls in cold natural outside air, there is often no need to cool the air. Artificial snow may melt and may melt due to an increase in the outside air temperature after snowfall. In such a case, it may be necessary to cool the snow to prevent the snow from melting.

[0008] In the case where the artificial snow is snow-covered on the slope by the above-mentioned means and then cooled in order to prevent melting of the snow, a number of refrigerant distribution pipes are generally provided under the snow on the slope, The refrigerant is cooled by flowing the refrigerant from the refrigerator to the refrigerant distribution pipe.

However, when the lower layer of the artificial snow is directly cooled by the cooling pipe, it is necessary to deposit the root snow of an appropriate thickness. Therefore, it is necessary to increase the thickness of the snow layer. Required. Also, when the outside air temperature exceeds 0 ° C., the snow easily melts due to the radiant heat of the sun or the conduction heat in the case of an indoor ski resort. Further, snow (the body temperature) generated from a human body such as a skier may melt the snow. Accordingly, a large refrigeration load is applied, and therefore, the operation time of the refrigerator and the capacity thereof need to be increased, and the power consumption required for the operation of the refrigerator increases.

In order to keep the artificial snow in a snow-covering state suitable for skiing, it is usually preferable that the temperature around the snow-covering is −10 to −2 ° C., but the above-mentioned heat load is 30 to 70%.
May be reached. In particular, even in an artificially made indoor ski resort, it is usually desirable that the width of the slope is at least 30 m and the length is 300 m or more. High cooling costs.

[0011]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] As described above, in order to maintain the artificial snow on the slopes in a suitable snow condition, a refrigerator is required especially in a ski resort opened in a warm place or at a suitable time. Since it is necessary to operate the refrigerator at all times or for a long period of time, the cost of power for operating the refrigerator is large, and there remains an economical problem.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and its purpose is to efficiently and uniformly cool the snowfall of artificial snow, even in a ski slope on a wide slope, to reduce its melting. It is an object of the present invention to provide a ski resort which can prevent snow and maintain a snow condition suitable for skiing, and which can be easily constructed and reduce costs for forming and maintaining snow cover.

[0013]

According to the present invention, in order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a fence is erected around a slope, and a suction port for sucking cold air in the slope is provided inside a fence below a slope of the slope. And an outlet for blowing cold air sucked from the suction port into the slope on the inside of the fence above the slope on the slope, and furthermore, a cold air flow passage for flowing the cool air between the suction port and the outlet. A blower is provided which communicates with the cool air passage, sucks cool air from the suction port, and blows the cool air from the outlet to the slope.

[0014]

The air surrounding the slopes surrounded by the fences is cooled by artificial snow other than snow caused by natural snowfall on the slopes, and the cold air gathers on the lower slopes of the slopes. The cool air collected on the lower slope side of the slope is sucked through the suction port, is sucked by the blower, is guided to the upper slope side of the slope by a cool air flow passage by a blowing action, and is blown out to the slope from the outlet. By circulating the cool air in this manner, the cool air can be reused, the temperature of the slope is prevented from rising by the cool air, and the snow cover is maintained in a preferable state. In addition, when a large number of refrigerant distribution pipes for cooling artificial snow deposited on the slopes are provided on the slope base, the operation time of the refrigerator for cooling can be reduced, and the maintenance of snowfall can be reduced. Cost can be reduced.

[0015]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a vertical side view of a ski resort, and 1 is a slope. The slope 1 is provided on an inclined base supported by a plurality of columns 2 erected on the upper surface of the ground such as an inclined ground. Reference numeral 3 denotes an upper slope, and 4 denotes a lower slope. The upper slope 3 and the lower slope 4 of the slope 1 are formed on a gentle slope, and the middle is formed on a steep slope.
May be reversely sloped to facilitate stopping downhill.

As shown in FIG. 2, the slope 1 may be one that uses natural ground as it is, or may be one that has been subjected to concrete construction or block loading.
A fence 5 having a desired height is provided around the slope 1 so as to prevent the cool air of the slope from escaping.

A heat insulating material 7 made of styrofoam is provided on the upper surface of a base 1A, which is the basis of the slope 1, via a waterproof plywood plate 6. On the upper surface of the heat insulating material 7, a waterproof metal coating sheet 8 is provided. A large number of small-diameter pipes 9... For circulating a refrigerant are arranged at predetermined intervals substantially parallel to the slope 1 of the slope 1 above the metal coating sheet 8. I have. These pipes 9 are supported by an I-shaped or inverted T-shaped holding member 9a having a predetermined height and arranged in a direction crossing the slope, and are disposed apart from the metal coating sheet 8. Pipe 9
The bottom snow layer or the frozen layer 11 can be formed below.

The pipes 9 are covered with a wire mesh 10 having good thermal conductivity. When the frozen layer 11 is formed by a method to be described later, the wire mesh 10 is cut into the frozen layer 11, so that the artificial snow 12 bound on the frozen layer 11 and the upper surface of the frozen layer 11 is formed.
Of the pipe 9 ・
· · Prevent the skis from being damaged by the skis.

Then, water or the like is sprayed on the upper surface of the metal coating sheet 8 on which the pipe 9 is disposed, and the water or the like is cooled by a refrigerant flowing through the pipe 9. The slope 1 is formed on the upper surface of the frozen layer 11 by snowing or snowing artificial snow 12 formed by a known method.

Further, as shown in FIG.
Is divided into an upper region 11a and a lower region 11b with a substantially middle portion in the longitudinal direction, that is, a middle abdomen as a boundary, and basically the same refrigerant piping equipment is provided in both regions 11a and 11b. That is, on the upper slope 3, the lower slope 4, and the lower part of the slope 1 located on the middle side, a box-shaped body 12 a, 1
2b and 12c are provided to form a refrigerant pipe in the upper region 11a between the boxes 12a and 12a, and to form a refrigerant pipe in the lower region 11b between the boxes 12b and 12c.

These boxes 12a, 12b and 12c have a substantially U-shaped cross section and extend in the width direction of the slope 1.
The upper part is opposed to the opening 13 formed in the slope 1 in the width direction thereof.

The box-shaped body 12c provided at the middle of the slope 1 will be described with reference to FIG. That is, 14 is the inlet header, 15 is the outlet header, and 16 is the internal pressure of the inlet header 14 and the outlet header 15. These are equalizing headers, which are fixed to one inner wall of the box 12c.

A sub-header 20 is connected to the inlet header 14 via a joint 19 with a cock, and a sub-header 18 is connected to the outlet header 15 via a joint 17 with a cock. Then, the subheaders 18, 2
0 is connected to an end of a pipe 9... Constituting a refrigerant pipe in the lower region 11b.

The pipes 9 are long pipes made of a metal material such as a synthetic resin or copper and have flexibility. The pipe 9 has a small diameter, and the inside diameter thereof is, for example, イ ン チ inch to 1/6 inch. I have.

Further, the pipe 9 has a bent portion 21 which is bent in a substantially U-shape at an intermediate portion in the longitudinal direction, and is aligned in parallel at a predetermined interval. One end of the pipe 9 branches off the two pipes and one is connected to the inlet header 14 via the sub-header 20 and the joint 19 with a cock, and the other is via the sub-header 18 and the joint 17 with a cock. The other end of the pipe 9 is connected to the outlet header 15, and the other end of the pipe 9 is also branched into two pipes. One end of the pipe 9 connected to the inlet header 14 is connected to the sub header 18 and the cocked joint 17. The other end, which is connected to the outlet side header 15 and the one end is connected to the outlet side header 15, is connected to the inlet side header 14 via the sub header 20 and the joint 19 with a cock. Reference numeral 22 denotes a pipe connected to the outlet header 15, and the pipe 22 is provided with an air vent valve 23 and a pressure gauge 24.

A hook 25 is fixed to the other inner side wall of the box-shaped body 12c, and the hook 25 is engaged with a bent portion 21 at an intermediate portion of a pipe constituting a refrigerant pipe in the upper region 11a. You. Therefore, inside the box 12c, the middle part of the pipes 9 in the upper region 11a and both ends of the pipes 9 in the lower region 11b are introduced from the opening 13. A cylindrical pipe holder 26 for holding the pipes 9 is provided.

The box 12b provided on the lower slope 4 of the slope 1 will be described with reference to FIG. That is, only the hook 25 is provided on the inner side wall of the box-shaped body 12b, and the hook 25 is engaged with the bent portion 21 at the intermediate portion of the pipe 9 constituting the refrigerant pipe in the lower region 11b.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, a large number of pipes 9 are formed in the upper region 11a and the lower region 11b.
Are arranged along the inclination direction of the slope 1, and the ends of these pipes 9 are connected to the inlet side header 14 and the outlet side header 15 arranged in a direction orthogonal to the inclination direction of the slope 1. Have been. The bent portions 21 of the pipes 9 are hooked on hooks 25 and are held at regular intervals.

The inlet header 14 and outlet header 15 are connected to a refrigerant supply device 27. The refrigerant supply device 27 includes a refrigerator 28 and a circulation pump 29. The refrigerant outlet 30 of the refrigerator 28 is connected to the suction port 31 of the circulation pump 29, and the discharge port 32 of the circulation pump 29 is connected to the feed pipe 33. It is connected to the entrance-side header 14 through the above. The outlet header 15 is connected to a refrigerant inlet 35 of the refrigerator 28 via a return pipe 34.

On the other hand, the surface of the fence 5 erected around the slope 1 is made of a material having good heat insulating properties, and the surface on the slope 1 side is made of a highly reflective material, for example, an aluminum plate 36. Coated. Although the height of the fence 5 can be selected as appropriate, it is desirable that the fence 5 has a height of 1.5 m or more from the surface of the artificial snow 12 in order to prevent the escape of the cool air in the slope 1. As there is a tendency to gather on the lower slope 4 in Kamikochi,
The height of the fence 5 is 4 on the slope lower than the slope 3 on the slope 1.
Is high.

Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the fence 5 on the lower slope 4 of the slope 1 is provided with a plurality of suction ports 37, 37 for sucking cool air in the slope 1, and the fence 5 on the upper slope 3 is provided in the fence 5. A plurality of outlets 38 for blowing out cool air are provided in the slope 1.

The inlets 37, 37 and the outlet 38,
38 is communicated with a cold air passage 39 formed by a relatively large diameter pipe or duct insulated with glass wool or the like. Further, a blower 41 driven by a drive source 40 such as a motor or an engine is installed on the upper slope 3 of the slope 1. The blower 41 has a suction duct 42 and an outlet duct 43. The inlet duct 42 is provided in a cool air passage 39 communicating with the inlets 37, 37, and the outlet duct 43 is provided with the outlets 38, 38.
And a cold air passage 39 communicating with the cold air flow passage 39.

Then, by the action of the blower 41, the cool air on the lower side 4 of the slope in the slope 1 is sucked through the suction ports 37, 37, guided to the upper side 3 of the slope 1 by the cool air flow passage 39, and then discharged from the outlets 38, 38. A cool air circulation passage that blows out into the slope 1 is configured. The blower 41 may be a multi-blade blower shown in FIG. 7 or an airfoil blower shown in FIG. 8, in which the air is blown in the axial direction of the impeller 41a and blown in the circumferential direction, and the blown air is blown by the fan casing 41b. It is configured to blow out from a part in the circumferential direction.

Further, a plurality of openings 44... For the entrance and exit of skiers and evacuation openings are provided on the upper slope 3, the lower slope 4 and the fences 5 on both sides of the slope 1. It is desirable to provide a door (not shown) for preventing the cool air in the slope 1 from escaping to the outside in the portion 44.

Therefore, when the refrigerator 28 and the circulation pump 29 are driven, the refrigerant is discharged to the feed pipe 33 by the circulation pump 29, and the inlet header 1
4 is supplied. The refrigerant supplied to the inlet header 14 is supplied to one end of each of the pipes 9 and flows through the pipes 9. That is, the refrigerant flows through the pipe 9 laid along the slope direction of the slope 1 from the upper slope 3 to the lower slope 4, and then bypasses the bend 21 to move from the lower slope 4 to the upper slope 3. It circulates and returns to the exit side header 15. The refrigerant returned to the outlet header 15 returns to the refrigerator 28 via the return pipe 34.

In this case, a large number of pipes 9... Adopt two pipes in which two pipes are aligned and integrated.
Both ends of the pipe are branched and one of them is an inlet header 14.
And the other end is connected to the outlet header 15, the flow directions of the refrigerant flowing through the pipe 9 are opposite to each other in the adjacent pipes, and the temperature of the refrigerant rises during the flow through the pipe 9. Even though, the cooling action of the refrigerant is generally uniform on the upper slope side 3 and the lower slope side 4. Also, the pipes 9 are arranged at a predetermined interval, so that the pipes 9 are uniform in the width direction of the slope 1, so that the vicinity of the surface of the pipe 9 on the slope 1 is uniformly cooled.

As described above, when the refrigerant is circulated and water is sprayed to form a frozen layer on the slope 1, as described above, the sprayed water is frozen by the action of the refrigerant,
A frozen layer 11 is formed on the slope 1. Then, when the frozen layer 11 is formed to a thickness that embeds the wire mesh 10, artificial snow 12 is put on the formed frozen layer 11, so that the slope 1 of the artificial ski resort is snow-covered.
Becomes In this case, since the cooling action of the refrigerant is uniformly distributed as a whole, an ice layer having a uniform ice temperature and ice quality is formed on the slope 1, and accordingly, the artificial snow 12 deposited on the ice layer also becomes uniform. Cooled.

Further, when the blower 41 is driven, the cool air in the slope 1 is sucked through the suction ports 37, 37, and is guided to the outlets 38, 38 through the cool air passage 39, and the slopes are discharged from the slopes 38, 38. It is blown out in 1. That is, the cool air in the slope 1 surrounded by the fence 5 is collected on the lower slope 4, and the cool air on the lower slope 4 is blown out to the upper slope 3 in the slope 1 through the cool air passage 39. By circulating the cool air in this manner, the cool air can be reused repeatedly, and the cool air can be reused as a secondary refrigerant.

As a result, even if the operation time of the refrigerator is shortened, the snow on the slope 1 is prevented from being melted by convection, radiant heat, conduction heat, etc. due to the circulation of cool air, and good snow quality is maintained. As a result, running costs for maintaining snowfall can be reduced.

In the above-described embodiment, the slope 1 having the entrance side header 14 and the exit side header 15 inclined.
Are installed inside the boxes 12b and 12c installed in the lower part of the slope, but pits are provided on the side of the slope 1 along the inclined direction, and the inlet side header 14 and the outlet side header 15 are provided in this pit.
May be provided.

In the above embodiment, the bent portion 21 is provided in the middle of the pipe 9 and the inlet header 14 and the outlet header 15 for connecting both ends of the pipe are provided in the same box. May be disposed straight without bending, and the inlet header 14 to which one end of the pipe is connected and the outlet header 15 to which the other end of the pipe is connected may be provided in different boxes.

Further, in the above embodiment, two pipes are used, but a series of cooling pipes (single pipes) may be used.
In this case, one end of the pipe bent in a substantially U-shape is connected to the inlet-side header, and the other end is connected to the outlet-side header. Is connected to the inlet-side header and the other end is connected to the outlet-side header, the flow direction of the medium flowing through the pipe is opposite in the adjacent pipe.

In the above embodiment, the frozen layer was formed by spraying water. However, a substance capable of freezing, for example, artificial snow was supplied to the periphery of the pipe to form a frozen root snow layer, and an artificial snow layer was formed thereon. Snow may be accumulated. Furthermore, after snowing artificial snow on the slope, in order to prevent melting of the snow, etc., a number of refrigerant distribution pipes are provided on the slope, and the refrigerant is circulated from the refrigerator through the refrigerant distribution pipe. Although the configuration is such that cooling is performed by cooling, the snow cover may be maintained by circulating cool air without providing a refrigerant distribution pipe, if necessary.

[0044]

As described above, according to the present invention, a fence is erected around the slope, and a suction port for sucking cool air in the slope is provided inside the fence below the slope. An outlet for blowing cold air sucked from the suction port into the slope is provided inside the fence on the slope upper side of the slope, and the suction port and the outlet are communicated with each other by a cool air flow passage through which the cool air flows. The upper cool air can be circulated. Therefore, since the cold air can be reused repeatedly, and the cold air can be reused as a secondary refrigerant, the snow on the slope can be prevented from melting due to convection, radiant heat, conduction heat, and the like, and good snow quality can be maintained. In addition, even when the refrigerant is circulated by arranging a refrigerant distribution pipe on the base of the slope, where the outside air temperature is high, the operation time of the refrigerator can be shortened, thereby saving energy consumption and running costs for maintaining snowfall. it can.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical side view of a ski resort showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line aa of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal side view showing a portion b in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional side view showing a portion c in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the pipe structure of the pipe of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the slope of the embodiment.

7A and 7B show the multi-blade blower of the embodiment, wherein FIG. 7A is a front view and FIG. 7B is a side view.

8A and 8B show an airfoil fan according to the embodiment, in which FIG. 8A is a front view and FIG. 8B is a side view.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... slope, 3 ... upper slope, 4 ... lower slope,
Reference numeral 5: fence, 9: pipe, 37: suction port, 38: outlet, 39: refrigerant passage, 41
···Blower.

Claims (3)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] 1. A ski slope in which artificial snow other than snow due to natural snowfall is loaded on a sloped slope, a fence is erected around the slope, and a slope is provided inside the fence below a slope of the slope. A suction port for sucking the cool air is provided, and an outlet for blowing the cool air sucked from the suction port into the slope is provided inside the fence above the slope on the slope, and the cool air flows between the suction port and the outlet. A ski resort which is provided with a blower which communicates with a cool air passage, sucks cool air into the cool air passage from the suction port, and blows the cool air from the outlet into the slope. 2. The ski slope according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of refrigerant distribution pipes for cooling artificial snow deposited on the slope are provided on a base of the slope. 3. The ski slope according to claim 1, wherein a height of a fence below a slope of the slope is higher than that of a fence above a slope of the slope.