JPH04302974A - Snow producing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To produce snow without use of an air compressor by a method wherein a nozzle ring is attached on an air outlet of a tubular snow producing machine main body in which a blower is installed, and the nozzle ring is provided with high-pressure water jet nozzles and water-snow production accelerator mixture jet nozzles. CONSTITUTION:When a blower 2 and pumps 7 and 10 of a snow producing machine main body 1 are operated, water drops 12 are blown from many high- pressure water jet nozzles 5 in the oblique forward direction and in the inward direction of the radius of a nozzle ring 4, and mixture liquid is blown from two or more mixture jet nozzles 6 in the oblique forward direction, that is, into cold air. Snow production accelerator contained in the mixture liquid serves as catalyst of ice crystal core formation and ice cores 13 are formed at higher temperatures than in former method. The water drops 12 are super-cooled down by cold air jet stream A, strike against the ice cores 13 and turn into water drops containing ice cores. The water drops containing ice cores exchange the latent heat with ambient air until they turns into ice-water mixture, thus snow-like crystals are produced and carried by the air jet stream A.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a snow machine that makes snow of a quality suitable for skiing and the like.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art A technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 46-43598, for example, is known as a snow machine for making snow of a quality suitable for skiing. In this snow machine, ice nuclei are formed by adiabatic expansion of moist compressed air mixed with water. These ice nuclei are injected into a jet of air generated by a blower, and water droplets are injected into the air jet downstream from the injection position of the ice nuclei, and the cold air of the jet turns the water droplets into a supercooled state to form ice nuclei. Water droplets containing ice nuclei are formed by colliding with or flowing in parallel with the ice. The mixture of ice and water is formed into snow crystals and falls by the cooperation of the latent heat released until the water droplets become mixed with ice nuclei and become a mixture of ice and water and heat exchange with the surrounding cold air. It is composed of However, this type of snow machine usually has a pressure of 7 kg.
An air compressor capable of supplying compressed air of more than /cm2 at a flow rate of more than 1.8 m3 per minute is required. Therefore, the equipment cost is high, the energy consumption of fuel or power for driving the air compressor is considerably increased, and the running cost is also high, which is disadvantageous economically.

0003

The problem to be solved by the present invention is that conventional snow machines have high equipment costs and high running costs, which are economically disadvantageous.

0004

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention includes a nozzle ring provided at the air blowing outlet of a cylindrical snow machine body in which a blower is disposed, and a plurality of high-pressure water injection nozzles that inject high-pressure water to the nozzle ring. It is characterized by a plurality of mixed fluid injection nozzles that spray a mixed fluid of water and an ice nucleation accelerator, and snow is made without the use of an air compressor, reducing equipment costs and running costs. The objective of reducing this was achieved.

[0005]

According to the present invention, the water droplets injected from the plurality of high-pressure water injection nozzles are brought into a supercooled state by the cold air of the air jet from the blower. Further, a mixed fluid of water and an ice nucleation promoter is injected into the cold air from the mixed fluid injection nozzle. Since the ice nucleation promoter in the mixed fluid serves as a catalyst for ice nucleation crystal formation, ice nucleation can be formed at a higher temperature than conventionally. These ice nuclei collide with supercooled water droplets to form water droplets containing ice nuclei. When ice nuclei are mixed into water droplets, the mixture of ice and water is formed into snow crystals through the cooperation of the latent heat released and heat exchange with the surrounding cold air. A pump supplies high-pressure water to inject water droplets from the high-pressure water injection nozzle, and a pump also supplies a mixed fluid to inject a mixed fluid of water and ice nucleation promoter from the mixed fluid injection nozzle. This can be done by In other words, the use of an air compressor can be omitted. Moreover, the injection amount of the mixed fluid of water and ice nucleation accelerator may be about 1/100 to 1/300 of the amount of high-pressure water injected from the high-pressure water injection nozzle, so the mixed fluid supply pump Power can be reduced.

[0006]

Embodiments Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be explained based on the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, a snow machine main body 1 is formed into a cylindrical shape with both ends opened in the axial direction, and a blower 2 is disposed inside the snow machine main body 1. A nozzle ring 4 is provided at the air outlet 3. 2 displaced in the axial direction on the inner surface of the tip side of the nozzle ring 4
A large number of high-pressure water injection nozzles 5, 5, . . . are arranged protruding from each of two substantially equal-diameter circumferences. In addition, a plurality of mixed fluid injection nozzles are arranged on one circumference radially outer than the two circumferences on the inner surface of the nozzle ring 4, which is displaced toward the tip side from the arrangement position of the high-pressure water injection nozzles 5, 5... 6, 6... are arranged so as to appear. High pressure water is supplied to the large number of high pressure water injection nozzles 5, 5, . . . by a pump 7 via a high pressure water supply system 8. A mixed fluid of water and an ice nucleation promoter stored in a mixed fluid tank 9 is supplied to the plurality of mixed fluid injection nozzles 6, 6, . . . via a mixed fluid supply system 11 by a pump 10.

With such a configuration, by starting the blower 2, pump 7, and pump 10, the air is sprayed diagonally forward from the large number of high-pressure water injection nozzles 5, 5, and radially inside the nozzle ring 4. Water droplets 12 are sprayed toward the target, and a plurality of mixed liquid spray nozzles 6, 6...
The mixed fluid is injected diagonally forward into the cold air. The ice nucleation promoter in the mixed fluid serves as a catalyst for ice nucleation crystal formation, and can form ice nucleation at a higher temperature than conventionally possible. The jetted water droplets 12 are removed by a blower 2
A jet of cold air from the air (see arrow A) causes supercooling. The ice nuclei 13 injected from the mixed fluid injection nozzles 6, 6, . . . collide with the supercooled water droplets 12 to form water droplets containing ice nuclei. When ice nuclei 13 are mixed into the water droplets 12 and become a mixture of ice and water, the mixture of ice and water is formed into snow crystals through the cooperation of the released latent heat and heat exchange with the surrounding cold air. , and are carried to long distances by jets of cold air (see arrow a). In this way, the pump 7 supplies high-pressure water to jet the water droplets 12 from the multiple high-pressure water jet nozzles 5, 5..., and the water and ice are supplied from the multiple mixed fluid jet nozzles 6, 6... The pump 10 can also supply a mixed fluid for injecting the mixed fluid with the nucleation promoter. In other words, the use of a relatively expensive air compressor can be omitted. Therefore, equipment costs can be significantly reduced compared to conventional snow machines that use air compressors, and the mixed fluid supply pump 10 Since the energy consumption of driving fuel or driving electric power is small, running costs are also reduced. There is also the advantage that maintenance becomes easier. In addition, as shown in FIG. 2, the check valve 1 is connected from the high pressure water supply system 8
Even if water is supplied to the mixed fluid supply system 11 through the mixed fluid supply system 11 and the mixed fluid is injected from the mixed fluid injection nozzles 6, 6, .

[0008]

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, it is possible to make snow without using an air compressor, so there is an advantage that equipment costs and running costs can be reduced. have.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial configuration diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1　Snow machine body 2　Blower 3 Air outlet 4 Nozzle ring 5 High pressure water injection nozzle 7 Mixed fluid injection nozzle

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A nozzle ring is provided at the air outlet of a cylindrical snow machine body in which an air blower is arranged, and a plurality of high-pressure water injection nozzles that inject high-pressure water to the nozzle ring;
A snow machine characterized in that a plurality of mixed fluid injection nozzles that spray a mixed fluid of water and an ice nucleation promoter are arranged.