JPH0634244A - Artificial snow falling device and snow quality controlling method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable snow quality to be always monitored properly by a method wherein a water control valve for a snow gun and an air control valve are controlled in response to a result of sensing of surrounding air conditions such as an atmospheric air temperature, an atmospheric air humidity, an air direction and an air speed and the like and another result of sensing of snow making condition at a snow making device. CONSTITUTION:An artificial snow falling device is comprised of a water storing pond 13, a water pump 14, a compressor 18 and an air cooler 19. Pressurized water is supplied to a snow gun 1 by a water bus pipe 17 through a water control valve 2 and further compressed air is supplied to the snow gun 1 by an air bus pipe 22 through an air control valve 4, respectively, and water is injected together with compressed air and the water is iced and injected into the surrounding atmosphere. In this case, an atmospheric air cold heat amount is estimated at an upper level controller 12 in reference to a fundamental water flow rate calculated in response to a wet bulb temperature and a snow gun water flow rate condition and further an adiabatic expansion coma neat amount calculated in response to an air temperature and an air pressure. Then, water flow rate in which snow can be fallen and specified snow quality can be attained is calculated in reference to the estimated atmospheric air cold heat amount, a freezing ratio and a water temperature acting as a snow quality instruction and then the water control valve 2 is controlled.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an artificial snowfall device and a snow quality control method applied to artificial snowfall for ski resorts.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In FIG. 4, an artificial snowfall by a snow gun 1 is generally operated by an operator by manually operating the valve openings of a compressed air valve and a pressurized water valve 2 for about 2 to 4 hours. Is being adjusted. Although there are some examples of automation, it controls the water flow rate by collectively adjusting the pressure of the water master pipe 17, and changes in outside air conditions due to individual differences in snow gun 1, altitude difference, and slope topography. , And because there are many uncertain factors such as a drop in water pressure due to the difference in altitude or a change in the water flow of the snow gun due to pressure loss of the water flow, the snow quality of the artificial snow is maintained uniform and constant regardless of the location. Was insufficient to do so.

Further, in performing the snow quality control, in the conventional method, the outside air humidity and the adiabatic expansion effect of the compressed air are ignored as the outside air conditions, and the snow quality input or the evaluation method is used as a solid snow, a light snow, Since it is not clear that it is powder snow and it also includes individual differences among workers, it was necessary to take measures to improve the maintenance of snow quality.

[0004]

In the conventional automated system, the water flow rate of all guns is controlled in a lump by adjusting the pressure of the water pipes that feed water to multiple guns. The water flow rate of the snow gun is unstable due to non-uniformity of outside air conditions due to terrain and slope topography, decrease or increase in water pressure due to the gun position, and pressure loss inside the pipe due to water flow. The control accuracy is poor for the water flow rate that matches the outside air conditions at the snow gun position.

In addition, except for the detection of the operable condition, the outside air humidity is ignored and the control is performed only by the outside air temperature. However, when the sprayed water droplets are cooled and frozen, they are not cooled only at the outside air temperature but evaporated. Since outside air humidity cannot be ignored because cooling also plays a large role, in order to perform detailed control, both temperature and humidity are taken in as information, and outside air humidity that correlates with the sum of cooling heat due to temperature and cooling heat due to evaporation It is necessary to control the water flow rate based on the sphere temperature. Also,
As snow quality evaluation parameters, it is necessary to use parameters that are not limited by the operator's feelings or individual differences.

[0006] It is an object of the present invention to provide an artificial snowfall device and a snow quality control method capable of appropriately managing the snow quality in consideration of the outside air temperature and the outside air humidity.

[0007]

The water valve and the air valve connected to the snow gun are electrically operated valves. In addition, temperature sensors, humidity sensors, wind direction anemometers, and other outside air condition detection sensors will be installed at multiple locations on the slopes according to the scale and topography of the artificial snowfall area. Water pump system and air compressor system of artificial snowfall device, pressure sensor,
Install a temperature sensor etc. to detect the operating status of the plant.

Further, as a control system, a plurality of field controllers arranged on the slope and a central control host controller arranged in the monitoring room are provided, and relatively arithmetic operations such as sensor signal acquisition and water and air valve opening control are performed. The operation with a light load is performed by the field controller, and the complicated and many arithmetic processing such as the analysis of the sensor information from all the field controllers, the calculation of the outside air condition and the target flow rate of the snow gun used are performed by the host controller.

In particular, the target flow rate of the snow gun is a snow quality control calculation, and the atmospheric condition detection detects the relative humidity of the atmosphere together with the temperature and treats it as a wet bulb temperature in consideration of evaporative cooling. Further, the adiabatic expansion cooling effect is greatly affected when the air flow rate is larger than the water flow rate at a relatively high temperature. Therefore, based on the operating characteristics of the snow gun, the air-water ratio, which is the air-to-water flow rate ratio, is set in advance. It is input, obtained from the target flow rate, air pressure, and air temperature, and loop-calculated to take it into account as a corrected flow rate.

On the other hand, the freezing ratio Kfz of artificial snow is used as the snow quality designation and evaluation parameter. The freezing ratio is the ratio of the ice content of the artificial snow made, for example, when 100 g of artificial snow has 70 g of ice content and 30 g of water, the freezing ratio Kfz =
It is set to 0.7. This makes it possible to eliminate individual differences among operators even when quantitatively expressing unclear snow quality that was conventionally expressed by feeling, such as wet snow, solid snow, and powder snow.

[0011]

When this device is classified by function, it comprises an outside air condition detection sensor group, a plant operation status detection sensor group, a water and air control motor-operated valve group, a field controller group, and a central control host controller. The outside air condition detection sensor detects temperature, humidity, and wind speed at each place on the slope.

The plant operation status sensor detects the start / stop of the plant, the pressure of water and air, and the temperature. The motor-operated valve for controlling water and air adjusts the valve opening degree according to a command from the field controller. In particular, a water flow sensor is installed at the water control valve outlet to detect the water flow of the snow gun and feed it back to the field controller.

The field controller shares tasks such as taking in sensor signals, command output of water and air control valves, water flow rate, monitoring, and the like, which are relatively light in computation load.
The central control upper controller absorbs information such as sensor data from all field controllers, calculates the outside air condition of the entire slope including past database use, or according to specified snow quality and snow gun characteristic data and snow quality control algorithm, Responsible for relatively complex and large amount of calculation such as calculation of target flow rate for each snow gun and instruction to each field controller.

However, the field controller and the host controller may be integrated depending on the scale of the apparatus. Even in the conventional artificial snowfall system, the water pump system and the air compressor system are started and stopped and the discharge pressure is constantly controlled, but these controls can be implemented by the existing technology. This device also collects plant operation status data and determines whether to permit system operation.

However, in the case of aiming for full automation, it is possible to issue a start / stop command from this device to the existing plant based on the possibility of using the snow gun from the outside air condition. In particular, in the snow quality control algorithm, the evaporative cooling is also taken into consideration, and the atmospheric condition parameter is obtained by obtaining the wet-bulb temperature from the atmospheric humidity and the temperature.
The adiabatic expansion effect is calculated from the characteristics of the snow gun, target water volume, air pressure and temperature, and added to the target flow rate.

For the snow quality command and evaluation, the freezing ratio K
By using fz to quantitatively express the snow quality of artificial snow, which was conventionally unclear, it becomes a system for producing artificial snow with stable snow quality.

[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In the figure, 1 is a snow gun, 2 is a water control valve, 3
Is a water flow sensor, 4 is an air control valve, 5 is a hundred leaf box, 6 is an atmospheric temperature sensor, 7 is an atmospheric humidity sensor, 8 is a wind anemometer, 9 is a wind speed sensor, 10 is a wind direction sensor, 11 is a field controller, 12 is a Upper controller of central control room, 13 reservoir, 14 water pump, 15 water pressure sensor, 16 water temperature sensor, 17 water pipe, 18 compressor, 19 air cooler, 20 air pressure sensor, 21 air temperature sensor , 22 is a snow quality designation dial, 23 is a communication line, 24 is a central control room, 25 is a pump system controller, 26 is a compressor system, 3
0 is wet bulb temperature, 31 is gun characteristic curve, 32 is basic water flow rate, 33 is adiabatic expansion cold heat calculation value Δq, 34 is atmospheric cold heat quantity estimated value q, 35 is snow flowable water flow rate Q ₁ , 36 is wind direction wind speed correction The post target water flow rate Q ₂ , 37 is fine adjustment manually, 38 is snowfall permission determination, and 39 is the freezing ratio Kfz.

A snow gun 1 is arranged in a snowmaking area of a slope, and the snow gun 1 is connected to a water mother pipe 17 and an air mother pipe 22 via a water control valve 2 and an air control valve 4. In particular, a water flow rate sensor 3 is connected to the outlet of the water control valve 2 to detect the water flow rate of the snow gun 1. The artificial snowfall plant mainly consists of a reservoir 13, a water pump 14, and a compressor 18,
It is composed of an air cooler 19 and supplies pressurized water to the water mother pipe 17 and compressed air to the air mother pipe 22.

Field controller 1 placed on the slope
1 is a control device for the snow gun 1, such as a water control valve 2, a water flow rate sensor 3, and an air control valve 4, and an air temperature sensor installed in an air temperature sensor 6, an air humidity sensor 7 and a wind anemometer 8 in a hundred leaf box 5. 9. The sensor signals of the wind direction sensor 10 and the like are fetched and the data is sent to the automatic snowfall control controller (upper controller) 12 in the central control room 24 via the communication line 23.

Further, the field controller 11 controls one or more snow guns 1 by one, receives the commanded water flow rate of the host controller 12, and performs feedback control by the signal of the water flow rate sensor 3 of the snow gun 1 to control the water. By controlling the opening degree of the valve 2, the influence of individual difference of the snow gun 1 and the change of water pressure is suppressed. The host controller 12 receives signals from the field controller 11, water temperature sensor 16, water pressure sensor 15, air temperature sensor 21, and air pressure sensor 2 installed in the plant.
Take in the signal from 0.

In the upper controller 12, snowfall control software including a database of slope topography, past meteorological data, etc. is built in, and the number and position of the snow guns 1 to be used and the atmospheric conditions of the positions of the snow guns 1 are selected. analysis,
The characteristics of the snow gun 1 are judged and the heat is calculated, and the water flow rate at which the snow quality of the snow quality designation dial 22 set by the operator is obtained is calculated and sent to the field controller 11.

Particularly for atmospheric condition analysis, atmospheric humidity is also taken into account as a condition, and the wet bulb temperature is calculated and used for control. FIG. 2 shows a system diagram of a controller that performs such control. The host controller 12 is installed in the central control room together with the pump system controller 25 and the compressor system controller 26, and a plurality of field controllers 11 are arranged on the slope.

However, these distributed arrangements correspond to the scale of the system, the size of the slope, and the number of snow guns 1, and may be combined into one controller. In addition, it is possible to fully automate the entire artificial snowfall by determining the snow-making possible condition with the host controller 12 and issuing a start / stop command for the plant. FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of snow quality control, which is the most important of the above controls.

The wet bulb temperature 30 is obtained based on the data from the atmospheric temperature sensor 6 and the atmospheric humidity sensor 7. In advance
The snow gun water flow rate condition of 100% freezing in water at water temperature = 0 ° C. is stored as a gun characteristic curve 31, and the current basic water flow rate 32 is obtained from the current wet bulb temperature 30. Next, the air flow rate is estimated from the air / water ratio operating characteristics of the snow gun to be used, the air pressure sensor 20, the air temperature sensor 21, and the target water flow rate, and the adiabatic expansion cold heat calculation value Δq is obtained.
33 is calculated to heat of solidification (80c base water flow Q ₀ 32
al / cc) to obtain an atmospheric cold heat estimation value q34. This q34 and the freezing ratio Kfz3 as a snow quality command
9 and the water temperature measured by the water temperature sensor 16 are used to calculate the amount of water that can snowfall Q ₁ 35 that can produce the specified snow quality, and then the target flow rate Q ₂ 36 after the wind direction and wind speed correction obtained through experience, and manual fine adjustment 37 is added to calculate the current target water flow rate.

Further, the automatic snowfall permission judgment 38 is made from the wet bulb temperature 30 and the air pressure and water pressure as the plant operating state values.
And limit the output of the target flow rate. As a simplification of control, the flow rate characteristic of the water control motor-operated valve 4 is accurately grasped in advance, the flow rate is calculated from the pressure of the water pipe 17, the altitude of the valve, and the valve opening, and the water flow rate sensor 3 is not used. There may be a method of controlling the water flow rate.

[0026]

【The invention's effect】

(1) The artificial snowfall device according to the present invention is a sensor for detecting the outside air condition such as an atmospheric temperature sensor, an atmospheric humidity sensor, and a wind direction anemometer arranged on the slope, and a water pressure sensor, a water temperature sensor, and an air pressure sensor installed in the snowmaking device. , A sensor for detecting snowmaking conditions such as an air temperature sensor and a water flow sensor,
The following effects are obtained by including the control device that receives the signals from the various sensors and adjusts the openings of the water control valve and the air control valve of the snow gun.

Labor saving can be achieved for work at night and in cold weather. In addition, the amount of snowmaking is automatically controlled so that the specified snow quality can be obtained by automatically judging the outside air conditions and the operating conditions of related equipment, so the snow quality of artificial snow is stable, and the water quality at the time of temperature rise is stable. You can also prevent firewood. (2) In the snow quality control method according to the present invention, the wet bulb temperature is obtained from the atmospheric temperature and the humidity, and the basic water flow rate is obtained by the wet bulb temperature and the preset snow gun water flow rate condition. Atmospheric cold energy is estimated from the adiabatic expansion cold energy calculated from the temperature and pressure of the air sent to the snow, and the estimated value, the freezing ratio and the water temperature as the snow quality command, and the snowfall that can be the specified snow quality The following effects are obtained by calculating the possible water flow rate.

It is possible to accurately judge the outside air condition and the snow-making amount corresponding to it. Therefore, it is possible to properly manage the snow quality and improve the snowmaking efficiency. In addition, the snow quality can be quantitatively evaluated and controlled without the operator's feeling. Furthermore, since each snow gun can be controlled arbitrarily, the required locations can be selected from the central control room and automatic control can be performed, which greatly reduces manpower and enables one-man operation.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an embodiment of an artificial snowfall device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a control system diagram of the device shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a snowfall control block diagram of the snow chamber control method according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a conventional artificial snowfall device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Snow Gun 2 Water Control Valve 3 Water Flow Sensor 4 Air Control Valve 6 Atmospheric Temperature Sensor 7 Atmospheric Humidity Sensor 11 Field Controller 12 Upper Controller 15 Water Pressure Sensor 16 Water Temperature Sensor 20 Air Pressure Sensor 21 Air Temperature Sensor

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An atmospheric temperature sensor arranged on the slope,
Atmospheric humidity sensor, sensor for detecting outside air conditions such as wind direction and anemometer, and sensors for detecting snowmaking conditions such as water pressure sensor, water temperature sensor, air pressure sensor, air temperature sensor, water flow rate sensor installed in the snowmaking device, An artificial snowfall device comprising a control device for adjusting the opening degree of a water control valve and an air control valve of a snow gun in response to signals from various sensors of. 2. A wet-bulb temperature is calculated from atmospheric temperature and humidity, a basic water flow rate is calculated based on the wet-bulb temperature and a preset snow gun water flow rate condition, and the basic water flow rate and the temperature of the air sent to the snow gun. And the atmospheric cold energy by the adiabatic expansion cold energy calculated from the pressure, and the estimated value, and the freezing ratio and water temperature as the snow quality command to calculate the possible snowfall water flow rate that can be the specified snow quality. A snow quality control method characterized by: