JPH0763523B2 - Snow layer formation method - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial application] The first and second inventions relate to a snow layer forming method for forming an artificial snow layer on a floor provided with a cooling means.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, in order to form an artificial snow layer, powdered ice (for example,
Ice particles obtained by finely crushing ice blocks or ice particles that have been sprayed with water in the cooling space together with compressed air and frozen due to adiabatic expansion change) are stacked on the floor by spraying, and the powdered ice particles are stacked to make artificial snow. There is a method of preventing the artificial snow layer and the snow surface from melting by using a cooling means provided as a layer on the floor. ...... (Prior art example 1) Further, the cooling means equipped on the floor freezes the liquid-only layer (for example, the water layer or the aqueous solution layer in which a surfactant is mixed and foamed) on the floor to freeze it on the floor. There is a method in which a layer is formed and the surface layer of the frozen layer is finely crushed as a snow layer material to form an artificial snow layer on the frozen layer. (Conventional example 2) Furthermore, the frozen layer of the water-absorbent resin obtained by freezing the water-absorbent resin to absorb water is used as an artificial snow layer, and the frozen layer of this water-absorbent resin is finely crushed. There is also a method.
(Conventional example 3) [Problems to be solved by the invention] However, the above-mentioned conventional methods have the following problems (a) to (c).

(A) The artificial snow layer formed by the method of Conventional Example 1 (that is, a simple stack of powdery ice particles) has a low heat transfer coefficient because it has voids between particles and contains a large amount of air. If an artificial snow layer (a layer of powdered ice) with a thickness that can secure a low heat capacity is formed on the floor, the cooling temperature of the cooling means on the floor is equivalent to prevent the melting of the artificial snow layer to the snow surface sufficiently. Therefore, it is necessary to operate the refrigerator with respect to the cooling means in a state where the coefficient of performance is considerably poor, resulting in a large increase in running cost and a large energy loss.

(B) According to the method of Conventional Example 2, a liquid frozen layer having a smaller air content and a relatively higher heat transfer rate than that of a layer of powdered ice particles is formed on the floor, and only the surface layer of the frozen layer is crushed to make it artificial. Since the snow layer is used, the thickness of the frozen layer and the artificial snow layer on the surface of the frozen layer are combined to ensure a desired cooling and heating capacity, and the conventional example 1
In order to prevent the freezing layer and the artificial snow layer from melting to the snow surface, the cooling temperature of the cooling means on the floor can be made relatively high, and the refrigerator for the cooling means has a relatively good coefficient of performance, compared to the case of However, it takes a long time to freeze a layer containing only liquid on the floor to form a frozen layer having a predetermined thickness, and the efficiency of snow layer formation on the floor is poor.

When the floor is a sloping bed, the liquid layer is frozen on the floor to form a thin frozen layer before the liquid flows down on the sloping bed, and this operation is repeated to stack the thin frozen layers. By doing so, it is necessary to form a frozen layer of a specified thickness on the sloping floor, which makes the work technically difficult and less efficient (particularly when water is used as the liquid). .

In addition, when a solution prepared by bubbling an aqueous solution mixed with a surfactant is used as the liquid, although the flow-down on the slanted floor as described above can be suppressed to some extent, the material cost is high because a chemical agent called a surfactant is used as a raw material. In addition to the above, special treatment is required for disposal after use as an artificial snow layer.

(C) In the method of Conventional Example 3, when a water-absorbing resin that has absorbed water at a high magnification is used, the frozen layer has a relatively high heat transfer coefficient. Although the cooling temperature of the floor cooling means can be made relatively high in comparison, since it is an artificial snow layer containing a water-absorbing resin, a snow layer whose surface properties are only natural snow even if the surface layer is finely pulverized They are very different (for example, the coefficient of friction of the snow surface is large and unsuitable for downhill games such as skiing).

Further, since a special material called water-absorbent resin is used as a raw material, the material cost is high as in the case where the above-mentioned surfactant is used, and special recovery processing or disposal processing is required after use as an artificial snow layer. Become.

An object of the first invention and the second invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems in the related art by a rational snow layer forming method.

[Means for Solving the Problems]

The first characteristic configuration of the first invention (the invention according to claim 1) is that in forming an artificial snow layer on a floor provided with a cooling means, only powdery ice and water are sprayed on the floor. A water-impregnated powdery granular ice layer is formed, and the water-impregnated powdery granular ice layer is frozen by the cooling means to form a frozen layer containing only water as a raw material on the floor. The purpose is to sprinkle powdered ice as a snow layer material on the frozen layer to form an artificial snow layer using only water as a raw material.

The first characteristic configuration of the second invention (the invention according to claim 2) is that, in forming an artificial snow layer on a floor provided with a cooling means, only powdery ice and water are sprayed on the floor. A water-impregnated powdery granular ice layer is formed, and the water-impregnated powdery granular ice layer is frozen by the cooling means to form a frozen layer containing only water as a raw material on the floor. The surface layer of the frozen layer is cut and crushed as a snow layer material to form an artificial snow layer using only water as the raw material.

A second characteristic configuration of each of the first and second inventions (the invention according to claim 3) is that the floor is an inclined floor.

[Work]

In the first characteristic configuration of each of the first and second inventions, a water-impregnated powdery-granular ice layer formed by spraying only powdery granular ice (that is, raw material is water) and water is frozen by the floor cooling means. As a result, a frozen layer composed entirely of water as a raw material is formed on the floor.

Then, in the spraying of powdery ice and water, by appropriately selecting these ratios, as the frozen layer, the interparticle voids of the powdery ice in the layer are sufficiently filled with the frozen product of the impregnated water (that is, ice). A buried frozen layer, that is, a frozen layer with a low air content and a high heat transfer coefficient is obtained.

Thereafter, in the first characteristic configuration of the first invention, powdery ice as a snow layer material (that is, the raw material is water) is provided on the frozen layer.
In the first characteristic configuration of the second aspect of the present invention, the artificial layer containing only water as a raw material is obtained by cutting and crushing the surface layer of the frozen layer (that is, the raw material is water) as a snow layer material. A snow layer is formed on the frozen layer.

In the second characteristic structure of each of the first invention and the second invention, by using the first characteristic structure of the first invention or the first characteristic structure of the second invention, only water is used as a raw material on a sloping floor. And a freezing layer, and an artificial snow layer using only the water of the freezing layer as a raw material.

Then, in forming the above-mentioned frozen layer using only water as the raw material on the sloping floor, by taking a method of freezing the water-impregnated powdery-grained ice layer formed by spraying powdered ice with water, The water retention function of the layer prevents water from flowing down on the sloping floor.

〔The invention's effect〕

According to both the first characteristic configuration of the first invention and the first characteristic configuration of the second invention, a frozen layer having a high heat transfer coefficient in which interparticle voids of powdered ice are sufficiently filled with ice of impregnated water. Since the artificial snow layer is formed on the surface, the cooling temperature of the cooling means on the floor can be made relatively high to prevent the melting of the artificial snow layer up to the snow surface, and the refrigerator for the cooling means can be You can drive in good condition,
Thereby, running cost can be reduced and energy saving can be effectively achieved.

Further, since only the impregnated water in the powdery granular ice layer in the water-impregnated state is frozen on the floor, the layer containing only the liquid is frozen on the floor to form a frozen layer having a predetermined thickness.
Compared with the above, the time required for the frozen layer forming process can be shortened, and the snow layer forming efficiency as a whole on the floor can be improved.

However, since the frozen layer and the artificial snow layer on the frozen layer are all formed by using only water as a raw material, the material cost can be reduced as compared with using a special material such as a surfactant or a water absorbent resin as a raw material. At the same time, it can be easily dealt with after use without requiring special treatment.

Then, the artificial snow layer on the frozen layer is formed by spraying powdery granular ice using only water as a raw material or by crushing the surface layer of the frozen layer using only water as a raw material. Therefore, water absorption as in the conventional example 3 described above is performed. It is possible to obtain a favorable snow surface property close to that of natural snow, as compared with an artificial snow layer containing a crystalline resin.

That is, the first characteristic configuration of the first invention or the second feature of the present invention.
According to the first characteristic configuration of the invention, the problems in the above-mentioned conventional examples 1 to 3 can be solved at once.

According to the second characteristic configuration of each of the first invention and the second invention, it is possible to prevent the raw material water from flowing down on the inclined floor by utilizing the inclined floor and by the water retention function of the powdery granular ice layer. Utilizing this, an inclined snow layer (in other words, an inclined snow surface) suitable for downhill games such as artificial snow ski slopes can be efficiently formed.

〔Example〕

 Next, an embodiment of the first invention will be described.

The drawing shows the equipment structure of an indoor artificial ski resort. (1) is a building, (2) is a floor, most of this floor (2) is a sloping floor (2a) to form a slope, and a sloping floor ( Horizontal floors (2b) and (2c) are connected to the upper and lower ends of 2a), respectively.

Reference numeral (3) is a cooling pipe as a floor cooling means laid almost all over the floor (2), and the cooling pipe (3) is supplied with a low temperature refrigerant (for example, from the refrigerator (4) through the pipe (5) (for example, ,
Circulation of -20 ℃ brine is supplied.

Further, (6) is an ice making machine, which produces flaky ice (an example of powdered ice) by using the refrigerant circulated and supplied from the refrigerator (4) through the pipe (7) as a cold heat source.

Although various types of ice makers can be applied, as an example, water or high-humidity air is supplied to a flat or cylindrical cooling surface cooled by the refrigerant from the refrigerator (4). Then, a thin layer of ice having a thickness of about 1 to 4 mm is formed on the cooling surface, and the thin layer of ice is sequentially scraped off to produce flaky ice.

Regarding the method of forming the artificial snow layer (8) on the floor (2), the valve (V) installed in the pipe (7) on the ice making machine (6) side
And the refrigerant is supplied to both the cooling pipe (3) laid on the floor (2) and the ice maker (6), thereby cooling the floor (2) whose upper surface is still exposed and flakes. The production of ice cubes.

Then, the flake-like ice to be produced is evenly spread over the entire surface of the floor (2), and a layer (9) of flake-like ice having a predetermined thickness (for example, 50 mm) is formed on the floor (2) as shown in FIG. ), And when spraying this flaky ice,
By sprinkling water together with an appropriate sprinkling means (not shown), the flaky ice layer (9) becomes a water-impregnated layer.

The water-impregnated flake-like ice layer (9) is frozen by cooling with the cooling pipe (3), thereby forming a frozen layer containing only water as a raw material on the floor.
This frozen layer is a frozen layer in which the interparticle voids of the flake-like ice in the layer are sufficiently filled with the frozen substance of the impregnated water (ie, ice) by selecting the amount of water at the time of sprinkling, that is, containing air. The freezing layer has a low coefficient and a high heat transfer coefficient and has a strength for protecting the cooling pipe (3).

When the formation of the above-mentioned frozen layer (9) is completed, flaky ice (an example of powdery granular ice as a snow layer material) is evenly sprayed on this frozen layer (9), and it is shown in FIG. As described above, a flake-like ice layer (8) having a predetermined thickness (for example, 50 to 100 mm) is formed on the frozen layer (9), and the flake-like ice layer (8) is an artificial snow layer using only water as a raw material. And

Since the flake-like ice is brittle and can be easily atomized, the flake-like ice layer (8) as the artificial snow layer is
After forming it, even if it is compressed with a roller to adjust the snow quality, or the surface layer part is cut and crushed with an appropriate cutting device to make the snow (scattered flake ice) finer, Processing can be performed easily.

When the formation of the artificial snow layer (8) is completed as described above, the valve (V) on the ice making machine (6) side is closed to stop the ice making operation, and thereafter, the melting of the artificial snow layer (8) is prevented. Only the refrigerant supply operation to the cooling pipe (3) at a sufficient refrigerant temperature and refrigerant flow rate is continued to keep the snow surface (8a) of the artificial snow layer (8) in a usable state as a slope.

At this time, as described above, the artificial snow layer (8) and the floor (2)
Since a freezing layer (9) having a high heat transfer coefficient is interposed between the heat transfer layer and the floor, for example, all the layers (9) and (8) above the floor (2) are made of simple flaky ice having a low heat transfer coefficient. Compared with stacking,
A cooling pipe (3) for preventing the melting of the artificial snow layer up to the snow surface (8a) (maintaining the snow surface temperature at, for example, about -2 ° C)
The cooling temperature (i.e., refrigerant temperature) can be set to a relatively high temperature, and the refrigerator (4) can be operated with a good coefficient of performance, whereby running costs can be reduced and energy saving can be achieved.

In the figure, (10) is an air conditioner that air-conditions the interior space of the building (1) (that is, adjusts the temperature and humidity of the atmosphere on the slopes). Regarding air conditioning by this air conditioner (10), particularly humidity adjustment,
The humidity on the ski slope air is adjusted so that the water vapor partial pressure on the ski slope is equal to that on the snow surface (8a). It becomes higher than that and frost forms on the snow surface (8a), and the slip on the snow surface (8a) becomes worse, and the water vapor partial pressure of the air on the slope becomes lower than the water vapor pressure of the snow surface (8a). It is possible to prevent or prevent the slipping of the snow surface (8a) from being deteriorated due to the diffusion (sublimation) of water from the snow surface (8a).

In maintenance of the snow surface (8a), skiers scrape off the snow, stains on the snow surface (8a), or snow surface (8a)
If it becomes necessary to replenish the snow due to water loss from the
Flake-like ice is replenished and scattered in the same manner as described above, and the replenished flake-like ice is subjected to atomization by a roller or a cutting device.

When forming the artificial snow layer (8) described above, a snow-thickness warning mesh is formed on the upper surface of the water-impregnated flake-like ice layer (9) or the frozen layer (9) that has been frozen. When a body (for example, a color wire net) is laid and the net for snow thickness warning is exposed for skiing off the snow by a ski passenger during use as a ski slope, the ski passenger or the ski can be exposed with this exposure. The manager may be allowed to recognize the absence of snow at the location.

[Another embodiment]

 Next, another embodiment will be listed.

(1) In the embodiment of the first invention described above, the frozen layer (9)
Flake-like ice as a snow layer material was sprayed again on (frozen ice layer in the water-impregnated state) to form an artificial snow layer (8) using only water as a raw material on the frozen layer. Instead of this, as an example of the second aspect of the present invention, after the formation of the frozen layer (9), the surface layer of the frozen layer (9) is cut and crushed as a snow layer material, and artificial snow using only water as a raw material. The layer (8) may be formed on the frozen layer.

(2) In each of the first and second inventions, i) The floor (2) may be in any form such as a horizontal floor, a sloping floor, or a floor with irregularities.

ii) The cooling means equipped on the floor (2) is not limited to the cooling pipe (3) as in the above-mentioned embodiment, and various types such as a cooling panel type can be adopted.

iii) The method for producing the powdery granular ice scattered on the floor (2) is not limited to the production method as in the above-mentioned embodiment, and various methods can be adopted.

iv) When only the powdery granular ice and water are sprayed on the floor (2) to form a water-impregnated powdery granular ice layer on the floor (2), the powdery granular ice is sprayed as in the above-mentioned embodiment. Instead of spraying water in parallel, it is also possible to spray water after forming a layer of powdery granular ice (9) on the floor, or spray water in the form of water in a gas by spraying a high humidity body. Good.

(3) In the first aspect of the present invention, powdered ice particles (that is, powdered ice particles forming the artificial snow layer (8)) to be sprayed as a snow layer material on the frozen layer (9) and water-impregnated powder particles. Ice layer (9)
The powdery ice particles forming the ice powder (that is, the powdery ice particles forming the frozen layer (9)) may have different particle sizes.

(4) In the second aspect of the present invention, various cutting and crushing methods and various types of devices can be applied for cutting and crushing the surface layer of the frozen layer (9) as a snow layer material.

It should be noted that reference numerals are given in the claims for convenience of comparison with the drawings, but by the entry, concrete embodiments of the snow layer forming methods of the first and second inventions and equipments for implementation are attached. It is not limited to the form and equipment shown in the drawings.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 to 3 show an embodiment, FIG. 1 is an equipment configuration diagram of an indoor artificial ski resort, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are enlarged sectional views showing an artificial snow layer forming process, respectively. (2) ... Floor, (2a) ... sloping floor, (3) ... cooling means, (8) ... artificial snow layer, (9) ... powder-granulated ice layer (frozen layer).

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A snow layer forming method for forming an artificial snow layer (8) on a floor (2) provided with a cooling means (3), wherein ice and water in the form of powder are provided on the floor (2). Is sprayed to form a water-impregnated powdery granular ice layer (9), and the water-impregnated powdery granular ice layer (9) is frozen by the cooling means (3) to use only water as a raw material. An artificial snow layer (8) using only water as a raw material is prepared by forming a frozen layer on the floor (2), and spraying powdered ice as a snow layer material on the frozen layer (9). Forming a snow layer. 2. A snow layer forming method for forming an artificial snow layer (8) on a floor (2) comprising cooling means (3), wherein ice and water in the form of powder and granules are formed on the floor (2). Is sprayed to form a water-impregnated powdery granular ice layer (9), and the water-impregnated powdery granular ice layer (9) is frozen by the cooling means (3) to use only water as a raw material. Forming a frozen layer on the floor (2), cutting and crushing the surface layer of the frozen layer (9) as snow layer material,
A method for forming a snow layer, in which an artificial snow layer (8) is formed using only water as a raw material. 3. The snow layer forming method according to claim 1, wherein the floor (2) is an inclined floor (2a).