JPH11183003A - Artificial snow generation system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an artificial snow generating system in which water can be supplied stably by preventing the water in water supply pipe and water spray pipe around an ice making drum from being frozen. SOLUTION: An artificial snow generating system comprises a cooler, i.e., an ice making drum 6, to be fed with refrigerant from a refrigerating machine 2, and a pipe 7 for spraying water to the outer circumferential surface of the drum 6 wherein water is sprayed from the pipe 7 while turning the drum 6 and ice produced on the outer circumferential surface thereof is scratched by means of a scratch cutter 8 to generate artificial snow. The system further comprises a tank 20 for storing ice making water from a water intake source 26 temporarily, and a pipe 29 for supplying ice making water from the tank 20. A water temperature sensor 44 is provided in the way of the water supply pipe 29 and a pipe 41 branched from the way a pipe 24a for supplying cooling water from the refrigerating machine 2 to a cooling tower 21 is introduced into the tank 20. The cooling water branch pipe 41 is provided, in the way thereof, with a normal closed on/off valve 43 being opened by a signal from the sensor 44 when the temperature of ice making water in the water supply pipe drops below a specified level.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an artificial snow generating apparatus used in an artificial snowmaking system for a ski resort, for example, for spraying artificial snow on a ski slope.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An artificial snow making apparatus for use in an artificial snowmaking system for a ski resort for spraying artificial snow on a ski slope at a ski resort includes an ice-making machine as a cooler to which a refrigerant is supplied from a refrigerator. There is a type in which water is sprayed on an outer peripheral surface of a drum to freeze ice, and ice on the outer peripheral surface is scraped off with a scraper while rotating the ice making drum to produce artificial snow.

[0003] An ice storage is provided below an ice-making room provided with an ice-making drum. Artificial snow from the ice-making drum is dropped and stored in the ice storage, is carried out of the ice storage by a snow-carrying device, and further uses compressed air. It was sprayed on the ski slopes by the snow melting device.

[0004] In the conventional snowmaking apparatus, the water sprayed on the ice making drum freezes in the water sprinkling pipe and the pipe is clogged, or the pipe is broken and the ice making water cannot be sufficiently sent to the ice making drum. Poor ice making may occur.

[0005] The ice making drum is provided with a water receiving pan below the ice making drum to receive dripping water from the ice making drum. When the ice grows on the water receiving pan and reaches the ice making drum, the rotation of the ice making drum is stopped. In some cases, artificial snow could not be generated.

The main cause of the above-mentioned trouble is that the water supply pipe and the water sprinkling pipe near the ice making drum are cooled by the cool air from the ice making drum. In particular, when the water sprinkling is stopped, the load on the ice making drum decreases. The temperature will be lower.
Also, in an artificial snow generating apparatus for a ski resort, water from a pond or a pond is often used for water for ice making, and the temperature of the water is usually as low as about 3 to 4 ° C., so that it is easy to freeze. ing.

Further, the artificial snow from the ice making drum is made to fall into the ice storage compartment from the communication opening opened in the floor of the ice making room, but when the artificial snow falls from the communication opening, it falls to the communication opening due to the fall. As the airflow is generated, an ascending airflow is also generated opposite the descending airflow. This ascending air current is cold air (about -5 ° C) in the ice storage, and includes fine snowflakes in artificial snow. These cold air and snowflakes cause water in the water supply pipe and water sprinkling pipe around the ice making drum. Sometimes it was frozen.

[0008]

An object of the present invention is to provide an artificial snow generating apparatus which can solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, can generate artificial snow stably, and is suitable for an artificial snow making system for ski resorts. It is intended to provide a device.

[0009]

To achieve the above object, an apparatus for producing artificial snow according to claim 1 of the present invention comprises an ice making drum, which is a cooler to which a refrigerant is supplied from a refrigerator, and an ice making drum, In an artificial snow generating apparatus that includes a water spray pipe for spraying water on the outer peripheral surface, water is sprinkled from the water spray pipe while rotating the ice making drum, and ice generated on the outer peripheral surface of the ice making drum is scraped with a scraper blade to generate artificial snow. A water storage tank for temporarily storing ice making water from an intake source such as a swamp or a pond, and a water supply pipe for sending the ice making water from the water storage tank to the water sprinkling pipe, and a temperature for detecting the temperature of the ice making water in the middle of the water supply pipe. A sensor is provided, and a cooling water branch pipe is branched from the middle of a cooling water outgoing pipe for sending cooling water from the refrigerator to a cooling tower, and the other end of the cooling water branch pipe is introduced into the storage tank, and the cooling water branch pipe is provided. On the way , Usually are closed, there as a configuration in which the temperature of the ice-making water in the water supply pipe is provided with a closing valve which is opened to a signal from said temperature sensor and below a predetermined temperature.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an artificial snow making apparatus comprising: an ice making drum serving as a cooler to which a refrigerant is supplied from a refrigerator; and a water spray pipe for spraying water on an outer peripheral surface of the ice making drum. Water is sprinkled from the water sprinkling pipe while rotating the ice making drum, and the ice generated on the outer peripheral surface of the ice making drum is scraped with a scraper blade to generate artificial snow. A water tank for temporarily storing ice making water sprinkled on the ice making drum is provided, and a water supply pipe for supplying ice making water from the outside is connected to a water receiving pan through a rising pipe section, and a return pipe having one end connected to the water receiving pan is provided. The end faces the water tank, and in the middle of the water supply pipe,
Normally open, but equipped with a float valve that is closed when the ice making water in the water tank exceeds a predetermined water level, a drain pipe is branched from the lower end of the riser section of the water supply pipe, and the drain pipe is It is normally closed, but has a drain valve that opens when watering to the ice making drum is stopped.

Further, the artificial snow generating apparatus according to a third aspect of the present invention is configured such that a heater is attached to at least a rising pipe portion of the water supply pipe.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an artificial snow making apparatus comprising: an ice making drum serving as a cooler to which a refrigerant is supplied from a refrigerator; and a water spray pipe for spraying water on an outer peripheral surface of the ice making drum. Water is sprinkled from the water sprinkling pipe while rotating, and the ice generated on the outer peripheral surface of the ice making drum is scraped with a scraper blade to produce artificial snow. An ice storage for storing snow is provided, and the floor of the ice making room has a communication opening for letting artificial snow from the ice making drum fall into the ice storage, an outside air intake is opened in the ice making room, and a fan is provided in the ice storage. An exhaust port is provided, and a downward airflow is formed in the communication opening.

[0013]

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the apparatus according to the present invention.
This will be described in detail based on specific examples shown in FIGS. The second floor portion of the building 1 is an ice making room 1A, and the first floor portion is an ice storage 1B. The ice making room 1A is provided with a plurality of refrigerators 2 and an ice making machine 3 for generating artificial snow. A communication opening 5 for allowing artificial snow 4 from the ice maker 3 to fall into the ice storage 1B is opened on the floor of the vehicle.

The ice making machine 3 comprises two ice making drums 6,
The ice-making drum is provided with a water spray pipe 7 for spraying water, and a scraping blade 8 for scraping ice formed on the outer periphery of the ice-making drum. The ice-making drum has a liquid-filled type in which refrigerant from a refrigerator is supplied. The water from the sprinkling pipe 7 is frozen on the surface of the ice making drum, and the frozen ice is scraped by the scraper 8. Take it to produce artificial snow.

The ice storage 1B is provided with a conveying device 10 for sending artificial snow to the first screw conveyor 9 while scraping the surface of the artificial snow 4 dropped from the ice making chamber 1A. From the conveyor 9 to the first hopper 11,
The second screw conveyor 12 and the second hopper 13 send the snow to the snow-feeding device 14.

The snow feeder 14 sends artificial snow from the second hopper 13 into the snow pipe 17 by compressed air sent from the air compressor 15 through the air pipe 16 and the branch pipe 16a. A plurality of snow blowing devices 18 called transporters are connected to the snow pipe 17 at a plurality of points in the middle of the snow pipe 17 via a snow-carrying branch pipe 17a, and a branch air pipe 16b for supplying compressed air from the air pipe 16 to the snow blowing apparatus 18. Is also connected, and the artificial snow 4 is sprinkled with compressed air.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10a denotes a partition plate, which is used to prevent artificial snow from the snow transport device 10 from flowing into the first screw conveyor 9 in an avalanche shape. Is an air cooling device for reducing the compressed air from the air compressor 15 to a predetermined temperature or less, 20 is a water storage tank for supplying water for ice making, 2
Reference numeral 1 denotes a cooling tower connected to the refrigerator 2.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, an outside air intake 49 is opened in the ice making chamber 1A, and an exhaust port 50 is opened in the ice storage 1B, and a fan 51 is provided in the exhaust port 50. Thus, the air in the ice storage can be forcibly sent out to the outside, and the outside air from the outside air inlet 49 passes from the ice making chamber 1A through the communication opening 5 to the exhaust port 50.
It is sent out from. By doing so, only a descending airflow is generated in the communication opening 5, so that the cool air from the ice storage or the snowflakes of artificial snow soar around the ice making drum to prevent freezing of ice making water in the water sprinkling pipe 7 and the like.

A temperature sensor 52 is mounted at an appropriate position in the ice storage 1B. When the temperature in the ice storage rises above a predetermined temperature by the sensor, the rotation speed of the fan 51 is reduced or stopped. The artificial snow inside the ice storage is not melted. Note that the opening area of the communication opening 5 is larger than in the past, and even if the rotational speed of the fan 51 is low and a slight upward airflow occurs in the communication opening, the speed of the upward airflow is reduced to reduce the artificial snow. The small snowflakes are prevented from entering the ice making room.

Next, the refrigerant circuit and the water supply circuit of the apparatus according to this embodiment will be described. Refrigerant 2 refrigerant outlet 2a
Is connected to the ice making drum 6 of the ice making machine 3, and the other end of the refrigerant return pipe 22 b is connected to the cooling machine inlet of the refrigerator 2. 2b.

An accumulator 23 is provided in the middle of the refrigerant return pipe 22b so as to separate the liquid refrigerant from the refrigerant returned to the refrigerator 2. Further, a refrigerant forward pipe 22a is provided in the accumulator. Is introduced so that the refrigerant in the accumulator can be sufficiently vaporized by the heat of the refrigerant in the refrigerant outward pipe and returned to the refrigerator.

Further, a pressure gauge 37 for detecting the refrigerant pressure is provided between the ice making drum 6 and the accumulator 23 in the refrigerant return pipe 22b. The refrigerator 2 is operated in advance, and water is sprayed onto the ice making drum after the refrigerant pressure measured by the pressure gauge 37 is sufficiently reduced.

The other end of the cooling water outgoing pipe 24a, one end of which is connected to the cooling water outlet 2c of the refrigerator 2, is led out of the ice making chamber 1A and is connected to the cooling tower 21 for cooling from the cooling tower. The other end of the water return pipe 24b is connected to a cooling water inlet 2d of the refrigerator 2 via a cooling water pump 25.

An intake pipe 27 from an intake source 26 such as a pond or a pond is connected to a water storage tank 20 via an intake pump 28, and a water supply pipe 29 having one end connected to a lower part of the water storage tank.
Are connected to the ice maker 3 via a water supply pump 30.

The cooling water branch pipe 41 branches off from the middle of the cooling water forward pipe 24a for sending the cooling water warmed by the refrigerator 2 to the cooling tower 21. It is introduced into the water storage tank 20 through a pump 42 and an opening / closing valve 43, and a temperature sensor 44 for detecting the temperature of ice making water is provided in the middle of the water supply pipe 29. Is closed, but is opened by a signal from the temperature sensor 44 when the temperature of the ice making water in the water supply pipe falls below a predetermined temperature.

In the middle of the water supply pipe 29, a water supply branch pipe 45 is provided.
The other end of the water supply branch pipe 45 is connected to the cooling water return pipe 24b via the opening / closing valve 46 and the pump 47, and the cooling water is supplied to the water storage tank 20 by the cooling water branch pipe 41 described above. When the cooling water is insufficient due to the supply of the water, the opening / closing valve 46 of the water supply branch pipe 45 which is normally closed is opened and the pump 47 is driven, and a part of the ice making water is returned from the water supply pipe to the cooling water return pipe. The cooling water is sent to 24b to replenish the cooling water.

The water supply circuit in the ice making machine 3 is provided with a water tank 32 for temporarily storing ice making water from a water supply pipe 29 as shown in an enlarged view in FIG. A receiving pan 33 for receiving the water is provided.

The water supply pipe 29 is first connected to a water receiving pan 33 via a float valve 34 and a rising pipe section 29a. The water receiving pan 33 has a return pipe 35 whose other end faces the water tank 32. Are connected at one end. By doing so, ice-making water is flown into the water receiving pan 33, and ice hardly grows on the water receiving pan.

The float valve 34 is opened and closed by a float 34a provided in the water tank 32.
When the water in the water tank 32 is lower than a predetermined water level,
When the float valve 34 is opened and the water from the water supply pipe 29 is supplied to the water tank from the return pipe 35 together with the dripping water from the ice making drum via the water receiving pan, the water tank 3
When the water in 2 exceeds a predetermined water level, the float valve 34 is closed, and the supply to the water tank is stopped.

One end of a drain pipe 39 having a normally closed drain valve 40 is connected to the lower end of the riser pipe section 29a of the water supply pipe 29, and the float valve 34 is closed and water is closed. When the supply of water to the tank 32 is stopped, the drain valve 40 is opened, and the riser 2
9 is discharged to a water tank. The water supply pipe 29 and the drain pipe 39 in the ice making machine 3 are also provided.
Is provided with a heater 48, which is made of, for example, a heating wire and is wound around the water supply pipe 29 and the drain pipe 39.

One end of a watering pipe 7 is connected to the lower part of the water tank 32, and the other end of the watering pipe 7 is connected to a number of watering branch pipes 7a via a water supply pump 36, a strainer 31, and a watering valve 38. Water is sprayed onto the surface of the ice making drum 6 from a number of water spouts opened in the water sprinkling branch pipe 7a.

[0032]

The ice making water from the water intake source 26 such as a pond or a pond is temporarily stored in the water storage tank 20 and sent to the ice making machine 3 through the water supply pipe 29. When the temperature of the ice making water in the water supply pipe is lower than a predetermined temperature, the opening / closing valve 43 of the cooling water branch pipe 41 is opened by a signal from the temperature sensor 44 to take heat from the refrigerator 2 and send it to the cooling tower 21. The high-temperature cooling water is sent to the water storage tank 20, and the ice making water in the water storage tank is heated.

A water supply pipe 29 in the ice making machine 3 is connected to a water receiving pan 33 via a rising part 29a of the water supply pipe, and a drain pipe 39 having a drain valve 40 at the lower end of the rising part 29a. Is connected, when the water supply is stopped, the drain valve is opened and the ice making water in the rising portion 29a is discharged into the water tank 32, so that freezing of the ice making water in the rising portion can be prevented.

Further, since the heater 48 is attached to the water supply pipe 29 in the ice making machine 3, the freezing water in the water supply pipe can be prevented by the heat from the heater.

Further, a downward airflow is formed in the communication opening between the ice making chamber 1A and the ice storage 1B by the drive of the fan 51 provided in the exhaust port 50, so that the cold air in the ice storage and minute snowflakes of artificial snow are formed. Intrusion around the ice making drum is prevented, and this can also prevent freezing of ice making water in the water supply pipe in the ice making machine.

Therefore, according to the artificial snow production apparatus according to the present invention, the ice making water in the water supply pipe or the water sprinkling pipe for sending ice making water to the ice making drum is hardly frozen, and the necessary and sufficient ice making water is supplied to the ice making drum. And artificial snow can be generated stably.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the entirety of an artificial snowmaking system for a ski resort including an artificial snow generating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of an ice making drum.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing the flow of air in an ice making room and an ice storage.

FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram showing a refrigerant circuit and a water supply circuit in an embodiment of the artificial snow production device according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged sectional view of a water supply circuit in the ice making machine.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Building 1A Ice making room 1B Ice storage 2 Refrigerator 3 Ice making machine 4 Artificial snow 5 Communication opening 6 Ice making drum 7 Water sprinkling pipe 8 Scratch blade 9 First screw conveyor 10 Snow artificial conveyance device 11 First hopper 12 Second screw conveyor 13 Second Hopper 14 Snow Transmission Device 15 Air Compressor 16 Air Pipe 17 Snow Conveying Tube 18 Snow Blowing Device 19 Air Cooling Device 20 Water Storage Tank 21 Cooling Tower 22a Refrigerant Outgoing Tube 22b Refrigerant Returning Tube 23 Accumulator 24a Cooling Water Outgoing Tube 24b Cooling Water Return pipe 25 Cooling water pump 26 Water intake source 27 Water intake pipe 28 Water intake pump 29 Water supply pipe 30 Water supply pump 31 Strainer 32 Water tank 33 Water receiving pan 34 Float valve 35 Return pipe 36 Water supply pump 37 Pressure gauge 38 Watering valve 39 Branch pipe 40 Branch Pipe valve 41 Cooling water branch pipe 42 Pon 43 Open / close valve 44 Temperature sensor 45 Water supply branch 46 Open / close valve 47 Pump 48 Heater 49 Outside air intake 50 Exhaust port 51 Fan 52 Temperature sensor

Claims (4)

[Claims] An ice making drum, which is a cooler to which a refrigerant is supplied from a refrigerator, and a water sprinkling pipe for spraying water on an outer peripheral surface of the ice making drum, water is sprinkled from the water sprinkling pipe while rotating the ice making drum. In an artificial snow generator that generates artificial snow by scraping ice generated on the outer peripheral surface with a scraper blade, a water storage tank that temporarily stores ice making water from a water intake source such as a pond and a pond, and an ice making water from this water storage tank are used. A water supply pipe for sending water to the water sprinkling pipe, a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of ice making water is provided in the middle of the water supply pipe, and a cooling water branch pipe for cooling water from the refrigerator to a cooling tower. And the other end of the cooling water branch pipe is introduced into the water storage tank, and the cooling water branch pipe is normally closed in the middle of the cooling water branch pipe, but the temperature of the ice making water in the water supply pipe falls below a predetermined temperature. Artificial snow generator formed by providing an opening and closing valve that is opened to a signal from the temperature sensor. 2. An ice making drum, which is a cooler to which a refrigerant is supplied from a refrigerator, and a water sprinkling pipe for sprinkling water on an outer peripheral surface of the ice making drum, and water is sprinkled from the water sprinkling pipe while rotating the ice making drum. An artificial snow generating apparatus for generating artificial snow by scraping ice generated on an outer peripheral surface with a scraper blade, comprising a water receiving pan for receiving dripping water of the ice making drum and a water tank for temporarily storing ice making water sprinkled on the ice making drum. ,
A water supply pipe for supplying ice-making water from the outside is connected to a water receiving pan via a rising pipe portion, one end of a return pipe connected to the water receiving pan at one end faces the water tank, and in the middle of the water supply pipe. It is normally open, but is provided with a float valve which is closed when the ice making water in the water tank exceeds a predetermined water level, branches the drain pipe from the lower end of the riser section of the water supply pipe, and connects the drain pipe to the drain pipe. An artificial snow generating apparatus which is normally closed but is provided with a drain valve which is opened when watering to the ice making drum is stopped. 3. The artificial snow generating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a heater is attached to at least a rising pipe portion of the water supply pipe. 4. An ice making drum, which is a cooler to which a refrigerant is supplied from a refrigerator, and a water sprinkling pipe for spraying water on the outer peripheral surface of the ice making drum. Water is sprinkled from the water sprinkling pipe while rotating the ice making drum. In an artificial snow generating apparatus for generating artificial snow by scraping ice generated on an outer peripheral surface with a scraper blade, an ice storage for storing artificial snow is provided below an ice making room including the ice making drum, and an ice storage is provided on a floor of the ice making room. A communication opening for letting artificial snow from the ice making drum fall into the ice storage, an outside air intake opening in the ice making chamber, and an exhaust opening provided with a fan in the ice storage to form a downward airflow in the communication opening. An artificial snow generating apparatus, characterized in that: