Apparatus for generating snowflakes, snow and / or ice crystals, in particular for generating artificial snow

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus (1) for generating snowflakes, snow crystals and / or ice crystals (SK), in particular for the technical generation of snow, having at least one housing (2), at least one roller (3) that is rotatably mounted and / or able to be driven in rotation by a motor, and a plurality of nozzles (4, 5) for introducing and / or for feeding water and / or air into the housing (2), wherein the housing (2) has at least one chamber (6) for receiving and / or forming a water / air mixture (7), in particular for receiving and / or forming a water mist (7a), wherein the roller (3) extends at least partially into the chamber (6) and / or is present and / or arranged in the chamber (6) such that at least a part of the outer circumference of the roller (3a) is able to be brought into contact with the water / air mixture (7) and / or with particles of the water / air mixture (7) that have already been at least partially crystallised in the chamber (6). The quality of the generated snowflakes, snow crystals and / or ice crystals is improved and the maintenance and / or assembly complexity and the associated costs have now been reduced in that a mounting plate (9) that at least partially closes the chamber (6) is provided and / or present, and in that the nozzles (4, 5) are arranged and / or formed in and / or on the mounting plate (9).

Description

[0001] DEVICE FOR PRODUCING SNOWFLAKES, SNOW AND / OR ICE CRYSTALS, IN PARTICULAR FOR PRODUCING ARTIFICIAL SNOW

[0002] The invention relates to a device for producing snowflakes, snow and / or ice crystals, in particular for the technical production of snow, with at least one housing, with at least one rotatably mounted and / or motor-driven roller, and with a plurality of nozzles for introducing and / or supplying water and / or air into the housing, wherein the housing has at least one chamber for receiving and / or forming a water-air mixture, in particular for receiving and / or forming a water mist, wherein the roller extends at least partially into the chamber and / or is present and / or arranged in the chamber in such a way that at least part of the outer circumference of the roller can be brought into contact with the water-air mixture and / or with particles of the water-air mixture that have already at least partially crystallized in the chamber.

[0003] A variety of devices for producing snow and / or ice crystals, in particular for the technical production of snow (artificial snow), are already known in the prior art. Such devices comprise at least one housing in which at least one chamber, in particular a so-called "conditioning chamber," is present or provided. Such a chamber can be designed to be at least partially coolable so that a water-air mixture introduced and / or sprayed into this chamber can at least partially crystallize, in particular so that snow and / or ice crystals can then form, which then fall out of the chamber and / or are transported out of the chamber, in particular in order to transport the "artificial snow" thus technically produced or to transport it to its destination and use there.A variety of devices are already known in the prior art for producing such snow and / or ice crystals, in particular artificial snow.

[0004] For example, EP 3 410 042 A1 describes a device for producing ice crystals, in particular for producing artificial snow, on which the invention is based. The device disclosed here comprises a housing and a rotatably mounted and / or motor-driven roller. The housing further comprises a chamber, in particular a conditioning chamber, as well as a plurality of nozzles. With the aid of the nozzles, a water-air mixture is sprayed into the chamber of the housing; in particular, a water mist is generated, which is sprayed into the chamber or forms or spreads in the chamber. The roller extends at least partially into the chamber; in particular, a part of the outer circumference of the roller can be brought into contact with the water-air mixture, in particular with the water mist. The roller, which can also be referred to as an "evaporator roller," is cooled in the process.The nozzles of the device, which introduce the water-air mixture into the chamber, particularly into the conditioning chamber of the device, initially spray the water or air into the chamber and then also toward the outer circumference of the rotating roller. Since the roller is cooled with the aid of a coolant, the outer circumference of the roller has a certain low temperature, so that an "ice layer" forms on the outer circumference of the roller. In particular, ice crystals form or are deposited on the outer circumference of the roller and initially remain adhered to the outer circumference of the roller.Furthermore, the corresponding rotational movement of the roller transports the snow and / or ice particles located on the outer circumference towards a chute and then scraped off the outer circumference of the roller with the help of a scraping blade, so that the snow and / or ice particles, in particular the artificial snow, are separated from the outer circumference of the roller and can then be removed via the chute of the device or fall down the chute, in particular into a container. Further use of the snow and / or ice particles produced in this way, in particular the artificial snow, depends on the location and the specific desired use, for example for the formation of a ski slope, for the production of ice for a sauna area, for playful applications for children's playgrounds (or the like).

[0005] The device known from the prior art, on which the invention is based, is not yet optimally designed. The nozzles used and / or arranged in this device are designed in particular as water nozzles or as dual-fluid nozzles and are arranged in the housing wall of the device's housing. In practice, it has now been shown that this design / arrangement of the aforementioned nozzles is not yet optimal. The water mist that forms in the chamber, in particular in the conditioning chamber, then has a "consistency" that is not optimal, especially for the formation of snow crystals. The quality of the snow particles produced with the known device, in particular the quality of the artificial snow produced, can therefore be greatly improved; in particular, almost exclusively ice crystals are produced. Furthermore, the maintenance of the known device is extremely labor-intensive and therefore very cost-intensive.On the one hand, the nozzles present in the known device are arranged accordingly in an outer wall of the housing, in particular screwed therein, whereby a separate water connection must initially be available for each nozzle. Connecting the known device for the corresponding application, as well as the respective maintenance, is therefore very labor-intensive and time-consuming and very costly. In particular, when cleaning the nozzles, the device must sometimes be completely disassembled / demounted, in particular in order to care for and maintain the recesses and / or screw-in holes for the nozzles formed in the housing wall of the device, as well as to be able to carefully check the inlet and outlet areas of the nozzles in the area of ​​the housing wall. The device known in the prior art is therefore not yet optimally designed.

[0006] The invention is therefore based on the object of designing and developing the known device in such a way that, on the one hand, the quality of the snow and / or ice crystals produced, in particular the technically produced snow, is improved, and, on the other hand, the maintenance and / or assembly effort and the associated costs are reduced.

[0007] The above-described problem is now solved by providing and / or providing a mounting plate that at least partially closes the chamber, and by arranging and / or forming the nozzles in and / or on the mounting plate. This achieves several advantages, which are explained below:

[0008] Firstly, the nozzles are arranged and / or formed in and / or on a mounting plate, which has the advantage that for maintenance of the device, in particular the nozzles and / or the areas surrounding the nozzles, the entire device does not have to be dismantled, which is laborious, but rather the mounting plate with the nozzles arranged and / or formed in the mounting plate can now be easily removed from the device. Handling, in particular screwing in new nozzles, cleaning and / or checking, in particular the inlet and / or outlet areas of the nozzles, as well as the recesses in the mounting plate into which the nozzles are screwed, is particularly easy. Maintenance costs are therefore initially significantly reduced or minimized.In particular, the connection and installation of the nozzles is considerably simplified, as the mounting plate with the nozzles can then be reconnected to the housing wall "as a whole". Also, as will be explained in more detail below, each individual nozzle does not need to have a separate water connection arranged on the outside, because the mounting plate in particular has at least one water channel for supplying water to the respective nozzles, so that the mounting plate itself in particular only has one water inlet, and in particular only one water outlet. In particular, this fundamental principle of the arrangement and / or design of the nozzles in or on a mounting plate also greatly improves the "snow quality", i.e. the production of snow and / or ice crystals, and in particular "snowflakes" can be produced.On the one hand, the nozzles are now partly designed as water nozzles and partly as air nozzles, or to put it another way: Separate water nozzles and separate air nozzles are now provided, each of which is arranged and / or formed in the mounting plate. The arrangement and / or design of these nozzles, which will be explained in more detail below, can then be optimally adapted to the respective size / volume of the chamber, in particular the conditioning chamber, or the nozzles can be arranged in a specific "pattern" on the mounting plate. This makes it possible to generate an "optimized water mist" which then forms or has so-called "crystallization nuclei", in particular crystallization nuclei that have already formed in the chamber. Such nuclei orFurther water particles adhere to such "crystallization nuclei," forming "snowflakes" that then settle on the roller, particularly on the outer circumference of the roller. This leads to an increase in the quality of the snow and / or ice crystals produced in this way, and in particular to an increase in the quality of the snow produced, which is also a decisive advantage. In particular, "snowflakes" can be produced, or corresponding "snow" can be produced that has a "natural snow consistency." Ultimately, the disadvantages mentioned above are avoided and corresponding advantages are achieved.

[0009] There are now numerous possibilities for advantageously designing and / or developing the device according to the invention for producing snowflakes, snow and / or ice crystals, in particular for the technical production of snow. For this purpose, reference may first be made to the claims subordinate to claim 1. A preferred embodiment of the invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the following description and the accompanying drawings:

[0010] The drawing shows:

[0011] Fig. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention in a schematic, very simplified representation in a perspective slightly from above with a view of the housing of the device, in particular with a view of the housing from behind, in particular of the drop shaft, wherein the housing is arranged on a base plate, and the essential components surrounding the housing, such as a drive for the roller, compressors, control devices and / or coolant supply lines are not shown in detail, and without the representation of a mounting plate arranged on the housing,

[0012] Fig. 2 shows the device shown in Fig. 1 in section in a simplified schematic representation from the side, showing the essential components present inside the housing, but showing the mounting plate arranged on the housing,

[0013] Fig. 3 in a simplified schematic representation of the mounting plate in a single representation in a slightly perspective view with a top view of its outside, but without water nozzles, but with recognizable air nozzles,

[0014] Fig. 4 shows the mounting plate shown in Fig. 3 in a simplified schematic representation in a front view of the outside, showing the air nozzles, Fig. 5 shows the mounting plate shown in Figs. 3 and 4 in a simplified representation in a rear view of the inside of the mounting plate, showing the air nozzles, but without water nozzles,

[0015] Fig. 6a, 6b a section through the mounting plate shown in Fig. 4 in a very simplified schematic representation, wherein Fig. 6a shows a section along the line AA of Fig. 4 and Fig. 6b shows a section along the line BB of Fig. 4,

[0016] Fig. 7a, 7b in a partially enlarged view an enlarged section of an area of ​​the mounting plate with a water nozzle arranged in the mounting plate and an air nozzle associated with this water nozzle, whereby in Fig. 7a this is shown from a view of the inside of the mounting plate, and in Fig. 7b a section in this area is shown in a schematic representation,

[0017] Fig. 8a, 8b in a partially enlarged view an enlarged section of an area of ​​the mounting plate with a water nozzle arranged in the mounting plate and an air nozzle associated with this water nozzle, whereby in Fig. 8a this is shown from a view of the inside of the mounting plate, and in Fig. 8b a section in this area is shown in a schematic representation, whereby it can be seen here that the air outlet opening of the air nozzle in Fig. 8a has a different cross-sectional shape than in Fig. 7a,

[0018] Fig. 9 in a simplified enlarged view of a water nozzle for arrangement in the corresponding mounting plate in a lateral view in section, and

[0019] Fig. 10 shows a corresponding representation of the device from Fig. 1, but with the arranged mounting plate and further components in a simplified schematic representation.

[0020] Figs. 1 to 10 show, at least in part, a device 1 for producing snowflakes, snow and / or ice crystals SK, in particular for the technical production of snow. The device 1 is particularly visible in Figs. 1 and 2 in a simplified schematic representation. Fig. 10 shows the device 1 with additional components.

[0021] The device 1 comprises at least one housing 2 with at least one rotatably mounted and / or motor-driven roller 3. Furthermore, the device 1 comprises a plurality of nozzles 4 and 5, respectively. The nozzles 4 and 5 serve to introduce and / or supply water and / or air into the housing 2. The housing 2 comprises at least one chamber 6 for receiving and / or forming a water-air mixture 7, in particular for receiving and / or forming a water mist 7a.

[0022] Fig. 2 shows that the chamber 6 is at least partially surrounded by housing walls 2a of the housing 2. As Fig. 2 further shows, the roller 3 extends at least partially into the chamber 6 and / or is present and / or arranged in the chamber 6 in such a way that at least a part of the outer circumference 3a of the roller 3 can be brought into contact with the water-air mixture 7 and / or with particles of the water-air mixture 7 that have already at least partially crystallized in the chamber 6. The essential components of the device 1, some of which have already been mentioned, can be seen in particular in Fig. 2. It should be noted that in the illustration in Fig. 2, the water-air mixture 7 or the water mist 7a is intended to be represented here in particular with the aid of schematic dotted lines.

[0023] Fig. 1 essentially shows the device 1 in a slightly perspective view, whereby it can be seen here that the housing 2 is arranged and / or fastened on a base plate 8. In particular, Figs. 1 and 2 do not show any further components, which are then arranged or are arranged on the base plate 8 in the surrounding area of ​​the housing 2; in this regard, reference is made in particular to Fig. 10.

[0024] Fig. 1 and 2 therefore show in particular the essential arrangement and / or design of the preferred housing shape of the housing 2 of the device 1, and this should also be pointed out.

[0025] The disadvantages mentioned at the outset are now initially avoided, or corresponding advantages are achieved, by providing and / or having a mounting plate 9 that at least partially closes off the chamber 6, and by arranging and / or forming the nozzles 4 and 5 in and / or on the mounting plate 9. In principle, the mounting plate 9 can also be referred to as a “nozzle plate.” In particular, all nozzles 4 and 5 are formed in and / or arranged on the mounting plate 9. With the aid of the mounting plate 9, which is releasably attachable or releasably attached to the housing 2, an opening in the housing 2 leading to the chamber 6 is then, in particular, at least partially closed, or covered accordingly by the arrangement of the mounting plate 9 on the housing 2. This is particularly evident from Fig. 2, although the opening in the housing 2 covered by the mounting plate 9 is not shown in more detail here.

[0026] Fig. 1 shows the device 1, in particular without the arrangement of the mounting plate 9, wherein Fig. 2 and Fig. 10 show in particular the device 1 with an arranged mounting plate 9. The mounting plate 9 can therefore be arranged on the housing 2, in particular detachably connected to the housing 2 or detachably connectable to the housing.

[0027] From Fig. 2 it can be seen that the mounting plate 9, when arranged on the housing 2, at least partially closes the chamber 6, which will be explained in more detail below. However, it is also already clear from Fig. 2 that the mounting plate 9 with the nozzles 4 and 5, respectively, can be removed from the housing 2 “in particular as a whole” or can be mounted or detachably arranged on the housing 2. The latter can be achieved in particular with the aid of fastening screws, in particular with the aid of knurled screws or also with clips and / or corresponding adjusting screws. At least initially, this considerably simplifies the maintenance of the device 1, since the mounting plate 9 with the nozzles 4 and 5 arranged and / or formed on the mounting plate 95 can be removed “as a whole” from the housing 2 and then the necessary maintenance work can be carried out either inside the chamber 6, in particular on the roller 3, or outside the chamber 6 - i.e. independently of the device 1 - on the nozzles 4 or 5, namely on the then removed mounting plate 9. The time required and / or the cost required for servicing the device 1 is thereby considerably minimized. With regard to the illustration in Fig. 2, it should be noted that here the section through the mounting plate 9 or the corresponding schematic sectional illustration of the mounting plate 9 has been partially offset, in particular has been illustrated or implemented in such a way that on the one hand one of the upper nozzles 5 visible in Fig. 4 and one of the lower nozzles 5 visible in Fig. 4 can be seen with a nozzle 4 arranged adjacent to it.

[0028] The appropriate arrangement of the nozzles 4 and 5, as will be explained in more detail below, also significantly improves the quality of the snow and / or ice crystals produced, in particular the quality of the technically produced snow. In particular, snow particles or “snowflakes” can now be produced that essentially correspond to the quality of natural snowflakes or have a “natural snow consistency.” In particular, the nozzles 4 and 5 arranged and / or formed in the mounting plate 9 can improve the arrangement and / or alignment of these nozzles 4 and 5 relative to the interior of the chamber 6, in particular to a conditioning chamber 6a. In particular, the nozzles 4 and 5 can then be easily arranged and / or formed in a specific pattern relative to one another. This significantly increases the quality of the technically produced snowflakes, snow and / or ice crystals SK, in particular of the technically produced snow.

[0029] The nozzles 4 and 5 are now specifically designed. The nozzles 4 are designed and / or constructed as water nozzles 4a, and the nozzles 5 are designed and / or constructed as air nozzles 5a. Expressed another way: In the very preferred embodiment, the water nozzles 4a in particular direct or spray and / or inject exclusively water, and the air nozzles 5a in particular in particular exclusively air, into the housing 2 or into the chamber 6, or respectively, supply water and air separately to the chamber 6. In particular, each water nozzle 4a is then assigned an air nozzle 5a. In this case, the respective air nozzle 5a is arranged and / or constructed particularly adjacent to the respective associated water nozzle 4a. The latter is particularly evident from the overall view of Figs. 2 to 8, which will now be explained in more detail below:

[0030] It is particularly advantageous that the water nozzles 4a are designed and / or constructed in particular as atomizing nozzles 4b and / or the air nozzles 5a are designed and / or constructed in particular as Venturi nozzles 5b. The atomizing nozzles 4b atomize or spray and / or inject the water, in particular in a "very finely atomized" form, particularly as very fine water droplets with a very small droplet size, into the chamber 6.

[0031] In particular, the chamber 6 is also coolable, in particular designed as a so-called cooled conditioning chamber 6a. In this case, the roller 3 can be cooled, in particular with the aid of a rotary distributor (not shown in detail in Fig. 1) for introducing coolant into the roller 3, wherein in particular the temperature of the outer circumference 3a of the roller 3 can then be thermally controlled and / or the chamber 6 can then also be at least partially functionally effectively cooled with the aid of the roller 3. The roller 3 can be cooled in particular to very low temperatures below 0 degrees Celsius, in particular down to -32 degrees Celsius, with the aid of the coolant, so that in particular the outer circumference 3a of the roller 3 also has correspondingly low temperatures and / or the interior of the chamber 6 can also be correspondingly cooled with the aid of the roller 3. As a result, the quality of the snowflakes, snow and / or ice crystals produced can be correspondingly increased.

[0032] As shown in particular in Fig. 2, a water-air mixture 7, in particular a water mist 7a, is created in the chamber 6, in particular in the conditioning chamber 6a, with atomized water, in particular water droplets, entering the chamber 6, in particular the conditioning chamber 6a, via the water nozzles 4a, in particular via the atomizing nozzles 4b, and an air supply / air particles entering the chamber 6, in particular the conditioning chamber 6a, via the air nozzles 5a, in particular via the Venturi nozzles 5b. Due to the adjacent arrangement of the water nozzles 4a and the air nozzles 5a, the water droplets / water particles mix optimally with the air particles, so that the water-air mixture 7, in particular then forms a finely atomized water mist 7a.This has the particular consequence that so-called "crystallization nuclei" (snowflake centers) with incipient branching (dendrite) can form within the chamber 6, particularly in the conditioning chamber 6a, which can then settle on the outer circumference 3a of the roller 3, particularly on a cooled and / or icy surface of the outer circumference 3a of the roller 3. The latter is made possible in particular by the fact that the air nozzles 5a are designed as Venturi nozzles 5b and each water nozzle 4a, particularly each atomizing nozzle 4b, is then assigned a Venturi nozzle 5b, or a corresponding Venturi nozzle 5b is arranged adjacent to an atomizing nozzle 4b and / or is designed accordingly. The Venturi nozzles 5b essentially operate according to the so-called "Venturi principle." In particular, when the water nozzles 4a are operated, the atomized water particles are “shot” or “shot” in the direction of the outer circumference 3a of the roller 3.are transported here, an "air suction" is created from the outer side 9b of the mounting plate 9 through the Venturi nozzles 5b to the inner side 9a of the mounting plate 9 or into the interior of the chamber 6, in particular into the conditioning chamber 6a. In particular, a water mist 7a is created and, in particular, on the path of the water and / or air particles to the roller 3, the above-mentioned crystallization or the formation of the above-mentioned "crystallization nuclei" already begins.

[0033] As Fig. 2 further shows, the housing 2 has a drop shaft 10. The chamber 6, in particular the conditioning chamber 6a, and the drop shaft 10 are at least partially separated from each other by an existing and / or arranged partition wall 11. The latter is clearly visible in Fig. 2.

[0034] The partition wall 11 is particularly designed or constructed as a lock wall 11a. The lock wall 11a is particularly arranged and / or designed such that a passage gap extending from the chamber 6 to the drop shaft 10 is present and / or formed between an end region of the lock wall 11a and the outer circumference 3a of the roller 3 and / or such a passage gap can form. For this purpose, the lock wall 11a is particularly arranged in an articulated manner, in particular at its upper end shown in Fig. 2, it is articulated to a housing wall 2a of the housing 2; in particular, the lock wall 11a is designed as a flap.

[0035] Furthermore, it can be seen from Fig. 2 that a scraping blade 12 is present and / or provided, wherein the scraping blade 12 is arranged, in particular within the housing 2, opposite the partition wall 11, in particular the lock wall 11a, in such a way that snowflakes, snow and / or ice crystals SK present and / or forming on the outer circumference 3a of the roller 3 can be scraped off by the scraping blade 12 and transported into the chute 10. The snowflakes, snow and / or ice crystals SK then fall essentially in a vertical direction through the chute 10 and through an outlet opening 13 further downwards and from here can fall, in particular directly, for example, into a room (e.g. a sauna room) or, in particular, either into a box / transport box and / or from here can then be transported directly to the place of use via hoses and / or lines.

[0036] The scraping blade 12 is arranged on a blade holder 14, wherein the blade holder 14, in particular, partially separates the chamber 6 and the drop shaft 10. Furthermore, Fig. 2 shows that the chamber 6, particularly when viewed vertically, has a water drain 15 in its lower region.

[0037] The mode of operation of the device 1 shown in Fig. 1 and 2 can be briefly described again at this point. A water-air mixture 7, in particular a water mist 7a, is generated in the chamber 6 via the water nozzles 4a and the air nozzles 5a. Since the chamber 6 can also be cooled accordingly, in particular with the help of the roller 3 which can be cooled using a coolant, so-called "crystallization nuclei" (snowflake centers) are formed in particular in the chamber 6, which then settle on the particularly cooled outer circumference 3a of the roller 3 and / or further crystallize into corresponding snowflakes, snow and / or ice crystals SK. The roller 3 is rotatably mounted and rotates here in particular clockwise according to the arrows shown in Fig. 2.The snowflakes, snow and / or ice crystals SK crystallized on the outer circumference 3a of the roller 3, in particular the snow produced in this way, is then transported via the rotating roller 3 from the chamber 6, in particular the conditioning chamber 6a, in the direction of the drop shaft 10. In this case, the snowflakes, snow and / or ice crystals SK pass through the lock wall 11a, are in particular either transported through a passage gap existing at the lower end region of the lock wall 11a and the outer circumference 3a of the roller 3 or, in particular if the lock wall 11a is designed as an articulated flap, the lower end region of the lock wall 11a lies lightly on the layer of snow and / or ice crystals adhering to the outer circumference 3a of the roller 3.on the snowflakes, ice and / or snow crystals SK there, in particular - due to the articulated arrangement - without negatively affecting the quality of the existing snowflakes, snow and / or ice crystals SK. The snowflakes, snow and / or ice crystals SK located on the outer circumference 3a of the roller 3 then pass via the rotating roller 3 into the area of ​​the drop shaft 10, where the snowflakes, snow and / or ice crystals SK are then scraped off the outer circumference 3a of the roller 3 with the aid of the scraping knife 12 so that they can then be transported away via the drop shaft 10 and the outlet opening 13. The representation of the snowflakes, snow and / or ice crystals SK is shown in Fig. 2 with the aid of a somewhat thicker dot pattern (than in the representation of the water mist 7a).The snowflakes, snow and / or ice crystals SK adhering to or forming on the outer circumference 3a of the roller 3 are represented here, in particular, by a dashed line. In the process described above, the roller 3 is cooled accordingly, in particular with the aid of a coolant that can be introduced into the roller 3 and then removed again, with any water accumulating in the lower region of the chamber 6 being drained away via a water drain 15, in particular via a drip water drain.

[0038] In the following, we will now look in more detail at Figs. 3 to 9, in particular at the specific design of the mounting plate 9, in this regard the following:

[0039] The mounting plate 9, as particularly shown in Figs. 3, 5, 6a and 6b, and 7b and 8b, has recesses 16 on its inner side 9a in which the water nozzles 4a can be arranged or are arranged. The water nozzles 4a are screwed, in particular, into recesses 16 formed as receiving bores 16a in the mounting plate 9.

[0040] Figures 3 to 6 show the mounting plate 9 in particular without the arrangement of water nozzles 4a, but in particular with air nozzles 5a formed in the mounting plate 9.

[0041] Fig. 3 shows a slightly perspective top view of the outer side 9b of the mounting plate, while Fig. 5 shows a view of the inner side 9a of the mounting plate 9.

[0042] In this case, the outer side 9b of the mounting plate 9, when mounted on the housing 2, faces the external environment, and the inner side 9a of the mounting plate 9 faces the interior of the chamber 6 of the device 1, as can be seen in particular from Fig. 2. In particular, Figs. 3, 5 as well as Figs. 6a and 6b show at least one water channel 17, in particular for supplying water to the water nozzles 4a, which is formed in the mounting plate 9. The water channel 17 is symbolized or represented by dashed lines in Figs. 3 and 5 and is also clearly visible in the sectional views in Figs. 6a and 6b.

[0043] In the highly preferred embodiment, the water channel 17 has a specific shape and / or is designed such that the water nozzles 4a are essentially all fluidly connected via the water channel 17. In particular, the water channel 17 is therefore correspondingly fluidly connected to the recesses 16 formed on the inner side 9a of the mounting plate 9, in which the water nozzles 4a are arranged. For this purpose, the water channel 17 is, in particular, essentially U-shaped and has a water supply opening (not designated in more detail) and a water discharge opening (not designated in more detail).

[0044] As can be seen particularly from Figs. 3, 4, and 5, the recesses 16 and the water nozzles 4a arranged on the mounting plate 9 are formed or arranged in rows. The same essentially applies to the air nozzles 5a. The air nozzles 5a are also formed and / or arranged in rows on the mounting plate 9; the latter is particularly evident from Figs. 4 and 5.

[0045] 3, 5, 6a and 6b in particular, it can be seen that each air nozzle 5a is formed and / or arranged adjacent to a water nozzle 4a in the mounting plate 9. In particular, an air nozzle 5a is positioned between a respective water nozzle 4a and the edge of the mounting plate 9 closest to this respective water nozzle 4a. In other words, the air nozzles 5a then surround the water nozzles 4a. In this case, the air nozzles 5a are formed, in particular, as integral components in the mounting plate 9, which is particularly clear from Figs. 6a and 6b. In the very preferred embodiment, the mounting plate 9 is made, in particular, from plastic and / or formed as a plastic injection-molded part. In the latter case, the air nozzles 5a in particular can be formed as "integral components" in the mounting plate 9 accordingly, cost-effectively and in a shape-specific manner using a plastic injection-molded process.By designing / arranging the water nozzles 4a and the air nozzles 5a initially in corresponding horizontally running rows, as particularly indicated in Fig. 3, particularly in the preferred embodiment shown in Fig. 3, with an upper row having three recesses 16 or then three water nozzles 4a (not shown here) that can be arranged in the recesses 16, and with a lower row having four recesses 16 and water nozzles 4a (not shown here in Fig. 3 but that can be arranged there), with each water nozzle 4a then being assigned an air nozzle 5a and with the water nozzles 4a then being - viewed relatively - located inside the air nozzles 5a provided in an outer area or being arranged accordingly, an optimal water-air mixture 7 can be produced in the chamber 6, so that in particular the aforementioned "crystallization nuclei" can already form in the chamber 6.

[0046] As can be seen from Figs. 3, 4 and 5, but in particular also from Figs. 7b and 8b, the air nozzles 5a each have an air inlet opening 5c ​​on the outer side 9b of the mounting plate 9 and an air outlet opening 5d on the inner side 9a of the mounting plate 9. The latter is particularly clearly visible in Figs. 7a and 7b, which show an enlarged section of the mounting plate 9 with a water nozzle 4a arranged from the upper row in the mounting plate 9 (cf. Fig. 7b) and a water nozzle 4a arranged from the lower row in the mounting plate 9 (cf. Fig. 8b). It is also clearly visible from Figs. 7b and 8b that each of the water nozzles 4a there is assigned an air nozzle 5a with a respective air inlet opening 5c ​​and an air outlet opening 5d.Furthermore, it is clearly visible that the cross-section of the Venturi nozzles 5b designed as air nozzles 5a narrows from the air inlet opening 5c ​​to the air outlet opening 5d, in particular is tapered. In particular, the cross-section Ai of the air outlet openings 5d of an upper row of the Venturi nozzles 5b is larger than the cross-section A2 of the air outlet openings 5d of a lower row of the Venturi nozzles 5b (cf. also Figs. 7a and 8a). At this point, it should also be noted that with regard to the design of the profiles of the respective cross-sections of the air nozzles 5a, this is particularly evident from Fig. 4, the cross-section of the air nozzles 5a in the upper row tapers or decreases in particular with regard to its height, whereas the cross-section of the air nozzles 5a in the lower row decreases in particular with regard to its width.Or to put it another way: From the outer side 9b of the mounting plate 9 in the direction of the inner side 9a of the mounting plate 9, the cross sections taper or decrease, as can be seen from Figs. 4 and 5, essentially in particular in the vertical direction or in the horizontal direction, i.e. in the direction of the height or in the direction of the width of the mounting plate 9 shown there (correspondingly as described above).

[0047] 1 and 2, the housing 2 and / or the mounting plate 9 is designed and / or constructed such that, when the mounting plate 9 is mounted in or on the housing 2, the lower / lowest inner wall of the air nozzles 5a, in particular the Venturi nozzles 5b, as viewed in the vertical direction, has an angle of inclination that is inclined downwards relative to the horizontal as viewed in the direction of the chamber 6, in particular in a range of 11 to 18 degrees, preferably 15 degrees relative to the horizontal. This serves in particular to ensure that no water droplets present in the chamber 6 can pass via the inner walls of the air nozzles 5a or the Venturi nozzles 5b from the interior of the chamber 6, i.e. from the inner side 9a of the mounting plate 9, against the air flow through the air nozzles 5a to the outer side 9b of the mounting plate 9.The latter also increases the corresponding quality of the snowflakes, snow and / or ice crystals SK produced or the snow produced. The aforementioned inclination is realized in particular by the shape of the housing 2 as can be seen in Figs. 1 and 2, wherein the housing area surrounding the chamber 6 or this corresponding section of the housing 2 or its axis has a corresponding angle of inclination relative to the horizontal, so that the mounting plate 9, when mounted on the housing 2, can then also be mounted or arranged in such a way that the aforementioned angle of inclination is correspondingly realized by the respective lower inner walls of the air nozzles 5a.

[0048] A further particular advantage of the very preferred embodiment shown here is that the air nozzles 5a, in particular the Venturi nozzles 5b, are designed as integral components of the mounting plate 9, which is made in particular of plastic. It is also conceivable that the nozzles can be or are designed in particular as a conically extending bore within the mounting plate, especially if the mounting plate is made of metal. In a further embodiment not shown here, the air nozzles or Venturi nozzles in particular can also run in a quarter-circle shape and be arranged and / or formed adjacent to the respective water nozzles.This also shows that a specific arrangement and / or design of the water nozzles 4a and air nozzles 5a relative to one another in the mounting plate 9 is possible in a simple constructive and very cost-saving manner, so that in particular a fine water mist 7a can be realized, in particular in order to realize a corresponding quality of the snow.

[0049] The mounting plate 9 – when mounted on the housing 2 – therefore at least partially seals the chamber 6 from the external environment. In particular, outside air only reaches the interior of the chamber 6 via the air nozzles 5a, especially when the water nozzles 4a are operated accordingly, as described above. To ensure appropriate sealing, the mounting plate 9 has a seal 18 arranged on its inner side 9a, in particular a circumferential seal. This ensures, in particular, that from a functional perspective only external ambient air can reach the interior of the chamber 6 through the air nozzles 5a, thus preventing an air flow from the outside into the chamber 6 that does not pass through the air nozzles 5a. This also guarantees, in particular, the formation of a very fine and optimal water mist 7a. The corresponding seal 18 or the respective circumferential sealing element is particularly well shown in Fig.7b and 8b, but also shown in Fig. 5.

[0050] Finally, Fig. 9 shows a water nozzle 4a again in an enlarged view. The water nozzle 4a is designed in particular as an atomizing nozzle 4b and for this purpose in particular has a swirl body 4c. The swirl body 4c is designed as a separate component and introduced into the front region of the water nozzle 4a. In particular to prevent clogging of the atomizing nozzle 4b, a fine filter 4d is also provided or present, with the help of which any dirt particles present in the water stream can be retained in such a way that clogging of the outlet opening of the water nozzle 4a is avoided. Finally, a plate-like element 19 is arranged in the region of the outlet opening of the water nozzle 4a (not shown in more detail). The latter ensures in particular that the outlet area in the region of the outlet opening of the water nozzle 4a can be precisely dimensioned.For this purpose, the plate-like element 19 can be positioned and / or arranged in particular in the front area of ​​the water nozzle 4a, in particular made of stainless steel.

[0051] Finally, Fig. 10 essentially shows the device 1 from Fig. 1 again, but with further components such as a compressor 20, a control unit 21, a drive 22 for the roller 3 and a rotary inlet 23, partially visible here in Fig. 10, for introducing the coolant into the roller 3 as well as a collecting container 24 and / or connections not designated in more detail, in particular for water and / or coolant.

[0052] With the device 1 according to the invention, the corresponding disadvantages are therefore avoided and corresponding advantages are achieved.

[0053] List of reference symbols:

[0054] 1 device

[0055] 2 housings

[0056] 2a Housing wall

[0057] 3 rollers

[0058] 3a Outer circumference of the roller

[0059] 4 nozzle

[0060] 4a Water nozzle

[0061] 4b Atomizing nozzle

[0062] 4c Swirl body

[0063] 4d fine filter

[0064] 5 nozzle

[0065] 5a Air nozzle

[0066] 5b Venturi nozzle

[0067] 5c Air inlet opening

[0068] 5d Air outlet opening

[0069] 6 chamber

[0070] 6a Conditioning chamber

[0071] 7 Water-air mixture

[0072] 7a Water mist

[0073] 8 Base plate

[0074] 9 Mounting plate

[0075] 9a Inside of the mounting plate

[0076] 9b Outside of the mounting plate

[0077] 10 Drop shaft

[0078] 11 Partition wall

[0079] 11a Lock wall

[0080] 12 scraping knives

[0081] 13 Exit opening

[0082] 14 knife holders

[0083] 15 Water drainage

[0084] 16 Recess

[0085] 16a mounting hole

[0086] 17 Water channel

[0087] 18 Seal 19 Plate-like element

[0088] 20 compressor

[0089] 21 Control unit

[0090] 22 Drive 23 Rotary inlet

[0091] 24 collection containers

[0092] SK Snowflakes, snow and / or ice crystals

[0093] Ai Outlet opening cross-section of the Venturi nozzles 5b in the upper row A2 Outlet opening cross-section of the Venturi nozzles 5b in the lower row

Claims

Patent claims:

1. A device (1) for producing snowflakes, snow and / or ice crystals (SK), in particular for the technical production of snow, comprising at least one housing (2), at least one rotatably mounted and / or motor-driven roller (3), and a plurality of nozzles (4, 5) for introducing and / or supplying water and / or air into the housing (2), wherein the housing (2) has at least one chamber (6) for receiving and / or forming a water-air mixture (7), in particular for receiving and / or forming a water mist (7a), wherein the roller (3) extends at least partially into the chamber (6) and / or is present and / or arranged in the chamber (6) such that at least a part of the outer circumference (3a) of the roller (3) can be brought into contact with the water-air mixture (7) and / or with particles of the water-air mixture (7) that have already at least partially crystallized in the chamber (6), thereby marked,that a mounting plate (9) at least partially closing the chamber (6) is provided and / or present and that the nozzles (4, 5) are arranged and / or formed in and / or on the mounting plate (9).

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the nozzles (4, 5) are designed and / or constructed partly as water nozzles (4a) and partly as air nozzles (5a).

3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that each water nozzle (4a) is assigned an air nozzle (5a) and the respective air nozzle (5a) is arranged and / or formed adjacent to the respective assigned water nozzle (4a).

4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the water nozzles (4a) are designed and / or constructed as atomizing nozzles (4b) and / or the air nozzles (5a) are designed and / or constructed as Venturi nozzles (5b).

5. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the chamber (6) is coolable, in particular is designed as a cooled conditioning chamber (6a).

6. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the roller (3) is coolable, in particular with the aid of a rotary distributor for introducing coolant into the roller (3), in particular the temperature of the outer circumference of the roller (3a) is thermally controllable and / or the chamber (6) is correspondingly coolable with the aid of the roller (3).

7. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing (2) has a chute (10).

8. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the chamber (6) and the chute (10) are at least partially separated from one another by at least one existing and / or arranged partition wall (11).

9. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the partition wall (11) is designed as a lock wall (11a), wherein the lock wall (11a) is arranged and / or designed such that between an end region of the lock wall (11a) and the outer circumference (3a) of the roller (3) there is and / or is designed a passage gap extending from the chamber (6) to the drop shaft (10) and / or the lock wall (11a) is arranged in an articulated manner, in particular is designed as a flap.

10. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a scraping knife (12) is present and / or provided, wherein the scraping knife (12), in particular opposite the partition wall (11), is arranged in such a way that snowflakes, snow and / or ice crystals (SK) present on the outer circumference (3a) of the roller (3) can be scraped off by the scraping knife (12) and transported into the chute (10), in particular wherein the scraping knife (12) is arranged on a knife holder (14) partially separating the chamber (6) and the chute (10) from one another.

11. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the chamber (6), in particular in its lower region, has a water drain (15).

12. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mounting plate (9) has recesses (16) on the inner side (9a) in which the water nozzles (4a) are arranged, in particular the water nozzles (4a) are screwed into receiving bores (16a) of the mounting plate (9).

13. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mounting plate (9) has at least one water channel (17) for supplying water to the water nozzles (4a).

14. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mounting plate (9) has a substantially U-shaped water channel (17) with which the recesses (16) formed on the inside of the mounting plate (9a) are fluidly connected.

15. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the recesses (16) or the water nozzles (4a) are formed or arranged in rows on the mounting plate (9).

16. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the air nozzles (5a) are formed and / or arranged in rows in the mounting plate (9).

17. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each air nozzle (5a) is formed and / or arranged adjacent to a water nozzle (4a) in the mounting plate (9), in particular is positioned between a respective water nozzle (4a) and the edge of the mounting plate (9) closest to this respective water nozzle (4a).

18. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the air nozzles (5a) are formed as integral components in the mounting plate (9).

19. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the air nozzles (5a) have an air inlet opening (5c) on the outside (9b) of the mounting plate and an air outlet opening (5d) on the inside (9a) of the mounting plate.

20. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cross section of the Venturi nozzles (5b) designed as air nozzles narrows from the air inlet opening (5c) to the air outlet opening (5d), in particular is tapered, in particular the cross section of the air outlet openings of an upper row of the Venturi nozzles (5b) is larger than the cross section of the air outlet openings (5d) of a lower row of the Venturi nozzles (5b).

21. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing (2) and / or the mounting plate (9) is designed and / or constructed in such a way that, when the mounting plate (9) is mounted on the housing (2), the lower inner wall of the Venturi nozzles (5b) - viewed in the vertical direction - has an angle of inclination which is inclined obliquely downwards relative to the horizontal - viewed in the direction of the chamber (6), in particular in a range of 11 to 18 degrees, preferably inclined by 15 degrees relative to the horizontal.

22. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the Venturi nozzles are designed as a conically extending bore, in particular the Venturi nozzles are arranged and / or designed in a quarter-circle shape adjacent to the water nozzles.

23. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mounting plate (9) has a seal (18) arranged on its inner side (9a), in particular a circumferential seal.

24. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mounting plate (9) is detachably connected and / or connectable to the housing (2), in particular by means of knurled screws.

25. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mounting plate (9) is made of plastic, in particular the mounting plate (9) is made as a plastic injection-molded part.

26. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the water nozzle (4a) has a swirl body (4c) and / or a fine filter (4d) and / or a plate-like element (19) is arranged in the region of the outlet opening of the water nozzle (4a).

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