Snow environment test apparatus and snow environment test method

Abstract

To reduce the time and effort for reproducing a snow environment to dump snow of desired snow quality.SOLUTION: A snow environment test device comprises: an injector 14 that is composed of a two-fluid nozzle; a temperature setting unit 30a that sets a room temperature; an air conditioner 12 that cools the inside of a test chamber; a temperature control unit 30e that controls the air conditioner 12; a water flow rate setting unit 30b that sets the flow rate of supply water to the injector 14; a water supply unit 18 that supplies water of a prescribed temperature to the injector 14; a snow quality selection unit 30d that selects snow quality; a related information storage unit 30f in which the internal temperature of the test chamber, the flow rate of supply water to the injector 14, the pressure of air supplied to the injector 14, and snow quality are stored in association; and a pressure adjustment unit 30g that adjusts the pressure of air supplied to the injector 14 to the pressure obtained using the information stored in the related information storage unit 30f.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a snow environment test apparatus and a snow environment test method.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as disclosed in Patent Document 1 below, a snow environment test apparatus for reproducing a snow environment in a test chamber is known. In this snow environment test apparatus, a two-fluid nozzle that injects water and air is used. Since the two-fluid nozzle can inject fine water droplets, it is possible to create powdery snow.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In order to reproduce a snow environment, it is necessary to adjust the temperature environment in the test chamber to 0°C or lower. However, since the snow quality is affected by the temperature in the test chamber and the like, in order to obtain a desired snow quality, it is necessary to actually let a certain amount of snow fall in the test chamber and adjust the temperature in the test chamber while checking the snow quality. Therefore, it takes time to adjust the conditions in order to reproduce a snow environment in which snow of a desired snow quality falls.

[0005] Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above prior art, and an object thereof is to reduce the labor required to reproduce a snow environment in which snow of a desired snow quality falls.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To achieve the above object, the snow environment test apparatus according to the present invention is a snow environment test apparatus for creating a snow environment in a test chamber, comprising an injector constituted by a two-fluid nozzle and configured to inject water and air, a temperature setting unit for setting the temperature in the test chamber, an air conditioner for cooling the test chamber, a temperature control unit for controlling the air conditioner so that the temperature in the test chamber becomes the temperature set by the temperature setting unit, a water flow rate setting unit for setting the flow rate of water supplied to the injector, a water supply unit for supplying water at a predetermined temperature and having a flow rate set by the water flow rate setting unit to the injector, snow quality as dry snow, wet snow or sleet a snow quality selection unit for selecting, snow quality representing dry snow, wet snow or sleet a related information storage unit in which information associating the temperature in the test chamber, the flow rate of water supplied to the injector, the pressure of air supplied to the injector, and representing dry snow, wet snow or sleet snow quality is stored, and a pressure adjustment unit for adjusting the pressure of air supplied to the injector to a pressure obtained using the information stored in the related information storage unit so as to be the snow quality selected by the snow quality selection unit.

[0007] In the snow environment test apparatus of the present invention, the temperature control unit controls the air conditioner so that the temperature in the test chamber becomes the set temperature. The pressure adjustment unit adjusts the pressure of air supplied to the injector to a pressure obtained using the snow quality selected by the snow quality selection unit and the information stored in the related information storage unit. As a result, air having the adjusted pressure is supplied to the injector, and water at a predetermined temperature having a flow rate set by the water flow rate setting unit is supplied to the injector. Therefore, a snow environment of the snow quality selected by the snow quality selection unit can be obtained, and a test specimen can be exposed to such a snow environment.

[0008] That is, snow quality (dry (indicating whether it is snow, wet snow, or sleet) changes under the influence of the temperature in the test chamber, the water flow rate supplied to the injector composed of a two-fluid nozzle, and the pressure of air supplied to the injector. Therefore, it is impossible to know whether the desired snow quality can be obtained without actually making it snow. In contrast, in the present invention, three conditions and representing dry snow, wet snow or sleetA related information storage unit that stores information associated with snow quality is provided. Using this information, in order to adjust the pressure of the air supplied to the injector at the set laboratory temperature and under the set water flow rate at a predetermined temperature, a desired snow quality (dry snow, wet snow or sleet) of the snow environment can be obtained. Therefore, the labor for obtaining a desired snow quality can be reduced. The information stored in the related information storage unit can be obtained by a preliminary test of adjusting these three conditions and then making it snow to check the snow quality.

[0012] In addition, the snow environment test apparatus according to the present invention is a snow environment test apparatus for creating a snow environment in a test chamber, and includes an injector configured by a two-fluid nozzle and configured to inject water and air, a temperature setting unit for setting the temperature in the test chamber, an air conditioner for cooling the test chamber, a temperature control unit for controlling the air conditioner so that the temperature in the test chamber becomes the temperature set by the temperature setting unit, a water flow rate setting unit for setting the flow rate of the water supplied to the injector, and snow quality as dry snow, wet snow or sleet a snow quality selection unit for selecting, the temperature in the test chamber, the flow rate of the water supplied to the injector, the temperature of the water supplied to the injector, the pressure of the air supplied to the injector, representing dry snow, wet snow or sleet a related information storage unit that stores information associating the temperature, the flow rate of the water supplied to the injector, the temperature of the water supplied to the injector, the pressure of the air supplied to the injector, and snow quality, and a pressure adjustment unit for adjusting the pressure of the air supplied to the injector to the pressure obtained using the information stored in the related information storage unit so as to obtain the snow quality selected by the snow quality selection unit, and a water temperature adjustment unit for adjusting the temperature of the water supplied to the injector to the temperature obtained using the information stored in the related information storage unit so as to obtain the snow quality selected by the snow quality selection unit. is.

[0013] In the snow environment test apparatus of the present invention, the temperature control unit controls the air conditioner so that the temperature in the test chamber becomes the set temperature. The pressure adjustment unit adjusts the pressure of the air supplied to the injector to the pressure obtained using the snow quality selected by the snow quality selection unit and the information stored in the related information storage unit. The water temperature adjustment unit adjusts the temperature of the water supplied to the injector to the water temperature obtained using the snow quality selected by the snow quality selection unit and the information stored in the related information storage unit. As a result, air having the adjusted pressure is supplied to the injector, and water having the adjusted temperature and the flow rate set by the water flow rate setting unit is supplied to the injector. Therefore, a snow environment of the snow quality selected by the snow quality selection unit can be obtained, and a test specimen can be exposed to such a snow environment.

[0014] That is, the snow quality (dry (indicating whether it is snow, wet snow, or sleet) changes under the influence of the temperature in the test chamber, the water flow rate supplied to the injector composed of a two-fluid nozzle, the water temperature supplied to the injector, and the pressure of the air supplied to the injector. Therefore, whether the desired snow quality can be obtained cannot be known without actually making it snow. In contrast, in the present invention, a related information storage unit is provided in which information associating four conditions representing dry snow, wet snow or sleet with the snow quality is stored. Using this information, the pressure of the air supplied to the injector and the temperature of the water supplied to the injector are adjusted under the set test chamber temperature and under the set water flow rate, so that the desired snow quality (dry snow, wet snow or sleet) of the snow environment can be obtained. Therefore, the labor for obtaining the desired snow quality can be reduced. The information stored in the related information storage unit can be obtained by a preliminary test of adjusting these four conditions and then making it snow to confirm the snow quality.

[0015] Moreover, the snow environment test device according to the present invention is a snow environment test device for creating a snow environment in a test chamber, which is composed of a two-fluid nozzle and configured to inject water and air, a temperature setting unit for setting the temperature in the test chamber, an air conditioner for cooling the test chamber, a temperature control unit for controlling the air conditioner so that the temperature in the test chamber becomes the temperature set by the temperature setting unit, a water flow rate setting unit for setting the flow rate of water supplied to the injector, a water supply unit for supplying water at the flow rate set by the water flow rate setting unit, an air supply unit for supplying air at a predetermined pressure to the injector, and snow quality as dry snow, wet snow or sleet A snow quality selection unit for selecting, the temperature in the test chamber, the flow rate of water supplied to the injector, and the temperature of air supplied to the injector representing dry snow, wet snow or sleet A related information storage unit that stores information associating snow quality, and an air temperature adjustment unit that adjusts the temperature of the air supplied to the injector to a temperature obtained using the information stored in the related information storage unit so as to be the snow quality selected by the snow quality selection unit.

[0016] In the snow environment test device of the present invention, the temperature control unit controls the air conditioner so that the temperature in the test chamber becomes the set temperature. The air temperature adjustment unit adjusts the temperature of the air supplied to the injector to a temperature obtained using the snow quality selected by the snow quality selection unit and the information stored in the related information storage unit. As a result, water at the flow rate set by the water flow rate setting unit and air at the adjusted pressure are supplied to the injector. Therefore, a snow environment of the snow quality selected by the snow quality selection unit can be obtained, and a test specimen can be exposed to such a snow environment.

[0017] That is, the snow quality (dry (indicating whether it is snow, wet snow, or sleet) changes under the influence of the temperature in the test chamber, the flow rate of water supplied to the injector composed of a two-fluid nozzle, and the temperature of air. Therefore, it is impossible to know whether the desired snow quality can be obtained without actually making it snow. In contrast, in the present invention, three conditions and representing dry snow, wet snow or sleetA related information storage unit that stores information associated with snow quality is provided. Using this information, the temperature of the air supplied to the injector is adjusted under the set laboratory temperature, under an air pressure of a predetermined pressure, and under a set water flow rate, so that the desired snow quality (dry snow, wet snow or sleet) of the snow environment can be obtained. Therefore, the labor for obtaining the desired snow quality can be reduced. The information stored in the related information storage unit can be obtained by a preliminary test of adjusting these three conditions and then making it snow to check the snow quality.

[0018] The snow environment test apparatus may include a blower that generates an air flow in the test chamber and a blower control unit that controls the blower.

[0019] In this mode, since the flow velocity of the air flow generated in the test chamber can be changed, the time until the water droplets injected from the injector reach the specimen can be changed. For this reason, the snow quality when reaching the specimen can be further adjusted by the air flow velocity. Therefore, it is possible to change the amount of snow falling on the specimen and the snow quality adhering thereto.

[0020] Also, the snow environment test method according to the present invention is a snow environment test method for creating a snow environment in a test chamber, wherein the temperature in the test chamber is set, and by a snow quality selection unit 、 snow quality as dry snow, wet snow or sleet is selected, the flow rate of water supplied to an injector composed of a two-fluid nozzle is set by a water flow rate setting unit, the air conditioner is controlled so that the temperature in the test chamber becomes the set temperature, the temperature in the test chamber, the flow rate of water supplied to the injector, the pressure of air supplied to the injector, representing dry snow, wet snow or sleet and snow quality are associated, and using the information stored in the related information storage unit, the pressure of the air supplied to the injector so as to obtain the selected snow quality is derived, water at a predetermined temperature and having a flow rate set by the water flow rate setting unit is supplied to the injector, air having the derived pressure is supplied to the injector, and water and air are injected from the injector.

[0021] In the snow environment test method of the present invention, the snow quality is selected by the snow quality selection unit, the flow rate of water supplied to the injector is set, and further, the air conditioner is controlled so that the temperature in the test chamber becomes the set temperature. Then, air having a pressure obtained by using the information stored in the related information storage unit is supplied to the injector, and water at a predetermined temperature having a flow rate set by the water flow rate setting unit is supplied to the injector. Therefore, a snow environment with the snow quality selected by the snow quality selection unit can be obtained, and a test specimen can be exposed to such a snow environment.

[0024] Further, the snow environment test method according to the present invention is a snow environment test method for creating a snow environment in a test chamber, wherein the temperature in the test chamber is set, and by the snow quality selection unit 、 Snow quality as dry snow, wet snow or sleet is selected, the flow rate of water supplied to an injector constituted by a two-fluid nozzle is set by a water flow rate setting unit, the air conditioner is controlled so that the temperature in the test chamber becomes the set temperature, the temperature in the test chamber, the flow rate of water supplied to the injector, the temperature of water supplied to the injector, the pressure of air supplied to the injector, representing dry snow, wet snow or sleet snow quality, are associated with each other, and using the information stored in the related information storage unit, the pressure of the air supplied to the injector so as to have the selected snow quality is derived and the temperature of the water supplied to the injector so as to have the selected snow quality is derived, water having the derived temperature and having a flow rate set by the water flow rate setting unit is supplied to the injector, air having the derived pressure is supplied to the injector, and water and air are injected from the injector.

[0025] In the snow environment test method of the present invention, the snow quality is selected by the snow quality selection unit, the flow rate of water supplied to the injector is set, and further, the air conditioner is controlled so that the temperature in the test chamber becomes the set temperature. Then, air having a pressure obtained by using the information stored in the related information storage unit is supplied to the injector, and water having a temperature obtained by using the information stored in the related information storage unit and having a flow rate set by the water flow rate setting unit is supplied to the injector. Therefore, a snow environment with the snow quality selected by the snow quality selection unit can be obtained, and a test specimen can be exposed to such a snow environment.

[0026] Further, the snow environment test method according to the present invention is a snow environment test method for creating a snow environment in a test chamber, wherein the temperature in the test chamber is set, and by the snow quality selection unit 、 snow quality as dry snow, wet snow or sleet is selected, the flow rate of water supplied to an injector constituted by a two-fluid nozzle is set by a water flow rate setting unit, the air conditioner is controlled so that the temperature in the test chamber becomes the set temperature, the temperature in the test chamber, the flow rate of water supplied to the injector, the temperature of air supplied to the injector, representing dry snow, wet snow or sleet snow quality, are associated with each other, and using the information stored in the related information storage unit, the temperature of air supplied to the injector to be the selected snow quality is derived, water having a predetermined temperature and having a flow rate set by the water flow rate setting unit is supplied to the injector, and air having a predetermined pressure and having the derived temperature is supplied to the injector, and water and air are injected from the injector.

[0027] In the snow environment test method of the present invention, the snow quality is selected by the snow quality selection unit, the flow rate of water supplied to the injector is set, and further, the air conditioner is controlled so that the temperature in the test chamber becomes the set temperature. Then, air having a temperature obtained by using the information stored in the related information storage unit and having a predetermined pressure is supplied to the injector, and water having a flow rate set by the water flow rate setting unit is supplied to the injector. Therefore, a snow environment with the snow quality selected by the snow quality selection unit can be obtained, and a test specimen can be exposed to such a snow environment.

Advantages of the Invention

[0028] As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the labor for reproducing a snow environment for causing snow of a desired snow quality to fall.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0029]

Figure 1

Figure 2

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Figure 14

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0030] Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0031] (First Embodiment) As shown in FIG. 1, a snow environment test apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment is an apparatus for creating a snow environment with a desired snow quality in a test chamber 1 and performing a test for exposing a specimen placed in the test chamber 1 to the snow environment. Here, the snow quality means the properties of snow or the like, indicating whether it is dry snow, wet snow, or sleet. Note that the snow environment test apparatus 10 of the present embodiment can create not only a snow environment with a desired snow quality but also a rain environment. Therefore, the snow quality here includes rain. The snow quality may include properties of snow such as water content. The snow environment test apparatus 10 of the present embodiment can create not only a snow environment where snow is falling but also a snow environment where sleet in which snow and rain are mixed is falling. Furthermore, the snow environment test apparatus 10 of the present embodiment is configured to be able to create not only these snow environments but also a rain environment.

[0032] The snow environment test apparatus 10 includes an air conditioner 12 configured to cool the inside of the test chamber 1, an injector 14 configured to inject air and water into the test chamber 1, an air supply unit 16 that supplies air to the injector 14, and a water supply unit 18 that supplies water to the injector 14.

[0033] The air conditioner 12 is configured to generate low-temperature air so that the air inside the test chamber 1 can be cooled. By controlling the air conditioner 12, the inside of the test chamber 1 can be adjusted to a predetermined temperature of at least less than 0°C. That is, the air conditioner 12 adjusts the temperature of the air inside the test chamber 1 so that the fine water droplets injected from the injector 14 freeze. The air conditioner 12 can adjust the temperature inside the test chamber 1, for example, in the range of 0°C to -30°C. Note that when creating a rain environment, the air conditioner 12 may be adjusted to a temperature exceeding 0°C, for example, a temperature of 0 to 20°C.

[0034] The temperature inside Laboratory 1 is detected by the room temperature sensor 20.

[0035] The injector 14 is composed of a two-fluid nozzle and is configured to inject a fluid in a state where fine water droplets and air are mixed. That is, the two-fluid nozzle injects the water supplied from the water supply unit 18 and the air supplied from the air supply unit 16 together. At this time, since the injected water is pulverized by the injected air, fine water droplets and air are injected from the two-fluid nozzle.

[0036] The air supply unit 16 includes an air pipe 16a connected to the injector 14 and a compressor 16b for causing air to flow toward the injector 14 in the air pipe 16a. The air pipe 16a is provided with a pressure sensor 16c for detecting the pressure of the air flowing through the air pipe 16a and a pressure adjustment valve 16d capable of adjusting the pressure of the air flowing through the air pipe 16a. By adjusting the pressure of the air flowing through the air pipe 16a by the pressure adjustment valve 16d, the pressure of the air introduced into the injector 14 is adjusted. Further, the air pipe 16a is provided with a heating / cooling device 16e for heating or cooling the air flowing through the air pipe 16a. The heating / cooling device 16e may be driven so as to keep the air temperature supplied to the injector 14 constant. In this case, the snow quality can be prevented from varying due to the air supplied to the injector 14. Note that the heating / cooling device 16e can be omitted.

[0037] The water supply unit 18 includes a water pipe 18a connected to the injector 14 and a pump 18b for causing water to flow toward the injector 14 within the water pipe 18a. The water pipe 18a is provided with a heating and cooler 18c, and water heated or cooled by this heating and cooler 18c (water temperature regulator) to a predetermined temperature is introduced into the injector 14. Further, the water pipe 18a is provided with a flow meter 18d for detecting the flow rate of the water flowing through the water pipe 18a and a flow rate adjustment valve 18e capable of adjusting the flow rate of the water flowing through the water pipe 18a. By adjusting the flow rate of the water flowing through the water pipe 18a by the flow rate adjustment valve 18e, the flow rate of the water introduced into the injector 14 is adjusted. Note that the heating and cooler 18c may or may not be connected to a controller 30 described later. The heating and cooler 18c is provided to maintain the temperature of the water supplied to the injector 14 at a predetermined temperature, but if the temperature of the water discharged from the pump 18b is stable, it is also possible to omit the heating and cooler 18c.

[0038] The room temperature sensor 20, the pressure sensor 16c, the pressure adjustment valve 16d, the heating and cooler 18c, the flow meter 18d, and the flow rate adjustment valve 18e are connected to be able to exchange signals with the controller 30. The controller 30 is a computer for controlling various operations of the snow environment test device 10, and is composed of, for example, a central processing unit (CPU) that executes arithmetic processing, a ROM that stores processing programs and data, and a microcomputer equipped with a RAM for temporarily storing data, and an input device 31 is connected thereto. By executing the processing program stored in the controller 30, as shown in FIG. 2, the controller 30 can function as a temperature setting unit 30a, a water flow rate setting unit 30b, a test time setting unit 30c, a snow quality selection unit 30d, a temperature control unit 30e, a related information storage unit 30f, and a pressure control unit 30g.

[0039] The temperature setting unit 30a is a functional unit for setting the temperature in the test chamber 1, and stores, for example, information indicating the temperature input by the tester through the input device 31.

[0040] The temperature control unit 30e is configured to control the air conditioner 12 so that the temperature detected by the room temperature sensor 20 becomes the temperature set by the temperature setting unit 30a.

[0041] The water flow rate setting unit 30b is a functional unit for setting the flow rate of water supplied to the injector 14. For example, information indicating the flow rate of water input by the tester through the input device 31 is stored.

[0042] The test time setting unit 30c is a functional unit for setting the test time for continuing the created snow environment. For example, information indicating the test time input by the tester through the input device 31 is stored.

[0043] The snow quality selection unit 30d is a functional unit for selecting the snow quality and is configured to be able to select any one of dry snow, wet snow, sleet, and rain. The snow quality selection unit 30d may be configured to be able to select or set the degree of sleet or the moisture content. Dry snow, wet snow, sleet, and rain are selected through the input device 31. When, for example, dry snow is selected through the input device 31, information indicating that dry snow has been selected is stored in the snow quality selection unit 30d. Also, the snow quality selection unit 30d may be configured to be able to select only one of dry snow, wet snow, sleet, and rain, but in this embodiment, it is assumed that multiple selections are possible. That is, when multiple of dry snow, wet snow, sleet, and rain are selected, after forming any selected snow environment (or rain environment), it is also possible to conduct a test to change to another selected snow environment (or rain environment). For example, it is also possible to select dry snow for the first test and wet snow for the second test. In this case, the snow environment test device 10 first causes dry snow to fall for a predetermined time, and then causes wet snow to fall for a predetermined time.

[0044] Note that the snow qualities prepared as options are not limited to dry snow, wet snow, sleet, and rain. For example, while snow and sleet are prepared as options, rain may be excluded, or only dry-wet and wet snow may be prepared as options.

[0045] The related information storage unit 30f is a functional unit that stores information associating the temperature in the laboratory 1, the flow rate of water supplied to the injector 14, the pressure of air supplied to the injector 14, and the snow quality. As shown in FIG. 3, the related information storage unit 30f may include, for example, a first map 32a that associates the water flow rate, air pressure, and snow quality at a first test temperature (e.g., -5°C), a second map 32b that associates the water flow rate, air pressure, and snow quality at a second test temperature (e.g., -10°C), and a third map 32c that associates the water flow rate, air pressure, and snow quality at a third test temperature (e.g., -15°C). That is, by using the stored information, it is possible to derive which snow quality can be obtained at each test temperature in the case of a certain air pressure and a certain water flow rate. Also, at each test temperature, when a certain snow quality is desired, it is possible to derive what air pressure should be set in MPa under a certain water flow rate. The information stored in the first to third maps 32a to 32c can be obtained by a preliminary test in which snow is made to fall after adjusting the laboratory temperature, water flow rate, and air pressure and then the snow quality is confirmed.

[0046] Note that dry snow, wet snow, sleet, and rain are stored as the snow quality, but instead of or together with this, the degree of sleet or the moisture content may be stored. Also, the information stored in the related information storage unit 30f may be information represented by a relational expression, information in a list format, etc. Also, the number of prepared test temperatures is not limited to three, and information for one or two test temperatures or more test temperatures may be prepared. When information for a plurality of test temperatures is stored, a new test temperature map corresponding to the temperature of the laboratory 1 set in the temperature setting unit 30a can be obtained by interpolation such as linear interpolation.

[0047] The pressure control unit 30g derives the pressure of the air supplied to the injector 14 using the temperature of the test chamber 1 set in the temperature setting unit 30a, the water flow rate set in the water flow rate setting unit 30b, the snow quality set in the snow quality selection unit 30d, and the information stored in the related information storage unit 30f. For example, when the information shown in FIG. 3 is stored in the related information storage unit 30f, the pressure control unit 30g refers to a map of test temperatures that match or are similar to the temperature of the test chamber 1 set in the temperature setting unit 30a. Then, in the referred map, the air pressure corresponding to the water flow rate set in the water flow rate setting unit 30b and the snow quality set in the snow quality selection unit 30d is derived. The pressure control unit 30g is configured to control the pressure adjustment valve 16d so that the pressure of the air supplied to the injector 14 becomes the pressure derived using the temperature of the test chamber 1 set in the temperature setting unit 30a, the water flow rate set in the water flow rate setting unit 30b, the snow quality set in the snow quality selection unit 30d, and the information stored in the related information storage unit 30f. That is, the pressure control unit 30g and the pressure adjustment valve 16d function as a pressure adjustment unit that adjusts the pressure of the air supplied to the injector 14 to the pressure obtained using the information stored in the related information storage unit 30f.

[0048] Here, while referring to FIG. 4, a method of performing a snow environment test using the snow environment test apparatus 10 will be described. Here, as an example of the test method, as shown in FIG. 5, an example in which tests are performed in the order of rainfall (first test), sleet (second test), and wet snow (third test) will be described. Since the injector 14 is constituted by a two-fluid nozzle, when performing a rainfall test, the water droplets become rain like fine rain with relatively small droplets.

[0049] In the snow environment test method, first, after placing the test specimen in the test chamber 1, the test temperature is input through the input device 31, and the test time is input through the input device 31. At this time, the test temperature and the test time are input for each of the first test, the second test, and the third test. As a result, the test temperature is set in the temperature setting unit 30a, and the test time is set in the test time setting unit 30c (steps ST11, ST12).

[0050] Also, input the water flow rate injected from the injector 14 through the input device 31. At this time, for example, input the same water flow rate in the first to third tests. Thereby, the water flow rate is set in the water flow rate setting unit 30b (step ST13). Also, select the snow quality through the input device 31. At this time, for example, select rain for the first test, sleet for the second test, and wet snow for the third test. Thereby, the snow quality is selected in the snow quality selection unit 30d (step ST14). Note that the water flow rate may be constant in the first to third tests, or may be made smaller or larger in the second and third tests than in the first test. The test temperature may be gradually decreased in the second test, or may be maintained at a constant temperature also in the second test.

[0051] Subsequently, operate the air conditioner 12, and control the air conditioner 12 by the temperature control unit 30e so that the temperature in the test chamber 1 detected by the room temperature sensor 20 becomes the temperature set in the temperature setting unit 30a (step ST15). Then, when the temperature in the test chamber 1 reaches the set temperature, start the test (step ST16). At this time, since starting from the first test first, control the air conditioner 12 so that the temperature in the test chamber 1 becomes the temperature set as the temperature of this first test. Also, the air supply unit 16 supplies air to the injector 14 through the air pipe 16a, and the water supply unit 18 supplies water to the injector 14 through the water pipe 18a. Thereby, a fluid in a state where fine water droplets and air are mixed is injected from the injector 14.

[0052] During the test, the pressure control unit 30g derives the pressure of the air supplied to the injector 14 (step ST17) using the temperature in the test chamber 1 set by the temperature setting unit 30a, the water flow rate set by the water flow rate setting unit 30b, the snow quality set by the snow quality selection unit 30d, and the information stored in the related information storage unit 30f, and controls the pressure adjustment valve 16d according to the derived pressure. Thereby, during the test, the pressure of the air supplied to the injector 14 is adjusted to the derived pressure (step ST18). On the other hand, the water supplied to the injector 14 has its temperature adjusted to a predetermined temperature by the heating / cooling device 18c, and the flow rate adjustment valve 18e is controlled to adjust the flow rate so that the flow rate measured by the flow meter 18d becomes the water flow rate set by the water flow rate setting unit 30b. The rainfall test continues in this state.

[0053] When the set test time elapses in this state, the process proceeds to the second test (step ST19). In the second test, the air conditioner 12 is controlled to reach the test chamber temperature set for the second test, and water with a set water flow rate and a water temperature cooled by the heating / cooling device 18c is supplied to the injector 14. Also, in the second test, the pressure of the air supplied to the injector 14 is derived (step ST20) using the temperature in the set test chamber 1, the set water flow rate, the set snow quality, and the information stored in the related information storage unit 30f, and the pressure adjustment valve 16d is controlled according to the derived pressure (step ST21). Thereby, the sleet test continues.

[0054] In this state, when the set test time elapses, the process proceeds to the third test (step ST22). In the third test, the air conditioner 12 is controlled so that the temperature in the test chamber becomes the test chamber temperature set for the third test, and water at the set water flow rate and having a water temperature cooled by the heating / cooling device 18c is supplied to the injector 14. Also, in the third test as well, similarly, the pressure of the air supplied to the injector 14 is derived using the temperature in the set test chamber 1, the set water flow rate, the set snow quality, and the information stored in the related information storage unit 30f (step ST23), and the pressure adjustment valve 16d is controlled according to this derived pressure (step ST24). Specifically, the pressure of the air supplied to the injector 14 is adjusted to increase so that the snow changes from sleet in the second test to wet snow in the third test. Thereby, the wet snow test is continued. Then, when the set time elapses, the third test is terminated.

[0055] As described above, in the present embodiment, the temperature control unit 30e controls the air conditioner 12 so that the temperature in the test chamber 1 becomes the set temperature. The pressure adjustment valve 16d adjusts the pressure of the air supplied to the injector 14 to the pressure obtained using the snow quality selected by the snow quality selection unit 30d and the information stored in the related information storage unit 30f. Thereby, air having the adjusted pressure is supplied to the injector 14, and water at a predetermined temperature and having a flow rate set by the water flow rate setting unit 30b is supplied to the injector 14. Therefore, a snow environment of the snow quality selected by the snow quality selection unit 30d can be obtained, and a test specimen can be exposed to such a snow environment. Moreover, since the snow quality can be changed by adjusting the pressure of the air supplied to the injector 14, the snow quality can be changed quickly. For example, when shifting from the second test of sleet to the third test of wet snow, a smooth shift from sleet to wet snow can be achieved.

[0056] In addition, an associated information storage unit 30f is provided which stores information associating three conditions (temperature in laboratory 1, water flow rate supplied to injector 14, air pressure supplied to injector 14) with the snow quality. Using this information, it is possible to obtain a snow environment with a desired snow quality by adjusting the pressure of the air supplied to injector 14 under a predetermined laboratory temperature and at a predetermined water flow rate at a predetermined temperature. Therefore, the labor for obtaining a desired snow quality can be reduced. Note that the information stored in the associated information storage unit 30f can be obtained by a preliminary test of adjusting these three conditions and then making it snow to check the snow quality.

[0057] (Second Embodiment) As shown in FIG. 6, in the second embodiment, the controller 30 also functions as a water temperature control unit 30h to adjust the temperature of the water supplied to the injector 14 using the information stored in the associated information storage unit 30f. Here, the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions thereof are omitted.

[0058] In the second embodiment, unlike the first embodiment, the pressure control unit 30g is omitted. For this reason, a pressure adjustment valve 16d is provided in the air pipe 16a, but this pressure adjustment valve 16d may not be connected to the controller 30. The pressure adjustment valve 16d is provided to maintain the pressure of the air supplied to the injector 14 at a predetermined pressure, but if the pressure of the air discharged from the compressor 16b is stable, it is also possible to omit the pressure adjustment valve 16d.

[0059] The related information storage unit 30f is a functional unit that stores information associating the temperature in the laboratory 1, the flow rate of water supplied to the injector 14, the temperature of the water supplied to the injector 14, and the snow quality. As shown in FIG. 7, the related information storage unit 30f may include, for example, a first map 34a that associates the water flow rate, the water temperature, and the snow quality at a first test temperature (for example, -5°C), a second map 34b that associates the water flow rate, the water temperature, and the snow quality at a second test temperature (for example, -10°C), and a third map 34c that associates the water flow rate, the water temperature, and the snow quality at a third test temperature (for example, -15°C). That is, by using the stored information, it is possible to derive which snow quality can be obtained at each test temperature in the case of a certain water temperature and a certain water flow rate. Also, at each test temperature, when a certain snow quality is desired, it is possible to derive what temperature the water temperature should be set to under a certain water flow rate. Note that dry snow, wet snow, sleet, and rain are stored as the snow quality, but instead of or together with this, the degree of sleet or the water content rate may be stored. Also, the information stored in the related information storage unit 30f may be information represented by a relational expression, information in a list format, or the like. Also, the number of prepared test temperatures is not limited to three, and information for one or two test temperatures or more test temperatures may be prepared.

[0060] The water temperature control unit 30h derives the temperature of the water supplied to the injector 14 using the temperature in the test chamber 1 set in the temperature setting unit 30a, the water flow rate set in the water flow rate setting unit 30b, the snow quality set in the snow quality selection unit 30d, and the information stored in the related information storage unit 30f. For example, when the information shown in FIG. 7 is stored in the related information storage unit 30f, the water temperature control unit 30h refers to a map of test temperatures that match or are similar to the temperature in the test chamber 1 set in the temperature setting unit 30a. Then, in the referred map, the water temperature corresponding to the water flow rate set in the water flow rate setting unit 30b and the snow quality set in the snow quality selection unit 30d is derived. The water temperature control unit 30h is configured to control the heating / cooling device 18c so that the temperature of the water supplied to the injector 14 becomes the temperature derived using the temperature in the test chamber 1 set in the temperature setting unit 30a, the water flow rate set in the water flow rate setting unit 30b, the snow quality set in the snow quality selection unit 30d, and the information stored in the related information storage unit 30f. That is, the water temperature control unit 30h and the heating / cooling device 18c function as a water temperature adjustment unit that adjusts the temperature of the water supplied to the injector 14 to the temperature obtained using the information stored in the related information storage unit 30f.

[0061] Here, as in the first embodiment, an example of conducting the test shown in FIG. 5 will be described. In the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, in each of the first to third tests, the water temperature control unit 30h uses the temperature in the test chamber 1 set in the temperature setting unit 30a, the water flow rate set in the water flow rate setting unit 30b, the snow quality set in the snow quality selection unit 30d, and the information stored in the related information storage unit 30f to derive the temperature of the water supplied to the injector 14 (step ST31), and controls the heating / cooling device 18c according to the derived temperature. As a result, during the test, the temperature of the water supplied to the injector 14 is adjusted to the derived temperature (step ST32). Specifically, the temperature of the water supplied to the injector 14 is adjusted to be lower so that the water becomes wet snow from the second test to the third test. At this time, the water flow rate is adjusted to the water flow rate set in the water flow rate setting unit 30b. On the other hand, the air supplied to the injector 14 is adjusted to a predetermined pressure by the pressure adjustment valve 16d. That is, in the second embodiment, different from the first embodiment, the steps of deriving the air pressure using the information stored in the related information storage unit 30f (steps ST17, ST20, ST23) and the steps of adjusting the air pressure using the information stored in the related information storage unit 30f (ST18, ST21, ST24) are not included.

[0062] Therefore, in this embodiment, the temperature control unit 30e controls the air conditioner 12 so that the temperature in the test chamber 1 becomes the set temperature. The heating / cooling device 18c adjusts the temperature of the water supplied to the injector 14 to the water temperature obtained using the snow quality selected by the snow quality selection unit 30d and the information stored in the related information storage unit 30f. As a result, water having the adjusted temperature and the flow rate set in the water flow rate setting unit 30b and air at a predetermined pressure are supplied to the injector 14. Therefore, a snow environment of the snow quality selected by the snow quality selection unit 30d can be obtained, and a specimen can be exposed to such a snow environment. Also, in the configuration of adjusting the water temperature using the information stored in the related information storage unit 30f as in the second embodiment, the adjustment range of the snow quality can be increased compared to the configuration of adjusting the air pressure as in the first embodiment.

[0063] In addition, although the descriptions of other configurations, operations, and effects are omitted, the description of the first embodiment can be applied to the second embodiment.

[0064] (Third Embodiment) As shown in FIG. 9, in the third embodiment, the controller 30 also functions as a pressure control unit 30g and a water temperature control unit 30h to adjust the pressure of the air supplied to the injector 14 and the temperature of the water, using the information stored in the related information storage unit 30f. Here, the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions thereof are omitted.

[0065] In the third embodiment, similar to the first embodiment, the controller 30 also functions as the pressure control unit 30g, and similar to the second embodiment, the controller 30 also functions as the water temperature control unit 30h.

[0066] The pressure control unit 30g is configured to control the pressure adjustment valve 16d so that the pressure of the air supplied to the injector 14 becomes the pressure derived using the temperature in the test chamber 1 set by the temperature setting unit 30a, the flow rate of the water set by the water flow rate setting unit 30b, the snow quality set by the snow quality selection unit 30d, and the information stored in the related information storage unit 30f. That is, the pressure control unit 30g and the pressure adjustment valve 16d function as a pressure adjustment unit that adjusts the pressure of the air supplied to the injector 14 to the pressure obtained using the information stored in the related information storage unit 30f.

[0067] The water temperature control unit 30h is configured to control the heating / cooling device 18c so that the temperature of the water supplied to the injector 14 becomes the temperature derived using the temperature in the test chamber 1 set by the temperature setting unit 30a, the flow rate of the water set by the water flow rate setting unit 30b, the snow quality set by the snow quality selection unit 30d, and the information stored in the related information storage unit 30f. That is, the water temperature control unit 30h and the heating / cooling device 18c function as a water temperature adjustment unit that adjusts the temperature of the water supplied to the injector 14 to the temperature obtained using the information stored in the related information storage unit 30f.

[0068] The related information storage unit 30f is a functional unit that stores information associating the temperature in laboratory 1, the flow rate of water supplied to injector 14, the temperature of water supplied to injector 14, the pressure of air supplied to injector 14, and the snow quality. The related information storage unit 30f may include, for example, a first map that associates the water flow rate, water temperature, air pressure, and snow quality at a first test temperature (e.g., -5°C), a second map that associates the water flow rate, water temperature, air pressure, and snow quality at a second test temperature (e.g., -10°C), and a third map that associates the water flow rate, water temperature, air pressure, and snow quality at a third test temperature (e.g., -15°C). That is, by using the stored information, it is possible to derive which snow quality can be obtained at each test temperature, in the case of a certain water temperature and a certain water flow rate, and a certain air pressure. Also, at each test temperature, when a certain snow quality is desired, it is possible to derive what temperature the water temperature should be set to and what MPa the air pressure should be under a certain water flow rate. Note that dry snow, wet snow, sleet, and rain are stored as the snow quality, but instead of or together with this, the degree of sleet or the water content rate may be stored. Also, the information stored in the related information storage unit 30f may be information represented by a relational expression, information in a list format, etc. Also, the number of prepared test temperatures is not limited to three, and information for one or two test temperatures or more test temperatures may be prepared.

[0069] Here, similar to the first embodiment, an example of the case of conducting the test shown in FIG. 5 will be described. In the third embodiment, as shown in FIG. 10, in each of the first to third tests, the pressure control unit 30g and the water temperature control unit 30h use the temperature in the test chamber 1 set in the temperature setting unit 30a, the flow rate of water set in the water flow rate setting unit 30b, the snow quality set in the snow quality selection unit 30d, and the information stored in the related information storage unit 30f to derive the pressure of the air supplied to the injector 14 and derive the temperature of the water supplied to the injector 14 (step ST41). Then, the pressure adjustment valve 16d is controlled according to the derived pressure, and the heating / cooling device 18c is controlled according to the derived temperature. As a result, during the test, the pressure of the air supplied to the injector 14 is adjusted to the derived pressure, and the temperature of the water supplied to the injector 14 is adjusted to the derived temperature (step ST42). At this time, the water volume is adjusted to the flow rate of water set in the water flow rate setting unit 30b.

[0070] Therefore, in this embodiment, the temperature control unit 30e controls the air conditioner 12 so that the temperature in the test chamber 1 becomes the set temperature. The pressure adjustment valve 16d adjusts the pressure of the air supplied to the injector 14 to the pressure obtained using the snow quality selected by the snow quality selection unit 30d and the information stored in the related information storage unit 30f, and the heating / cooling device 18c adjusts the temperature of the water supplied to the injector 14 to the water temperature obtained using the snow quality selected by the snow quality selection unit 30d and the information stored in the related information storage unit 30f. As a result, air having the adjusted pressure is supplied to the injector 14, and water having the adjusted temperature and the flow rate set in the water flow rate setting unit 30b is supplied to the injector 14. Therefore, a snow environment of the snow quality selected by the snow quality selection unit 30d can be obtained, and a test specimen can be exposed to such a snow environment.

[0071] Note that although the description of other configurations, operations, and effects is omitted, the descriptions of the first and second embodiments can be incorporated into the third embodiment.

[0072] (Fourth Embodiment) As shown in FIG. 11, in the fourth embodiment, the controller 30 functions also as an air temperature control unit 30j to adjust the temperature of the air supplied to the injector 14 using the information stored in the related information storage unit 30f. Here, the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions thereof are omitted.

[0073] In the fourth embodiment, unlike the first embodiment, the pressure control unit 30g is omitted. For this reason, a pressure adjustment valve 16d is provided in the air pipe 16a, but the pressure adjustment valve 16d may not be connected to the controller 30. The pressure adjustment valve 16d is provided to maintain the pressure of the air supplied to the injector 14 at a predetermined pressure, but the pressure adjustment valve 16d can be omitted if the pressure of the air discharged from the compressor 16b is stable.

[0074] The related information storage unit 30f is a functional unit that stores information associating the temperature inside the laboratory 1, the flow rate of water supplied to the injector 14, the temperature of air supplied to the injector 14, and the snow quality. As shown in FIG. 12, the related information storage unit 30f may include, for example, a first map 36a that associates the water flow rate, the air temperature, and the snow quality at a first test temperature (e.g., -5°C), a second map 36b that associates the water flow rate, the air temperature, and the snow quality at a second test temperature (e.g., -10°C), and a third map 36c that associates the water flow rate, the air temperature, and the snow quality at a third test temperature (e.g., -15°C). That is, by using the stored information, it is possible to derive which snow quality can be obtained at each test temperature for a certain air temperature and a certain water flow rate. Also, at each test temperature, when a certain snow quality is desired, it is possible to derive at what temperature the air should be set under a certain water flow rate. Note that dry snow, wet snow, sleet, and rain are stored as the snow quality, but instead of or together with this, the degree of sleet or the water content rate may be stored. Also, the information stored in the related information storage unit 30f may be information represented by a relational expression, information in a list format, etc. Also, the number of prepared test temperatures is not limited to three, and information for one or two test temperatures or more test temperatures may be prepared.

[0075] The air temperature control unit 30j derives the air temperature to be supplied to the injector 14 using the temperature in the test chamber 1 set by the temperature setting unit 30a, the water flow rate set by the water flow rate setting unit 30b, the snow quality set by the snow quality selection unit 30d, and the information stored in the related information storage unit 30f. For example, when the information shown in FIG. 12 is stored in the related information storage unit 30f, the air temperature control unit 30j refers to a map of test temperatures that match or are similar to the temperature in the test chamber 1 set by the temperature setting unit 30a. Then, in the referred map, the air temperature corresponding to the water flow rate set by the water flow rate setting unit 30b and the snow quality set by the snow quality selection unit 30d is derived. The air temperature control unit 30j is configured to control the heating / cooling unit 16e so that the temperature of the air supplied to the injector 14 becomes the temperature derived using the temperature in the test chamber 1 set by the temperature setting unit 30a, the water flow rate set by the water flow rate setting unit 30b, the snow quality set by the snow quality selection unit 30d, and the information stored in the related information storage unit 30f. That is, the air temperature control unit 30j and the heating / cooling unit 16e function as an air temperature adjustment unit that adjusts the temperature of the air supplied to the injector 14 to the temperature obtained using the information stored in the related information storage unit 30f.

[0076] Here, as in the first embodiment, an example of the case of conducting the test shown in FIG. 5 will be described. In the fourth embodiment, as shown in FIG. 13, in each of the first to third tests, the air temperature control unit 30j uses the temperature in the test chamber 1 set by the temperature setting unit 30a, the flow rate of water set by the water flow rate setting unit 30b, the snow quality set by the snow quality selection unit 30d, and the information stored in the related information storage unit 30f to derive the temperature of the air supplied to the injector 14 (step ST41), and controls the heating / cooling device 16e according to the derived temperature. Thereby, during the test, the temperature of the air supplied to the injector 14 is adjusted to the derived temperature (step ST42). Specifically, the temperature of the air supplied to the injector 14 is adjusted to be lower so that it becomes wet snow from the second test to the third test. At this time, the flow rate of water is adjusted to the flow rate of water set by the water flow rate setting unit 30b. On the other hand, the air supplied to the injector 14 is adjusted to have a predetermined pressure by the pressure adjustment valve 16d. That is, in the fourth embodiment, unlike the first embodiment, the steps of deriving the air pressure using the information stored in the related information storage unit 30f (steps ST17, ST20, ST23) and the steps of adjusting the air pressure using the information stored in the related information storage unit 30f (ST18, ST21, ST24) are not included.

[0077] Therefore, in this embodiment, the temperature control unit 30e controls the air conditioner 12 so that the temperature in the test chamber 1 becomes the set temperature. The heating / cooling device 16e adjusts the temperature of the air supplied to the injector 14 to the temperature obtained using the snow quality selected by the snow quality selection unit 30d and the information stored in the related information storage unit 30f. Thereby, water with a flow rate set by the water flow rate setting unit 30b at a predetermined temperature and air with an adjusted temperature at a predetermined pressure are supplied to the injector 14. Therefore, a snow environment of the snow quality selected by the snow quality selection unit 30d can be obtained, and a test specimen can be exposed to such a snow environment.

[0078] Note that although the descriptions of other configurations, operations, and effects are omitted, the descriptions of the first to third embodiments can be incorporated into the fourth embodiment.

[0079] (Fifth Embodiment) FIG. 14 shows the fifth embodiment. Here, the same components as those in the first to third embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the detailed description thereof is omitted.

[0080] In this fifth embodiment, a blower 41 for generating an air current is provided in the laboratory 1, and the controller 30 also functions as a blower control unit 30i. Note that FIG. 14 shows the case where the controller 30 also functions as a pressure control unit 30g. Instead of this, or together with this, the controller 30 may also function as a water temperature control unit 30h.

[0081] The blower control unit 30i is a functional unit for controlling the blower 41, and can increase or decrease the rotation speed of the blower 41 based on a signal input through the input device 31. For example, when the snow quality adhering to the specimen is drier than expected, the tester operates through the input device 31 to increase the rotation speed of the blower 41. As a result, the fine water droplets ejected from the injector 14 reach the specimen before completely freezing, and the water content rate of the snow adhering to the specimen can be increased. Also, for example, when the amount of snowfall on the specimen is less than expected, the tester increases the rotation speed of the blower 41 through the input device 31. As a result, since the water content rate of the snow reaching the specimen becomes slightly higher, the snow easily adheres to the specimen.

[0082] Therefore, in this embodiment, since the flow velocity of the air current generated in the laboratory 1 can be changed, the time until the water droplets ejected from the injector 14 reach the specimen can be changed. For this reason, the snow quality when reaching the specimen can be further adjusted by the flow velocity of the air. Therefore, it is possible to change the amount of snowfall on the specimen and the snow quality adhering thereto.

[0083] Note that although the description of other configurations, operations, and effects is omitted, the descriptions of the first to fourth embodiments can be incorporated into the fifth embodiment.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0084] 1: Laboratory 10: Snow environment test device 12: Air conditioner 14: Injector 16: Air supply unit 16d: Pressure regulating valve 16e: Heating and cooling unit 18: Water supply unit 18c: Heating and cooling unit 30a: Temperature setting unit 30b: Water flow rate setting unit 30d: Snow quality selection unit 30e: Temperature control unit 30f: Related information storage unit 30g: Pressure control unit 30h: Water temperature control unit 30i: Airflow control unit 30j: Air temperature control unit 41: Blower

Claims

1. A snow environment test device for creating a snow environment in a test chamber, comprising: An injector composed of a two-fluid nozzle and configured to inject water and air; A temperature setting unit for setting the temperature in the test chamber; An air conditioner for cooling the test chamber; A temperature control unit for controlling the air conditioner so that the temperature in the test chamber becomes the temperature set by the temperature setting unit; A water flow rate setting unit for setting the flow rate of water supplied to the injector; A water supply unit for supplying water at a predetermined temperature and having a flow rate set by the water flow rate setting unit to the injector; A snow quality selection unit for selecting dry snow, wet snow or sleet as the snow quality; A related information storage unit storing information associating the temperature in the test chamber, the flow rate of water supplied to the injector, the pressure of air supplied to the injector, and the snow quality represented by dry snow, wet snow or sleet; A pressure adjustment unit for adjusting the pressure of air supplied to the injector to a pressure obtained using the information stored in the related information storage unit so as to obtain the snow quality selected by the snow quality selection unit. A snow environment test device provided with.

2. A snow environment test device for creating a snow environment in a test chamber, comprising: An injector composed of a two-fluid nozzle and configured to inject water and air; A temperature setting unit for setting the temperature in the test chamber; An air conditioner for cooling the test chamber; A temperature control unit for controlling the air conditioner so that the temperature in the test chamber becomes the temperature set by the temperature setting unit; A water flow rate setting unit for setting the flow rate of water supplied to the injector; A snow quality selection unit for selecting dry snow, wet snow or sleet as the snow quality; A related information storage unit storing information associating the temperature in the test chamber, the flow rate of water supplied to the injector, the temperature of water supplied to the injector, the pressure of air supplied to the injector, and the snow quality represented by dry snow, wet snow or sleet; A pressure adjustment unit for adjusting the pressure of air supplied to the injector to a pressure obtained using the information stored in the related information storage unit so as to obtain the snow quality selected by the snow quality selection unit; A water temperature adjustment unit for adjusting the temperature of water supplied to the injector to a temperature obtained using the information stored in the related information storage unit so as to obtain the snow quality selected by the snow quality selection unit; A snow environment test device provided with.

3. A snow environment test device for creating a snow environment in a test chamber, comprising: An injector configured by a two-fluid nozzle and configured to inject water and air, A temperature setting unit for setting the temperature in the test chamber, An air conditioner for cooling the test chamber, A temperature control unit for controlling the air conditioner so that the temperature in the test chamber becomes the temperature set by the temperature setting unit, A water flow rate setting unit for setting the flow rate of water supplied to the injector, A water supply unit for supplying water at the flow rate set by the water flow rate setting unit, An air supply unit for supplying air at a predetermined pressure to the injector, A snow quality selection unit for selecting dry snow, wet snow, or sleet as the snow quality, A related information storage unit storing information associating the temperature in the test chamber, the flow rate of water supplied to the injector, the temperature of air supplied to the injector, and the snow quality represented by dry snow, wet snow, or sleet, An air temperature adjustment unit for adjusting the temperature of air supplied to the injector to a temperature obtained using the information stored in the related information storage unit so as to be the snow quality selected by the snow quality selection unit, A snow environment test device comprising the above.

4. A blower for generating an air flow in the test chamber, The snow environment test device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a blower control unit for controlling the blower.

5. A snow environment test method for creating a snow environment in a test chamber, comprising: Setting the temperature in the test chamber, Selecting dry snow, wet snow, or sleet as the snow quality by a snow quality selection unit, Setting the flow rate of water supplied to an injector configured by a two-fluid nozzle by a water flow rate setting unit, Controlling an air conditioner so that the temperature in the test chamber becomes the set temperature, Deriving the pressure of air supplied to the injector so as to be the selected snow quality using the information stored in a related information storage unit associating the temperature in the test chamber, the flow rate of water supplied to the injector, the pressure of air supplied to the injector, and the snow quality represented by dry snow, wet snow, or sleet, A snow environment test method of supplying water at a predetermined temperature and at the flow rate set by the water flow rate setting unit to the injector, supplying air having the derived pressure to the injector, and injecting water and air from the injector.

6. A snow environment test method for creating a snow environment in a test chamber, comprising: Setting the temperature in the test chamber, Selecting dry snow, wet snow, or sleet as the snow quality by a snow quality selection unit, Setting the flow rate of water supplied to an injector configured by a two-fluid nozzle by a water flow rate setting unit, Control the air conditioner so that the temperature in the test chamber becomes the set temperature. Based on the information stored in the associated information storage unit that associates the temperature in the test chamber, the flow rate of water supplied to the injector, the temperature of water supplied to the injector, the pressure of air supplied to the injector, and the snow quality representing dry snow, wet snow, or sleet, derive the pressure of air supplied to the injector to achieve the selected snow quality and derive the temperature of water supplied to the injector to achieve the selected snow quality. A snow environment test method in which water having the derived temperature and a flow rate set by the water flow rate setting unit is supplied to the injector, air having the derived pressure is supplied to the injector, and water and air are injected from the injector.

7. A snow environment test method for creating a snow environment in a test chamber, comprising: Setting the temperature in the test chamber; Selecting dry snow, wet snow, or sleet as the snow quality by a snow quality selection unit; Setting the flow rate of water supplied to an injector constituted by a two-fluid nozzle by a water flow rate setting unit; Controlling the air conditioner so that the temperature in the test chamber becomes the set temperature; Based on the information stored in the associated information storage unit that associates the temperature in the test chamber, the flow rate of water supplied to the injector, the temperature of air supplied to the injector, and the snow quality representing dry snow, wet snow, or sleet, derive the temperature of air supplied to the injector to achieve the selected snow quality. A snow environment test method in which water having a predetermined temperature and a flow rate set by the water flow rate setting unit is supplied to the injector, air having a predetermined pressure and the derived temperature is supplied to the injector, and water and air are injected from the injector.

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