Impeller Snow Production From Ice With Lower Energy Input
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for manufacturing artificial snow for ski slopes and entertainment purposes face challenges such as high costs of chemicals, capital costs of equipment, and ongoing energy inputs, which are inefficient and costly.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for producing snow from ice using a snow-making chamber with an impeller having blades that impact ice at specific velocities to convert it into snow, with a system for integrated ice and snow production, featuring a rugged, reliable, and low-energy design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional snow-making methods are used, then snow can be produced, but high costs of chemicals and equipment are incurred
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the need for chemicals from the snow-making process. Instead of using chemical treatments to create snow, the patent uses purely mechanical means - an impeller system that physically breaks ice into snowflakes through controlled impact and rotation, completely removing chemical costs from the process.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces expensive, complex snow-making equipment with a simple, rugged impeller-based system. The apparatus uses basic mechanical components (impeller, blades, motor) that are inexpensive to manufacture and replace, eliminating the need for costly specialized snow-making machinery while maintaining effective snow production.
2Quantity of substance
If conventional snow-making equipment is used, then snow production is achieved, but high capital cost is required
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the snow-making function into a simple modular system: an ice supply, an impeller mechanism with blades, and a discharge outlet. This segmentation allows each component to be simple and inexpensive, replacing complex integrated snow-making systems with affordable, separable parts that can be manufactured at low capital cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The apparatus uses simple, inexpensive mechanical components that are cheap to manufacture and replace. The impeller, blades, and housing are made from basic materials rather than specialized expensive components, dramatically reducing capital investment requirements while maintaining snow production capability.
3Quantity of substance
If conventional snow-making methods are used, then snow can be manufactured, but high energy input is required
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses dynamic rotation of the impeller to create snow. The blades rotate at controlled speeds (100-500 RPM) to impact ice and break it into snowflakes through centrifugal force and mechanical impact. This dynamic mechanical process requires minimal energy compared to conventional methods, as it relies on simple rotational motion rather than high-power heating, cooling, or chemical processing systems.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables the production of high-quality snow with reduced energy input and lower costs, allowing for efficient and cost-effective snow production on ski slopes and other applications, capable of producing large quantities of snow efficiently.
Implementation Method 1
impacting the ice with the at least one blade to convert the ice to snow
Data Source
AI summary
A system for producing snow incorporates a snow-making machine with ice supplied externally or manufactured on-site. The snow-making machine has one or more multi-bladed impellers fitted blades which impact ice blocks, pieces or tubes fed to the inlet of a snow-making chamber. The impact of the blades with the ice in a velocity range 150-300 Km/h produces artificial snow, with characteristics very similar to natural snow, suitable for ski-fields or other applications for snow. The blades may incorporate serrated or jagged cutter portions the break the latter ice pieces to sizes suitable for conversion to snow.