Artificial snowmaking equipment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current indoor snowmaking systems require prior activation and have high energy consumption, produce low-quality snow, and necessitate complex scraper devices to simulate snowfall, often resulting in 'sliver' rather than 'flake' snow due to starting from compacted snow.
Innovation Solution
The proposed artificial snowmaking equipment includes a rotating refrigerating cylinder with a cooling unit and water supply system to create an ice layer on its outer side, which is then scraped by a scraper device to produce high-quality snow with reduced energy consumption, mimicking natural snowfall without the need for pre-accumulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional snowmaking systems are activated with prior notice to form minimum accumulation of snow, then snowfall simulation is achieved, but energy consumption increases for longer activation time
Solution Approach 1:
The refrigerating cylinder operates in periodic cycles: water is supplied to the outer surface, freezes into an ice layer, the scraper device removes the ice layer to generate snowflakes, and the cycle repeats. This periodic operation allows the system to produce snow continuously without requiring long pre-activation periods, thereby reducing energy consumption while maintaining reliable snowfall simulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-cools the refrigerating cylinder surface before water supply to ensure immediate freezing of water upon contact. This preliminary cooling action eliminates the need for long activation periods to build up snow accumulation, as snowflakes can be generated immediately when water is supplied and scraped off the pre-cooled surface.
2Quantity of substance
If traditional snowmaking systems operate for longer time to ensure snow accumulation, then minimum snow amount is achieved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system maintains continuous snow production by continuously supplying water to the refrigerating cylinder surface and continuously scraping off the formed ice layer. This continuous operation eliminates the need for long pre-activation periods to accumulate snow, as snowflakes are generated continuously throughout operation, providing both sufficient quantity and energy efficiency.
3Manufacturing precision
If scraper device is designed with complex and movable structure to adapt distance from snow pile, then optimal snowflake generation is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The refrigerating cylinder has a curved outer surface that naturally rotates through the air, and the scraper device is positioned to scrape the ice layer at the optimal point on this curved surface. The curvature of the cylinder provides automatic adaptation of the scraping angle and distance as it rotates, eliminating the need for complex movable structures while maintaining optimal snowflake generation quality.
4Reliability
If snow is compacted in accumulation step and partially frozen, then snowfall simulation is achieved, but snow quality deteriorates producing slivers instead of flakes
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts the ice layer from the refrigerating cylinder surface in thin, flexible sheets that are scraped off in a single motion. This extraction process produces loose, fluffy snowflakes rather than compacted slivers, because the ice is removed before it can become densely packed and frozen solid, thereby maintaining high snow quality while achieving realistic snowfall simulation.
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
This solution reduces energy consumption, enhances snow quality, and simulates natural snowfall effectively by producing flakes rather than slivers, improving the overall snowmaking process and user experience.
Implementation Method 1
a cooling unit (40) operatively connected to said refrigerating cylinder (20) and configured to cool an outer side wall (21) of the refrigerating cylinder (20) to a freezing temperature
Implementation Method 2
a gap (22) extending internally to the refrigerating cylinder (20) along an inner surface of the refrigerating cylinder (20) opposite to the outer side wall (21), said gap (22) being connected to the cooling unit (40) so as to receive a flow of a refrigerating substance to be conveyed inside the gap (22) to cool the outer side wall (21)
Implementation Method 3
a water supply system (50) configured to wet at least part of the outer side wall (21) of the refrigerating cylinder (20) with a predetermined quantity of water so as to create an ice layer on the same outer side wall (21)
Implementation Method 4
at least one scraper device (60) configured to scrape at least part of the ice layer so as to obtain an artificial snow fall
Implementation Method 5
a refrigerating cylinder (20) configured to rotate about a longitudinal axis (L) along which it extends
Data Source
AI summary
Artificial snowmaking equipment, preferably indoor, comprises a refrigerating cylinder rotating about a longitudinal axis; movement means configured to rotate the refrigerating cylinder; a cooling unit configured to cool an outer side wall of the refrigerating cylinder to a freezing temperature; a water supply system configured to wet at least part of the outer side wall so as to create a layer of ice thereon; at least one scraper device configured to scrape at least part of the ice layer so as to obtain an artificial snow fall. In particular, the refrigerating cylinder internally has a gap extending along an inner surface thereof opposite the outer side wall. The gap is connected to the cooling unit so as to receive a flow of a refrigerating substance to be conveyed therein to cool the outer side wall of the refrigerating cylinder.