WO1994003764A1

WO1994003764A1 - Low-pressure automatic programmable artificial snow making plant

Info

Publication number: WO1994003764A1
Application number: PCT/IT1993/000079
Authority: WO
Inventors: Davide Cagnolati
Original assignee: Tazzari Sport Division S.R.L.
Priority date: 1992-07-31
Filing date: 1993-07-20
Publication date: 1994-02-17
Also published as: ITBO920296A1; EP0651874B1; ATE136109T1; ITBO920296A0; EP0651874A1; DE69302018T2; AU4582893A; IT1259262B; ES2087760T3; DE69302018D1

Abstract

The low-pressure automatic programmable artificial snow making plant is of the type which includes a programmable logic modulus (28) sensitive to the meteorologic ranges and it is characterized by the fact that the low-pressure compressed air utilized for the nucleation is produced by an oil circulation screw type compressor (16) and said oil which runs hot during the cycle of compressed air is used directly or indirectly to warm up those parts of the system which run the risk of freezing, clogging or of any other failures caused by very low temperatures.

Description

LOW-PR ESSUR E A UTOMATI C P R OG R A M MABLE ARTIFICIAL SNOW MAKING PLANT

FIELD OF THE ART

The present invention relates to low-pressure automatic programmable artificial snow making machines and methods and classified under international class F25C.

BACKGROUND OF PRIOR ART

Under the specific prior art literature of international patents the following are of particular relevance: EUROPEAN: 0 004 803; 0 206 705; 0 479 641 U.S.A: 4 105 161 ; 4493 457

CANADA : 925 713; 1 028 514

A comparative study of the above cited patents shows that a problem still exists: that is how to control automatically the operating conditions of low-pressure blowers -near or far- in function of the variable meteorologic ranges of ambient air and running operations.

The system proposed in the present invention is of the type at low- pressure and assures the greatest affidability and economy of automatic operations.

Furthermore, the control of the actuators carrying out the automatic adjustments is optimized, to security standards, to general ergonomic requirements of running operations and particularly to the most severe site and environmental conditions. DESCRIPTION

The present invention will be best understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings presented as a non restricting example, in which:

FIG. 1. Illustrates a single programmable unit for making artificial snow consisting of a single blower head at low pressure which is connected to the hydric and electric network.

FIG. 2. Illustrates at group of neighbouring units which is equipped with a meteorologic station capable of detecting the temperature and relative humidity of ambient air, as well as the velocity and the direction of the wind.

This group of blowers is also equipped with a logic programmable modulus capable of collecting and elaborating the meteorologic data, as well as data from the plant ,to set up the operating conditions of its blowers.

The connection between the meteorologic station, the logic modulus, and the blowers can be either via cable or via radio communication link.

The proximity of the units of the group, the homogeneity of the meteorologic conditions and consequently the similarity of the adjustments to be carried out in each unit, allow to utilize, for the entire group of single neighbouring units , one single meteorologic station and one single programmable logic modulus (28) as well as only one of adequate capacity air compressor.

FIG. 3. Is a view of a schematic operating layout for a group consisting of a single unit.

FIG. 4. Schematizes an assembly layout consisting of several groups which are coordinated by a computerized networking system which, by remote control, sets out the operating conditions of the single groups, of the single units, and of all connected services.

FIG. 5. Schematizes a hydraulic circuit to control the oleodynamic actuators which mechanize the adjustments of the system which are in autopilot.

FIG. 6. Schematizes the production and distribution circuit of compressed air at low pressure.

Said circuit feeds the nucleation device with a single sonic nozzle positioned in the center of the orifice of exit of the blower head.

In said Fig 6 is also illustrated a circuit with a thermoconvector fluid which cools off the oil of lubrication of the air compressor and utilizes the recovered heat to warm up those exposed parts of the unit which run the risk of freezing, clogging and stoppage.

For a better understanding of the drawings each details is marked as follows:

(1) Opening, closing, and adjustment valve for the water pressure to make artificial snow.

(2) Water filter

(3) Upstream or downstream pressure transductors of the water filter.

(4) Feed and Stop Valve to control the flow of water to the various coronas of spraying nozzles.

(5) Impeller fan with a programmable speed to convey the atmospheric air towards the orifice of exit .

(6) Coronas of water spraying nozzles.

(7) Central sonic nozzle of nucleation with mixed feeding of compressed air and water. (8) Oleodynamic actuator to adjust the height of the blower head from the ground.

(9) Oleodynamic actuator to adjust the angle of elevation the blower head.

(10) Water temperature.transmitter.

(11 ) Oleodynamic rotating actuator to adjust the orientation of the blower head.

(12) Oleodynamic actuators for the levelling of the trolley carrying the unit.

(13) Meteorologic probe to detect the temperature of ambient air.

(14) Meteorologic probe to detect the relative humidity of ambient air.

(15) Assembly electric control panel

(16) Oil circulation screw type low pressure air compressor.

(17) Oleodynamic station to feed the actuators.

(18) Meteorologic probe to detect the wind direction and velocity.

(19) Computerized networking system which coordinates by remote control the operating conditions of the plant.

(20) Trolley platform for the blower head and auxiliary equipment.

(21) Oil separator to remove the oil from the compressed air on the delivery duct of the screw type compressor.

(22) Cooling battery of the compressed air.

(23) Circulation station for the thermocovector fluid to cool down the oil circulating in the compressor and to warm up those parts of the blower which need heat to avoid risks of failure.

(24) Auxiliary electric resistance for transitory operations or in case of very low temperatures.

(25) Oleodynamic high pressure pump for feeding the oleodynamic actuators (26) Pump for the circulation of the thermoconvector fluid.

(27) Solenoid valves battery to intercept the circulation of the hydraulic oil to the oleodynamic actuators.

(28) Programmable logic modulus to collect meteorologic data and data from the plant system to set up the operating conditions of the blowers.

(29) Heat exchanger for cooling the oil of the compressor and heating the thermoconvector fluid.

(30) A data transmitter device via radio communication link or via cable.

(31 ) Orifice of exit of the blower head.

The obviousness of the drawings helps to understand better the operating features in autopilot.

It is evident that the present invention is susceptible to many diverse variations of realization as to structural proportions, technological choices of materials and general components. Furthermore form part of the present invention any and all low- pressure automatic programmable artificial snow making plants which are utilizing, to obtain the compressed air needed for the nucleation, a screw type oil compressor (16) Furthermore are to be part of the present invention any and all low-pressure automatic artificial snow making plants that utilize the heat recovery from the air compressor.

Furthermore fall within the present invention any and all low- pressure automatic programmable snow making plants that utilize circuits of thermoconvector fluids to heat those sections which run risks of failure caused by very low ambient temperatures. Furthermore are to be considered protected by the present industrial patent any low pressure plants consisting of neighbouring groups of blowers presenting homogeneity of working and operating conditions and allowing a centralization of services as meteorologic station, programmable logic modulus, air compressor, oleodynamic station, heat convecting circuits. It is also evident that fall within the protection of the present invention any and all low-pressure automatic programmable artificial snowmaking plants operated by oleodynamic actuators actuated by hydraulic circuits as hereinbefore described and illustrated and heretofore claimed.

Claims

1 ) Low-pressure automatic programmable artificial snow making plant having a programmable logic modulus sensitive to the meteorologic ranges CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT the air compressed air at low pressure utilized for the nucleation is produced by a screw type oil circulation compressor (16).

2) Low-pressure automatic programmable artificial snow making plant as to claim 1 ), CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT the circulation oil of the screw type compressor (16), running hot during the air compressor cycle, said oil is utilized directly or indirectly to heat those sections of the plant which may run risks of freezing, of clogging or any other failures caused by very low temperatures and thus allowing the elimination of electric resistors and relating unsafe and expensive operating conditions.

3) Low-pressure automatic programmable artificial snow making plant as to claims (1) and (2) CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT the availability of the oil, run hot by the heat recovered by the cycle of air compression, allows the realization of a complete automatism of the blowers through the mechanization of all the operating adjustments of the plant and in particular the opening and closing of the valves for the interception of water (1 ) and (4) avoiding the risks of freezing or clogging and thus allowing the elimination of the traditional manual interventions of trained personnel the starting and shut-off operations.

4) Low-pressure automatic programmable artificial snow making plant as to claims 1), 2), and 3) CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT the valve (1) is installed directly on the connection point of the hydric network and that said valve (1 ) not only carries out the automatic starting and shut-off operations but as well as the functions of pilot regulation of the delivery pressure which traditionally was worked by manual or electric or hydraulic control valves installed adjacent to water spraying nozzles: such installation even though equipped with a uto m at i c servomechanisms required the attendance and intervention of trained personnel for the starting, shut-off and drainage operations for that section of piping between the aforesaid valve and the link of the hydric network and better defined as semiautomatic and not automatic.

5) Low-pressure automatic programmable artificial snow making plant as to claims 1) to 4) CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT one single sonic nozzle (7) at high delivery is set on the center of the orifice of exit (31) and fed in low pressure with the air furnished by the compressor (16).

6) Low-pressure automatic programmable artificial snow making plant, as to above claims , CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT the several groups of blowers which are part of the same snow making plant and located in areas exposed to meteorologic conditions, that can be diverse, each group is controlled by its own meteorologic monitoring device (13-14-18), by its o w n programmable logic modulus (28) and furthermore each group is fed by a local network of common services, and can be coordinated via cable or radio communication link, by a central computerized system (19) which oversees the integral running of automatic and remote control operations of the blowers, of water feeding flow, electric energy, compressed air, and oleodynamic and thermoconvector fluids. 7) Low-pressure automatic programmable artificial snow making plant, as hereinbefore claimed, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT includes a programmable logic modulus (28), sensitive to the meteorologic ranges collected by the devices (13) (14) and (18),which sets out the integral regulation of the operational phases of defrosting,, preliminary-starting, adjustment operations, during the stopping and drainage functions which are piloted by oleodynamic actuators (1), (4), (8), (9), (11) and (12) that oversee the automatic running of the general operations of the blowers.

8) Low-pressure automatic programmable artificial snow making plant as hereinabove claimed CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT the central computerized system (19) may come equipped with its. own meteorologic station for the verification and compensation of the collected data from the neighbouring stations linked via cable or via radio communication link.

9) Low-pressure automatic programmable artificial snow making plant, as hereinbefore claimed, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT the oil of the oleodynamic circuits (17) run hot during the operation of the recovery heat of the compressor (16) can be kept in circulation to allow an inflow of heat on those parts actuated and mechanized by the actuators as an alternative to having other specific devices installed for that purpose.

10) Low-pressure automatic programmable artificial snow making plant, as hereinbefore claimed, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT, the auxiliary resistance (24) maintains at the right temperature the hydraulic circuits either as added-heat during low temperature conditions as well as to protect from freezing during the stop operation and to facilitate the re-start operation.