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Snowmaking methodsSnowmaking methods description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20090114735, Snowmaking methods. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
This application claims priority from and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/985,481 entitled SNOWMAKING METHODS, filed Nov. 5, 2007, which is hereby incorporated by reference. The application generally relates to snowmaking. The application relates more specifically to a method and apparatus for producing artificial snow. Snowmaking is critical to winter sporting resorts because the amount of snow and the length and period of time that snow is present dictate whether a resort has a financially successful season. Generally, as the amount of snow increases, so does the length of time the snow is present. The earlier and the longer the length of time snow is present, the longer skiers, snowboarders, and the like are able to use a resort. However, unpredictable weather patterns can produce winters with low outputs of natural snow. Therefore, winter sporting resorts have long recognized the need for making artificial snow. However, snowmaking is often capital and labor intensive for the resort. Generally, two different types of snowmaking systems are used, namely, airless systems and air (i.e., air/water) systems. Typically, in an air/water system, a ski resort has a water pumping center and an air compressor located near the base of the resort, e.g., at a lake or pond. From the center, water and air lines run uphill along the ski slopes. At various locations, provision is made for tapping into the air and water lines. In an airless system, pressurized water lines and electrical lines or other motorized means to power the snowmaking machine are used to make snow. An example air/water system is a snowgun that includes a nozzle that combines high amounts of compressed air and relatively low amounts of pressurized water. The compressed air and pressurized water are simultaneously discharged from the snowgun. As the compressed air and pressurized water exit the snowgun, the expansion of air creates frozen nuclei, breaks up the water into smaller particles, and propels it across the slope. Cold ambient air completes the freezing process and causes the water to form into artificial snow. However, such gun designs produce relatively little snow despite the large amounts of air used. The high cost of producing compressed air is a disadvantage of this type of system. Such air/water systems are usually ineffective above 28 degrees Fahrenheit (−2 degrees Celsius) (wetbulb), and their maximum output is typically 17 to 20 gallons/minute (64-76 liters/minute) at 28 degrees Fahrenheit (−2 degrees Celsius) (wetbulb). An example airless system is a low-pressure snow cannon that includes a propeller (e.g., a fan) for producing a main air stream into which freezing nuclei are sprayed by means of nucleator nozzles and small water droplets are spayed by means of water nozzles. The nucleator nozzles are constructed as water/air nozzles, and they are operated with compressed air and water under pressure and atomize a water/air mixture. The compressed air relaxes as it issues from the nucleator nozzles and thus cools water droplets of the water/air mixture to well below the freezing point so that small ice crystals are formed. The droplets discharged by the water nozzles collide and/or intersect with these freezing nuclei and form snow crystals. Although such snow cannons generally have a greater output than snowguns, they also are usually ineffective above 28 degrees Fahrenheit (−2 degrees Celsius) (wetbulb). Current meteorological evidence indicates that, on average, the global climate is warming. Winters are becoming shorter, as well as the length of the skiing season. The amount of natural snow falling at winter sporting resorts is also declining. It is estimated that a 1 degree Celsius increase in average temperature will reduce the length of the skiing season by about 25%. It is therefore important for winter sporting resorts to be able to make snow at higher temperatures and to make greater amounts of artificial snow when ambient weather conditions permit. Intended advantages of the disclosed methods satisfy one or more of these needs or provide other advantageous features. Other features and advantages will be made apparent from the present specification. The teachings disclosed extend to those embodiments that fall within the scope of the claims, regardless of whether they accomplish one or more of the aforementioned needs. In an embodiment, a control system is provided that monitors snowmaking conditions (ambient temperature, relative humidity, etc.), as well as operational parameters (electric power supply, water supply, etc.), and operates a snowmaking device in accordance with pre-programmed parameters or instructions to maximize snow production. In one embodiment of the disclosure, a method of producing artificial snow is disclosed that includes providing a mass of propelled fluid through a housing having an inlet and an outlet, injecting a spray of liquid droplets into the propelled fluid, and injecting ice crystals and additional liquid droplets into the mass of propelled fluid from a structure disposed within the housing proximate the outlet. Alternative exemplary embodiments relate to other features and combinations of features as may be generally recited in the claims. Continue reading about Snowmaking methods... Full patent description for Snowmaking methods Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Snowmaking methods patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Snowmaking methods or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Multiple cell liquid heat pump system and method Next Patent Application: Air freshener apparatus Industry Class: Fluid sprinkling, spraying, and diffusing ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Snowmaking methods patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 2.68434 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Qualcomm , Schering-Plough , Schlumberger , Seagate , Siemens , Texas Instruments , paws |
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