JPH08110138A - Forming method of artificial snow layer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To reduce necessary energy, shorten the time of working, secure excellent snow surface characteristics and permit the forming of an artificial snow layer efficiently and easily on a slanted floor by a method wherein water vapor in humidified air zone is frozen to form the artificial snow layer or accumulated frost layer on a basic frozen layer. CONSTITUTION: Artificial snow layer is formed by a method wherein a water containing laminated layer of non-frozen material is formed on a floor 2 equipped with a cooling means 5 and the water, contained in the accumulated layer, is frozen by the cooling effect of the cooling means 5 to form a basic frozen layer R on the floor 2. Then, the upper air zone A of the basic frozen layer R is humidified by a humidifying means 6' to freeze water vapor in the humidifying air zone A by the cooling effect of the cooling means 5 whereby the artificial snow layer or the accumulated frost layer S is formed on the basic frozen layer R. By this method, the basic frozen layer R, having a desired thickness, is formed efficiently and easily on the floor 2 and the artificial snow layer or the accumulated frost layer S is formed on the floor 2 under a condition that the flow down of contained water is restricted by the water keeping effect of the accumulated layer on the floor even when the floor 2 is a slanted floor.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for forming an artificial snow layer in an indoor artificial snow ski resort or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a method for forming an artificial snow layer, the following steps (a) and (b) have been previously proposed (see Japanese Patent Application No. 3-78779).

In order to facilitate understanding of the description of the prior art, FIG. 1 showing an embodiment of the present invention will be used as a reference diagram.

(B) Water is sprinkled on the floor 2 provided with the cooling means 5, and this water is frozen by the cooling means 5 of the floor 2 to form a base ice layer R on the floor. Alternatively, grain ice is sprinkled on the floor to form a grain ice accumulation layer, the grain ice accumulation layer is impregnated with water, and the impregnated water is frozen by the cooling means 5 provided in the floor 2 to be deposited on the floor. A base frozen layer R is formed.

(B) Subsequently, the upper air area A of the base ice layer R is humidified by the humidifying means, and the water vapor in the air area A is cooled by the floor cooling means 5 to cause the base ice layer R to cool.
The frost layer S is formed on the base frost layer R as an artificial snow layer.

That is, in the previously proposed method, each of the base ice layer R and the frost layer S as the artificial snow layer on the base ice layer R is formed by the cooling action of the floor cooling means 5. By spraying water on the cooled space above the floor, the need for cooling the space above the floor is eliminated or reduced to form a snow layer, compared to other methods in which the sprayed water is frozen in the space and artificial snowfall occurs.・ This is intended to reduce the energy required for maintenance (energy required to generate cold heat).

Further, in order to stably maintain the snow surface (artificial snow surface) against changes in temperature environment and use of the snow surface, a cold heat retaining layer having a certain thickness is formed between the snow surface and the floor. It is necessary to form a cold heat retaining layer having a predetermined thickness with a two-layer structure of a base ice layer R and a frost layer S formed on the base layer R, so that the frost layer can be directly laminated on the floor. Is formed and the cold heat retaining layer having a required thickness is formed only by growing the frost laminate, the construction time required for creating the necessary cold heat retaining layer is shortened, and the air content is higher than that of the frost laminate S. By interposing a base ice layer R having a small size and high thermal conductivity, the cooling efficiency of the floor cooling means 5 for the upper frost stack S as an artificial snow layer and the snow surface is increased, and it is necessary to form and maintain the snow layer. This is to further reduce energy.

Furthermore, the frost stack S is used as an artificial snow layer,
By making the surface of the frost stack S a snow surface (artificial snow surface), for example, a frozen accumulated layer of water-swellable resin (so-called super absorbent resin) is used as an artificial snow layer, and the surface is artificial snow. Compared with another form of the surface, it is possible to obtain a good snow surface property close to natural snow, especially a snow surface property having a small friction coefficient and suitable for skiing such as skiing.

[0009]

However, in the method of forming the base ice layer R in the above proposed method, water is sprinkled on the floor and the water is frozen. In this method, the floor 2 is inclined for forming a ski slope. In the case of a floor, since sprinkled water flows down, in order to form a base ice layer R having a predetermined thickness, water is sprinkled to form a thin film of water, and the thin film of water is frozen, , Watering again to form a water thin film again, freeze the water thin film, and repeat this many times to grow the base ice layer R to the required thickness. Therefore, there is a problem that it takes a long time to create the base frozen layer R, and thus the cold heat retaining layer, and it takes a lot of time to spray water.

On the other hand, when the grain ice accumulation layer formed by spraying the grain ice on the floor is impregnated with water and the impregnated water is frozen to form the base ice layer R, the water is retained by the grain accumulation layer to make a gradient. Although it is possible to suppress the flow of water (impregnated water) even in the case of a floor, there is a problem that an ice making machine for generating ice spray is required separately.

In view of the above circumstances, the object of the present invention is as follows.

A first object of the present invention is to artificially form a frost stack as an artificial snow layer on a base ice layer for the purpose of reducing required energy, shortening construction time, ensuring good snow surface properties, and the like. In the formation of a snow layer, the base ice layer can be formed efficiently and easily even in the case of a sloping floor while the flow of water is suppressed, and without the need for a separate ice making machine.

A second object of the present invention is to make it easy to obtain the material for forming the base frozen layer, to reduce the required cost, and to effectively reduce the construction time.

A third object of the present invention is to facilitate formation of a base ice layer having a uniform water content even in the case of a sloping floor.

A fourth object of the present invention is to make it possible to easily form a water-containing accumulated layer for forming a base frozen layer when using a water-swellable resin. .

A fifth object of the present invention is to simplify the structure of the device and to efficiently form a frost stack as an artificial snow layer.

[0017]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

[First Characteristic Configuration] In the first characteristic structure of the present invention, a water-containing accumulated layer of a non-frozen substance is formed on a floor provided with a cooling means, and the impregnated water of this accumulated layer is frozen by the cooling action of the cooling means. To form a base ice layer on the floor, humidify the upper air region of the base ice layer by humidifying means, and condense the water vapor in the humidified air region on the base ice layer under the cooling action of the cooling means. By frosting, a frost stack as an artificial snow layer is formed on the base ice layer.

[Second Characteristic Configuration] A second characteristic configuration of the present invention is to identify a specific configuration suitable for carrying out the above-mentioned first characteristic configuration. Forming a sand layer on the floor.

[Third Characteristic Configuration] A third characteristic configuration of the present invention is to identify a specific configuration suitable for carrying out the first characteristic configuration described above. A water-containing integrated layer of a water-soluble resin is formed on the floor.

[Fourth Characteristic Configuration] The fourth characteristic structure of the present invention specifies a specific structure suitable for carrying out the third characteristic structure. The water-swellable resin water-containing layer is This is to form a non-water-containing integrated layer of the water-swelling resin on the floor and then sprinkle water on the non-water-containing integrated layer.

[Fifth Characteristic Configuration] A fifth characteristic configuration of the present invention is to identify a specific configuration suitable for carrying out the above-mentioned first, second, third or fourth characteristic configuration, and the humidifying means. Is to humidify the air region by spraying water on the air region above the base frozen layer.

[0022]

[Action]

[Operation of First Characteristic Configuration] In the first characteristic configuration, since a water-containing accumulated layer of a non-frozen material is formed on the floor and the impregnated water in the accumulated layer is frozen, a base ice layer is formed on the floor. Even when the floor is a sloping floor, the base freezing layer having a desired thickness can be efficiently and easily formed on the floor in a state in which the flow of water (impregnated water) is suppressed by the water retention function of the above-layer integrated layer.

Further, since the non-frozen water-containing accumulated layer is used, a separate ice-making machine is not required as in the case of using the granular ice-containing accumulated layer for forming the base ice layer.

On the other hand, regarding the formation of a frost stack, water vapor in the air will frost (in other words, frost) on the surface of a substance regardless of the air temperature if the surface temperature of the substance is below the temperature at which frost can form. , Similar to the previously proposed method, by humidifying the upper air region of the base ice layer, the water vapor in the air region given by the humidification is applied to the surface portion of the base ice layer to which the cooling action of the floor cooling means is applied, In the intermediate stage of formation of the frost stack, the cooling action of the floor cooling means also acts through the base ice layer, and frost can be sequentially formed on the surface portion of the frost stack during formation, which allows artificial snow to be formed on the base freeze layer. A frost stack as a layer can be formed.

Regarding formation of the non-frozen water-containing accumulated layer on the floor, a method of forming a non-hydrated non-frozen material accumulated layer on the floor and then sprinkling water on the non-hydrated accumulated layer, or Any of the methods of spraying and accumulating frozen material on the floor with water may be adopted.

[Operation of Second Characteristic Configuration] In the second characteristic configuration, the impregnated water of the sand layer in the water-containing state is frozen by the cooling means provided on the floor, thereby forming the frost stack as the artificial snow layer. A freezing layer of frozen hydrated sand is formed on the floor.

[Operation of Third Characteristic Configuration] In the third characteristic configuration, the impregnated water in the water-containing layer of the water-swellable resin, that is, the absorbed water of the water-swellable resin itself (in some cases, water-swelling property by absorbing water) (Including interparticle water of resin) is frozen by the cooling means equipped on the floor, whereby a base ice layer composed of a frozen hydrous accumulation layer of water-swelling resin is formed on the floor prior to the formation of a frost stack as an artificial snow layer. To form.

[Operation of Fourth Characteristic Structure] In the fourth characteristic structure, a water-swellable resin is previously formed on the floor to form a non-hydrated accumulated layer, and then water is sprinkled on the non-hydrated accumulated layer to form the accumulated layer. The water-swellable resin that absorbs water absorbs water, thereby forming a water-containing integrated layer of the water-swellable resin on the floor.

[Operation of Fifth Characteristic Configuration] In the fifth characteristic configuration, by spraying water directly onto the air region above the base layer freezing layer, the sprayed water is evaporated into the air to raise the water above the base layer freezing layer. Humidify the air area.

[0030]

【The invention's effect】

[Effects of the first characteristic configuration] According to the first characteristic configuration of the present invention, even when the floor is a sloping floor, the base frost layer can be efficiently and easily formed on the floor, and thus the base frost layer and the frost stack can be formed. Shortening the construction time, which is one of the intended purposes of forming the cold heat retaining layer with the two-layer structure of
It can certainly be achieved in the case of a sloping floor.

Since a separate ice making machine is not required, the total equipment cost can be reduced as compared with the case where a snow layer forming equipment including this ice making machine is constructed.
Compared to a form in which ice generated by a remote ice making facility is transported and sprayed on the floor, ice transportation while keeping cold is unnecessary and construction becomes easier.

While obtaining these unique effects, the above-mentioned basic effect, that is, the need for cooling the space above the floor is eliminated or reduced, and the cooling of the floor cooling means with respect to the snow layer is achieved by the inclusion of the base ice layer. The effect of increasing efficiency and reducing the energy required to form and maintain the snow layer,
In addition, it is possible to obtain an effect that a good snow surface property close to that of natural snow is secured by stacking frost on the base ice layer.

[Effect of Second Characteristic Configuration] According to the second characteristic configuration of the present invention, since sand is used as the non-frozen material forming the water-containing integrated layer, a special material other than sand such as a synthetic material is used as the water-containing material. Compared with using it as a laminate forming material, it can be easily obtained and the required cost can be reduced.

Further, since only water existing in the gaps between the sand grains is specifically targeted for freezing in the formation of the base layer freezing layer, the cooling time required for forming the base layer freezing layer can be shortened. The entire construction time of the cold heat retaining layer can be further shortened.

[Effect of Third Characteristic Configuration] According to the third characteristic configuration of the present invention, by using the water-swellable resin for the non-frozen material forming the water-containing integrated layer, the water-swelling property is obtained even in the case of a slanted floor. Water (impregnated water) can be suppressed very effectively by the water absorption function of the resin, and even in the case of a sloping bed, the base ice layer with a uniform water content, that is,
It is possible to easily form a good base frost layer that can make the cooling effect of the upper layer frost layer as a snow layer and the floor cooling means on the snow surface uniform.

[Effect of Fourth Characteristic Configuration] According to the fourth characteristic configuration of the present invention, the water-swellable resin in a non-hydrated state is much lighter in weight than the water-swellable resin that has absorbed water. In addition, since it is not viscous and is easy to handle, and since it is still easier to spray water alone compared to spraying water-swellable resin that has absorbed water, another method is to absorb water. Compared with the case where the water-swellable resin is sprayed on the floor to form the water-swellable resin-containing water-containing layer on the floor, the water-swelling resin-containing water-containing layer can be easily formed.

[Effect of Fifth Characteristic Configuration] According to the fifth characteristic configuration of the present invention, since water is directly sprayed onto the air region above the base frozen layer, for example, as another method, it is appropriately humidified. Compared with a mode in which air is blown to the upper air region of the base frozen layer through the air passage to humidify the upper air region, the device configuration can be simplified by omitting the air passage and the like.

In addition, a large amount of humidification can be efficiently performed in the air region above the base ice layer of a large area, and the formation of a frost stack as an artificial snow layer on the base ice layer can be efficiently performed. You can

[0039]

EXAMPLE FIG. 1 shows an indoor artificial snow ski area, 1 is a building, and 2 is a floor forming an artificial snow layer S as a slope.

Refrigerant pipes 5 for circulating a low-temperature refrigerant (for example, brine of −10 to −20 ° C.) cooled by the low-temperature refrigerator 3 through the circulation path 4 are densely arranged on the floor 2 as cooling means. The artificial snow layer S is formed on the floor by cooling with the refrigerant pipe 5.

Regarding the formation of the artificial snow layer S, first, the base layer ice layer R is formed on the floor 2, and then the base layer ice layer R is formed.
A frost stack S as an artificial snow layer is formed on the above.

The base freezing layer R forms a water-containing accumulated layer Rw of a non-frozen substance on the floor 2 as shown in FIG. 2, and the impregnated water wr in this water-containing accumulated layer Rw is frozen by the cooling action of the refrigerant pipe 5. To be formed. That is, the frozen water-containing integrated layer Rw is used as the base frozen layer R.

In order to form the water-containing accumulated layer Rw of the non-frozen material, for example, the following methods (a) to (d) are selectively adopted.

(A) Laying sand on the floor 2 to form a non-hydrated sand layer on the floor, and then water wr is sprinkled on the sand layer to make the sand layer hydrated. The water-containing integrated layer Rw of the above-mentioned non-frozen material is used.

(B) Sand is sprayed on the floor together with an appropriate proportion of water wr by gear pump transportation or the like to form a hydrated sand layer on the floor, and the hydrated sand layer is the above-mentioned non-frozen water-containing integrated layer Rw. And

(C) The water-swelling property is obtained by forming a non-water-containing accumulated layer of the strip-shaped water-swellable resin on the floor 2 and then spraying water wr on the non-water-containing accumulated layer of the water-swellable resin. The resin absorbs water wr to form a water-containing integrated layer in a swollen state,
The water-containing accumulated layer of the water-swellable resin is used as the water-containing accumulated layer Rw of the non-frozen product described above.

(D) A small amount of water-swellable resin mixed with water wr at an appropriate ratio and absorbed by water is sprayed on the floor by pumping or the like to form a water-containing accumulated layer of the water-swellable resin on the floor. The water-containing accumulated layer of the water-swelling resin is used as the water-containing accumulated layer Rw of the non-frozen product.

After forming the base freezing layer R, as shown in FIG. 3, water wa is sprayed onto the air region A above the base freezing layer R by the water spraying device 6, whereby the sprayed water wa is obtained.
Is evaporated into the air to humidify the upper air region A of the base frozen layer R.

In parallel with this humidification, the water vapor in the humidified air region A (that is, the water vapor given by the above-mentioned humidification) is frosted on the surface portion of the base ice layer R on which the cooling action of the refrigerant pipe 5 is exerted. In the intermediate stage of formation of the laminated layer, the cooling action of the refrigerant pipe 5 is also exerted through the base layer ice layer R, and frost is successively formed on the surface portion of the frost layer S during formation, whereby the artificial snow layer is formed on the base layer ice layer R. And a final surface of the frost stack S is an artificial snow surface.

In the humidification by the above water spray, a part of the spray water wa does not completely evaporate in the air region A and is in a mist state in the surface portion of the base freezing layer R and the surface of the frost stack S during formation. It may be possible that fine ice particles may be generated due to mist freezing on these surface portions, and these fine ice particles may be present in the frost stack S as a part of the snow layer forming particles.

In the process of growing the frost stack S, when the frost stack S grows to a certain thickness, the frost stack S up to that point is subjected to a compression treatment, or
Water is impregnated into the frost stack S up to that point by sprinkling water,
By freezing the impregnated water by the cooling action of the refrigerant pipe 5, the frost stack S up to that time is formed into an ice layer to some extent, and by this ice formation, the thermal conductivity of the frost stack S up to that time (that is, the refrigerant pipe 5 And the surface of the frost stack S) are enhanced, the subsequent frost stack formation by frost formation of water vapor in the air on the ice layer frost stack S is efficiently performed. And
This ice layer formation process is performed once or multiple times at appropriate intervals in the process of forming the frost stack S.

[Other Embodiments] Next, other embodiments will be listed.

The cooling means to be installed in the floor 2 is not limited to the parallel refrigerant pipe 5 as in the above-mentioned embodiment. For example, the floor 2 has a double floor structure, and the double floor gap allows the refrigerant to flow. Various structures and types can be adopted, such as a structure for forming a passage and a structure in which a plurality of cooling panel units that are cooled by the circulation of the refrigerant are arranged side by side on the floor.

As shown in FIG. 4, the heat transfer plate 7 made of metal or the like is spread over the parallel refrigerant pipes 5 on the floor in a state of being in contact with the respective refrigerant pipes 5, so that the upper surface of the heat transfer plate 7 is improved. Is used as the floor surface, whereby basically the refrigerant pipes 5 are arranged side by side, but a uniform cooling function is obtained for the entire floor surface by the cold heat transfer by the heat transfer plate 7. May be. In FIG. 4, reference numeral 8 is a reinforcing material for supporting the heat transfer plate 7 between the refrigerant pipes 5, and the reinforcing material 8 is made of various materials such as wood and sand, or a heat insulating / combining material such as glass wool and foam polystyrene. Can be adopted.

In the above-described embodiment, in order to humidify the upper air region A of the base layer freezing layer R, a mode of directly spraying water on the upper air region A of the base layer freezing layer R is adopted. As shown by the broken line, the air in the upper air region A of the base layer ice layer R is guided to the humidifying means 6 ′ (for example, a sprinkling type humidifying means) separately provided via the return air duct 9 to humidify the humidified air. It is also possible to adopt a mode in which the air is fed again to the upper air region A of the base ice layer R via the air supply air passage 10 to humidify the upper air region A of the base ice layer R.

Further, in the upper air area A of the base freezing layer R, the air area A is directly humidified, or humidified air is fed to the upper air area A of the base freezing layer R, and this air area A is supplied. In any of the modes for humidifying A, the humidifying method of the humidifying means is not limited to the water spray type or the water spraying type, and for example, a type in which water is evaporated into the air by ultrasonic vibration to humidify the air, Various humidification methods can be adopted.

In the case of adopting a humidification form in which water is sprayed directly onto the air region A above the base ice layer R, a part of the sprayed water wa is intentionally left in a mist state or the surface portion of the base ice layer R. During the formation, the frost layer S is dropped to the surface portions to be frozen at these surface portions, whereby the fine ice particles generated by the mist freezing are made part of the snow layer forming particles to improve the efficiency of the artificial snow layer formation. You may plan.

The non-frozen material used as the material for forming the water-containing integrated layer Rw is not limited to sand or water-swelling resin, and for example, resin powder particles such as vinyl chloride or polyethylene, ceramic powder particles, sponge, etc. Various materials such as the water absorbing material can be applied.

The floor is not limited to a slanted floor, and may have any form such as a horizontal flat floor or a undulating floor. Further, the application of the frost stack S as the artificial snow layer is not limited to skis, but can be applied to various applications.

It should be noted that reference numerals are given in the claims for convenience of comparison with the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the configurations of the accompanying drawings by the entry.

[Brief description of drawings]

[Fig.1] Structure diagram of indoor artificial snow ski resort

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a process of forming a frozen layer of a substrate.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a process of forming a frost stack.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view showing another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 5 Cooling means 2 Floor Rw Non-frozen water-containing integrated layer wr Impregnated water R Base ice layer A Upper air area 6 Humidification means S Frost layering

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A water-containing accumulated layer (Rw) of a non-frozen substance is formed on a floor (2) provided with a cooling means (5), and impregnated water (wr) of this accumulated layer (Rw) is added to the cooling means ( It is frozen by the cooling action of 5) to form a base ice layer (R) on the floor, and the upper air region (A) of the base ice layer (R) is humidified by the humidifying means (6), and this humidified air region is formed. The water vapor in (A) is cooled by the cooling means (5).
The method for forming an artificial snow layer, which comprises forming a frost stack (S) as an artificial snow layer on the base freezing layer (R) by causing frost to form on the base freezing layer (R) under the cooling action. 2. The method for forming an artificial snow layer according to claim 1, wherein a water-containing sand layer is formed on the floor (2) as a water-containing accumulated layer (Rw) of the non-frozen substance. 3. The artificial snow layer forming method according to claim 1, wherein a water-containing accumulated layer of a water-swellable resin is formed on the floor (2) as the water-containing accumulated layer (Rw) of the non-frozen substance. 4. A water-containing integrated layer (R) of the water-swellable resin described above.
4. The method for forming an artificial snow layer according to claim 3, wherein w) is formed by forming a non-water-containing integrated layer of a water-swellable resin on the floor (2) and then sprinkling water on the non-water-containing integrated layer. 5. The humidifying means (6) is of a type that humidifies the air region (A) by spraying water onto the air region (A) above the base frozen layer (Rw). 3 or 4
The artificial snow layer forming method described.