JPH0860896A - Snow remover - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a snow remover, in which expensive equipment investment is not required, by which a positive snow removing function is imparted to an existing roof and a new roof by simple operation, which effectively removes snow and is stuck easily and cost of which is reduced. CONSTITUTION: A snow remover has a tray 4 consisting of a pan (4c), on which a heating medium as the priming water of a snowmelt is flowed down, walls (4a, 4b) on both sides preventing the overflow of the heating medium rising from the pan and flowing down, and a ceiling section (3) being continued to at least one of these walls and covering at least a part of the pan 4c along the direction of movement of the heating medium. The exposed heating medium flowing down along the tray (4) is brought into contact with snowfall particles, and water is absorbed and snowmelt water is received while the ceiling section 3 of the tray 4 prevents the direct contacts of the heating medium flowing under the ceiling section 3 and snowfall particles, thus forming a heating-medium supply path not closed by a snow coverage.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a snow removing device which is attached to a surface of a structure, for example, a roof, and a heating medium is constrained to flow down. The term "roof" as used herein is a concept that includes a rigid tile roof, a tile bar roof, a planked roof, a flexible tent roof, and a dome-shaped roof having a large membrane structure. The heat medium used is, of course, a concept including ground water, tap water, industrial water, and a liquid that can be separated and reused.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The applicant of the present invention has made various studies on snow removal from roofs by using a flow control tape. Taking Okayama Prefecture, where the applicant of the present invention resides, as an example, the Chugoku Mountains lie near the border of Tottori Prefecture, and there is a considerable amount of snowfall every year on the southern slope of this mountainous area. In the Hokuriku and Tohoku regions, there is much snow inland from the Japanese side over the mountains, and it is a region that has suffered snow damage due to a large amount of snowfall for many years.

There are various methods for removing snow. For example,
Taking a roof as an example, a method of installing a heat exchanger on the roof surface or flowing water directly onto the roof to melt snow is used. The object of the technical problem solving of the present invention is to the drawback of the roof snow melting technology by running water. The running snow melting technology of the roof
It is a technique similar to running snow removal on roads that uses a large amount of groundwater found in various cities in the Tohoku region.

[0004]

[Problems to be solved by the present invention] The removal of running snow from a roof is
In all cases, the total amount of water is extremely large because it is based on the method of predicting the amount of snowfall and obtaining the required amount of heat of snowmelt, and specifying the temperature and flow rate of the supplied water that matches this. Since water tends to converge and diverge, there is no recognition that snowmelt can be effectively performed with a small amount of halfway water, and if there is a situation where only a small amount of water is available, such running snowmelt will actually occur. I have been told that I cannot go to. When using groundwater, it is usually impossible to secure a sufficient amount of water, and running snow melting on the roof is not being used unexpectedly. A large amount of tap water is not a popular technology in terms of resource conservation and cost. It is hard to say that using hot water from a boiler is a realistic method due to the high fuel cost. The same applies to the use of sprinklers.

Other various methods have been proposed.
For example, there is a method of attaching a hot water circulation pipe to the attic, a roof heat exchanger that uses a heat medium by underground heat exchange, or a method of using a heat pipe, but both require high investment and maintenance costs. It is not popular because it is bulky. An object of the present invention is to provide a simple structure that can be used easily and does not require a large amount of capital investment and has a reliable snow removal function on an existing roof and a new roof by a simple work to effectively remove snow. To provide inexpensive snow removal technology.

[0006]

In order to solve these drawbacks of the prior art, the device of the present invention comprises a tray for letting down a heat medium which serves as a priming point for snow melting, in which all or a part of the surface forms a passage. A tray composed of walls on both sides for preventing overflow of the heat medium rising and flowing down from this tray, and a ceiling portion which is continuous with at least one of these walls and covers at least a part of the dish along the moving direction of the heat medium. The exposed heat medium flowing down along the tray comes into contact with the snowfall particles to absorb water and receive snowmelt water, while the ceiling part of the tray prevents direct contact between the heat medium flowing underneath and the snowfall particles. However, a heat medium supply passage that is not blocked by snow is formed.

[0007]

The tray is installed on at least a part of the roof surface prior to snowfall. When a heat medium that serves as a priming of the snowmelt flows down to the tray, a part of the heat medium flowing down from the water absorbing material is absorbed by the snowfall particles, and the snow melts quickly or becomes a sherbet. The sherbet-like snow is likely to slide and move along the downflow path due to the flow velocity energy of the heat medium. In addition, the water that has been released from the snow due to the supply of heat is also collected in the downflow route, and the heat of this water is also used for snow melting, so an efficient and effective method is possible between the heat medium and the snow. Heat exchange takes place.

The heat medium is constrained to flow down along the flow path provided on the tray or the tray surface of the tray. When a small amount of heat medium is flown, the flow-down path restrains the movement of a small amount of heat medium, and when a large amount of heat medium is flowed, it flows evenly on the plate within the range surrounded by the wall of the tray. Regardless of the large and small flow rate of the heat medium, the heat medium flows in a dense state, so that channeling does not occur and freezing does not easily occur at the outer edge of the flow. The heat medium flows stably in a plane, and the restrained flow forms a plane heat storage / radiator having a relatively uniform amount of heat.

A part of the falling heat transfer medium is covered by the ceiling part. Therefore, the heat medium flowing under the ceiling portion does not come into direct contact with the snow particles. The heat medium flowing through this coating portion is not absorbed by snow particles, and the amount of latent heat loss due to wind is small. Even if the supply amount of heat medium becomes insufficient or the temperature drops due to some mistake, the flow-through heat medium covered by the ceiling portion has a larger heat capacity than the heat medium that is exposed and flows down. It can be expected to function as an antifreezing heat storage body for the entire device. If the heat medium supply passage is hollow, the heat medium is supplied through the heat medium supply passage even if the heat medium supply is stopped due to a failure of the heat medium supply system and the tray is frozen for a long time. By operation, the frozen layer on the tray can be thawed to restore the function to the original state.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective explanatory view showing an embodiment of a snow removing device according to the present invention. The illustrated snow removing device constitutes a tray 4. The tray 4 has a tray 4c for letting down a heat medium that serves as a priming water for snow melting, and walls 4a, 4b on both sides for preventing overflow of the heat medium rising from the tray and flowing down,
A ceiling portion 3 which is continuous with at least one of the walls and covers at least a part of the dish along the moving direction of the heat medium is provided. On the tray 4, a small amount of heat medium flowing down along a flow path of a plate, which will be described later, or a large amount of heat medium that does not overflow from the wall is flowed. Reference numeral 3a is a support protrusion for preventing the ceiling portion from being deformed under the load of snow. According to the tray structure described above, the heat retained on the surface of the tray on which the heat medium is exposed and flows down can be made substantially uniform over the entire surface regardless of the flow rate of the heat medium. A heat insulating layer or a heat transfer resistance layer may be interposed between the tray and the surface on which the tray is installed, for example, the roof surface.
The inclination of the tray to the left and right (the inclination about the vertical axis of the tray) can be corrected by interposing a spacer. Wedge-shaped double-sided tape can be used for such spacers.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a snow removing device having a structure in which the entire surface of the dish is covered with the water absorbing material 2. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state in which the snow removal device shown in FIG. 2 is installed and fixed on the roof surface 1. The illustrated trays 4 are arranged on both sides of the roof tile bar. All of the trays described below, including the tray of this embodiment, are optional items regarding the size, the number of used trays, and the installation location.

The plate 4c forms a flow-down path through which the heat medium flows down as it is or by using the water absorbing material 2 described above. When the surface of the dish is used as the flow-down path, all or part of the surface can be polished or shot-blasted to finish it to a rough surface having a high water-retaining capacity. When the water absorbing material 2 is used, is this water absorbing material provided with a thickness corresponding to the depth of the tray as shown in FIGS.
Alternatively, a thin layer used by being attached to the whole or a part of the surface of the dish is used. Alternatively, the flow-down path may consist of a water-absorptive coating layer deposited on the surface of the dish by plasma spraying, arc spraying or flame spraying, or alternatively, synthetic resin powder spraying adhered to the surface of the dish. The flow-down path may be constituted by the coating layer and the water-absorbing thermal spray coating layer laminated on the coating layer, and a porous thermal spray coating layer adhered to the dish surface, for example, a ceramic thermal spray coating layer may be used.

For example, in the case of an aluminum tray made of extruded channel material having an average thickness of 1 mm and having a width of 70 mm, the width of the exposed plate portion can be selected to be 35 mm and the width of the ceiling portion can be selected to be 35 mm. If the amount of heat medium supplied is about 0.5 liters per minute, in a tiled roof with a slope of 23 degrees, a strip-shaped water absorbent material with a width of about 35 mm and a thickness of 2 mm is used to cover the exposed part of the dish. Is laid. As the water absorbing material, various other materials can be used. For example, non-woven fabric,
A fibrous sheet such as a knitted fabric or a thin porous tile such as a cement plate or a ceramic plate can be used.

The heat medium is flowed along the tray 4 having the above-mentioned structure. A liquid having a property of priming snow melting, for example, groundwater is used as the heat medium. Part of the heat medium flowing down is absorbed by snow particles. If the snow particles absorb a part of the heat medium flowing down from the water absorbing material, the white color of the snow disappears rapidly, and the snow melts rapidly or a transparent sherbet is formed. Since the specific gravity of sherbet is less than 1,
If there is a sherbet that floats on the heat medium, this sherbet in the floating state will be pushed by the flow velocity of the heat medium and will easily slide and move along the downflow path. A medium is formed. Although the snowmelt water has a low temperature but possesses a predetermined amount of heat, this heat can be effectively used, which is convenient. In this way, the downflow path forms a flat radiator, and the snow falling on the downflow path can be quickly melted prior to the snow in other parts.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the roof corresponding to FIG. 3, showing a state of a roof in which snow-covered areas and non-snow-covered areas are alternately arranged in a row, that is, snow particles are quickly melted by a heat medium and flow down. The figure shows a state in which there is no snow on the route, or a state in which snow melting progresses around the downflow route by allowing the heat medium to flow continuously or intermittently even after the snowfall has stopped. In the figure, reference numeral S indicates remaining snow.

When the amount of snowfall is large and the snow accumulation speed may be higher than the snow removal performance of the heat medium flowing through the flow path of the water absorbent material 2, an operation of increasing the flow rate of the heat medium or raising the temperature of the heat medium is performed. . If the flow rate is not sufficient to handle the amount of snowfall, snow will accumulate on the tray, but
The snow surface of the final roof after the snow has stopped forms a noticeable uneven surface. Due to the appearance of this uneven surface, the exposed surface area of the snow surface layer is expanded and the snow melting is promoted by the outside air temperature or direct sunlight, and the root snow is less likely to remain.

The heat medium is supplied continuously or intermittently. In the case of intermittent supply, it is also possible to change the supply pressure so as to generate a pulse wave in the heat medium flowing down along the flow path. Such intermittent supply may increase the sherbet transportation efficiency.

In the snow removing device shown in FIG. 2, at least a part of the flow path of the water absorbing material 2 is covered with a ceiling portion 3 made of a hydrophobic material along the moving direction of the heat medium. The flow path of the water absorbent material is set to a thickness that is lower than the walls 4a and 4b on both sides during drying, taking into consideration the expansion when the heat medium is absorbed. When such a wall structure is used, it is possible to increase the supply amount of the heat medium as compared with a structure without a wall. In addition, the water absorbing material does not have to be placed on the entire surface of the tray. Figure 6
The water absorbing material 2 shown in (1) is partially covered with the ceiling portion and the remaining portion is exposed, which is different from the case where the ceiling portion forms the heat transfer medium supply passage 5 which is hollow.

According to the above-mentioned structure in which the ceiling portion 3 made of the hydrophobic material is provided, a certain degree of heat retaining effect for the heat medium can be obtained. Since the heat medium flowing under the ceiling does not come into direct contact with the snow particles and is not absorbed, the heat medium flowing in this part has a larger heat storage path than the heat medium flowing in other parts. Form. Therefore, even if the heat medium flowing through the exposed flow-down path may freeze under severe weather conditions, the heat medium flowing through the path blocked by the ceiling portion 3 of the hydrophobic material can be prevented from freezing. It is also possible to melt the flow-down path of the frozen exposed water-absorbing material as long as the heat storage path is alive. The tray and ceiling portions can be constructed from aluminum, plastic, stainless steel, baked painted iron plate, ceramic, or other materials made by any processing technique such as extrusion, bending and the like. The ceiling part can function as a heat insulator or as a heat sink.

FIG. 4 shows an improved example of the snow removing device shown in FIG. Unlike the flow path of FIG. 3, the snow removal device of this example has ceiling portions 3 arranged on both sides of the tray, and the water absorbing material is exposed between these ceiling portions.

FIG. 6 shows a modified example of the tray of the snow removing device of FIG. In this example tray, the wall 4a forms a raised portion that communicates with the roofing bar through any means, and also the wall 4b.
The heat medium supply passage 5 is formed at a position in contact with. That is, the exposed water absorbing material portion, the water absorbing material portion covered by the ceiling portion 3 adjacent to the exposed water absorbing material portion, and the heat medium supply passage 5 formed of a space continuous along the flow path of the heat medium are provided. . With this configuration, for example, even in the worst situation in which the supply of the heat medium is stopped due to a failure of the heat medium supply system and the entire water-absorbing material is completely frozen, the heat medium supplied from the restored supply system is heated. Heat is transferred laterally from the heat medium flowing in the medium supply passage 5 through the heat medium supply passage through the water absorbent material 2, the ceiling portion 3 of the hydrophobic material, and the tray plate to thaw the water absorbent material, The performance of the downflow path can be restored to the original state.

As shown in FIG. 7, the tray can be attached to the roof surface by an adhesive applied to the back surface of the tray. Alternatively, any fixing means may be used to fix the roof surface so that it does not shift. The tray can be made of a metal material such as aluminum, a synthetic resin material, a ceramic material, or any other material. Alternatively, at least a part of the magnet is made of a plastic or rubber magnet containing a large amount of iron powder and having excellent thermal conductivity so that it is attached to a surface to be adhered made of a magnetic material having a high magnetic permeability by a magnetic force. It can also be configured.

The water absorbing material can be made of a woven fabric, a non-woven fabric, or a knitted fabric made of hydrophobic fibers and water absorbing fibers. For example, the woven fabric is composed of a woven fabric material woven using lyophobic warp yarns and weft yarns, and in addition to the warp yarns of this woven fabric fabric, a dense portion of the lyophilic warp yarns is woven in a stripe shape, A lyophobic woven fabric portion and a dense portion of lyophilic warp yarns are alternately arranged at intervals.

The non-woven fabric comprises a liquid-proof sheet layer and a non-woven fabric of lyophobic fiber adhered to the sheet layer, and in addition to the lyophobic fiber of the non-woven fabric, the dense portion of the lyophilic fiber is streaked. The lyophobic fiber portion and the lyophilic fiber portion are arranged alternately with a space therebetween.

Separately, the woven fabric is composed of a woven fabric material woven using lyophilic warp yarns and weft yarns, and in addition to the warp yarns of this woven fabric fabric, lyophobic warp yarns are densely packed. The portions may be woven in a stripe shape, and the portions of the lyophilic woven fabric material and the portions where the lyophobic warp threads are densely arranged may be alternately provided at intervals.

Alternatively, the woven fabric is composed of a woven fabric material woven by using lyophilic warp yarns, and in addition to the warp yarns of the woven fabric fabric, the liquid retaining property is more rich in liquid absorbability than the fabric warp yarns. It is also possible to weave the densely packed portions of the warp threads in a streak shape and alternately provide the lyophilic woven cloth material portion and the densely packed portions of the liquid retaining warp threads.

Further, the woven fabric is composed of a woven fabric material woven using lyophilic warp yarns, and in addition to the warp yarns of the woven fabric fabric, a lyophilic warp yarn having a diameter larger than that of the fabric warp yarns. The dense portions may be woven in a stripe shape, and the lyophilic woven fabric portion and the thick lyophilic warp dense portions may be alternately provided.

The device according to the present invention can of course be used as a roof cooling device in seasons other than winter when it is used as a snow removal device, for example, in summer, or as evaporation / concentration / heat collecting devices. .

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective explanatory view showing an example of a snow removal device.

FIG. 2 is a perspective explanatory view showing a modified example of the snow removal device.

FIG. 3 is a perspective explanatory view showing a situation in which a snow removal device is installed on a tiled roof.

FIG. 4 is a perspective explanatory view showing another modification of the snow removal device.

FIG. 5 is a perspective explanatory view showing a state of the roof after snow removal corresponding to FIG.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory perspective view showing another modification of the snow removal device.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory perspective view showing an example of use of the snow removal device shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Roof Surface 2 Water Absorbing Material 3 Ceiling Part 3a Supporting Protrusion 4 Tray 4a, 4b Wall 5 Heat Medium Supply Passage

Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. A tray having a whole or a part of its surface forming a downflow path for letting down a heat medium that serves as a priming water for snowmelt, and walls on both sides for preventing overflow of the heat medium rising from this tray and flowing down. A tray that is continuous with at least one of the walls and has a ceiling part that covers at least a part of the dish along the moving direction of the heat medium, and exposes the heat medium flowing down along the tray to the snow particles. A snow removal device that absorbs water and receives snow melting water, and at the same time, the ceiling portion of the tray forms a heat medium supply passage that prevents direct contact between the heat medium flowing therebelow and snowfall particles, and is not blocked by snow. 2. The snow removal device according to claim 1, wherein the flow-down path is a water absorbing material installed on all or a part of the surface of the plate. 3. The snow removal device according to claim 1, wherein the flow-down path is a rough surface rich in water retention formed by polishing or shot blasting the surface of the dish. . 4. The snow removal device according to claim 1, wherein the ceiling portions are provided on both sides of the tray, and a downflow path for exposing the heat medium is formed substantially in the middle of the tray. 5. The snow removal device according to claim 4, wherein another ceiling portion is provided between the ceiling portions on both sides, and a plurality of ceiling portions are exposed between the other ceiling portion and the ceiling portions on both sides. Snow removal device in which the flow path of the heat medium of the above is formed. 6. The snow removal device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the downflow path is formed of a film layer having a high water absorbing property, which is deposited on the surface of the dish by plasma spraying, arc spraying or flame spraying. 7. The snow removal apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the flow-down path is composed of a synthetic resin powder thermal spray coating layer adhered to the dish surface and a water-absorbent thermal spray coating layer laminated on the coating layer. Snow removal equipment. 8. The snow removal device according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the flow-down path comprises a porous sprayed coating layer adhered to the surface of the dish, for example, a ceramic sprayed coating layer. 9. The snow removal device according to claim 1, wherein the heat medium supply passage forms a hollow passage. 10. The snow removal device according to claim 1, wherein the heat medium supply passage is filled with a water absorbing material. 11. The snow removal device according to claim 10, wherein a heater means used for the purpose of defrosting the filler when the filler is frozen is provided in the heat medium supply passage. 12. The snow removal device according to claim 10, wherein the filler filled in the heat medium supply passage is used as an electric heating element as needed.