JP4054463B2 - Artificial snowfall equipment - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an artificial snowfall device, and more particularly to an artificial snowfall device that can evenly snow artificial snow in a snowfall chamber.
[0002]
[Prior art and its problems]
The artificial snowfall device is intended for artificially reproducing natural snowfall conditions in a snowfall room, and mainly for observing snowfall conditions and conducting environmental tests.
For example, as shown in FIG. 3, a conventional artificial snowfall device includes artificial snowmaking machines 33, 33 in a snowmaking room 32 above the snowfalling room 31, and artificial snow generated by the snowmaking machine 33 is converted into artificial snow. There are those that can fall into the snowfall chamber 31 from the openings 34 and 34 that are the descent openings.
[0003]
There are various types of the snow making machine 33. For example, there is a snow making machine in which mist as a snow seed is sprayed by a two-fluid nozzle and the frost is frozen with low temperature air to generate artificial snow.
[0004]
In the conventional artificial snowfall device, the artificial snow from the snow making machine 33 naturally falls on the floor of the snowfall chamber 31 as it is. The amount of snow is uneven and how snow falls is unnatural. Moreover, a mountain 35a of snowfall 35 is formed immediately below the opening 34, and flat snow is not formed.
[0005]
The conventional artificial snowfall device described above has a problem that, for example, when used for appreciating snowfall in various exhibition facilities or the like, it is not possible to reproduce how snow falls in nature.
[0006]
In addition, in order to perform various environmental tests on the snow surface, it may be necessary to flatten the snow surface. In this case, in a conventional artificial snowfall device, the snow surface is scraped and leveled with a scraper. Yes.
[0007]
Although snow has different properties depending on the crystal structure, scratching the surface of the snow as described above may destroy the crystal structure of the artificial snow and change the nature of the snow, hindering environmental testing. There are times.
[0008]
【the purpose】
The object of the present invention is to provide artificial snow evenly and uniformly in the snowfall chamber, to reproduce the same snowfall condition as in the natural world, and without damaging the crystal structure of the artificial snow. To provide an apparatus.
[0009]
[Configuration of the present invention]
In order to achieve the above object, an artificial snowfall device according to the present invention includes an artificial snow making machine that generates artificial snow inside a snowfall chamber and lowers the artificial snow from the lower opening to the snowfall chamber. An airflow generator is provided around the opening in the snowfall chamber, and an airflow that stirs the air below the opening in the snowfall chamber by changing the blowing conditions such as the amount of air blown from the airflow generator and the blowing direction. The artificial snow falling by natural fall from the artificial snow making machine is made to fall evenly in the snowfall chamber.
[0010]
In the artificial snowfall device according to the present invention, the air flow generation device is configured by at least two blowers provided on the left and right sides of the opening, and the air blowing direction is changed by controlling to drive and stop these blowers. there as those configured to form a stirring stream by.
[0011]
【Example】
Embodiments of an artificial snowfall device according to the present invention will be described below in detail based on specific examples shown in the accompanying drawings.
A snowmaking room 2 is provided above the snowfall room 1, and artificial snow machines 3 and 3 are disposed in the snow making room, and the artificial snow generated by the snow making machines 3 and 3 is produced. The snowfall chamber 2 and the snowfall chamber 1 are lowered to the snowfall chamber 1 through the openings 4 and 4 serving as artificial snow fall openings.
[0012]
Although there are various snow making machines 3, FIG. 2 shows an example of a snow making machine structure that has already been put into practical use in connection with the development of the applicant company.
A snow generating chamber 6 and an air cooling air passage 7 are formed in the casing 5 of the snow making machine 3, and the air cooler 11 and the blower 12 disposed in the air cooling air passage 7 form the snow generating chamber 6. The air is cooled and low temperature air is supplied to the snow generating chamber.
[0013]
The snow generating chamber 6 is provided with a two-fluid nozzle 8 for ejecting mist as snow seed, and the two-fluid nozzle 8 is connected with an air supply pipe 9 for supplying compressed air and a water supply pipe 10 for supplying water. In addition, a snow catching body 13 for catching artificial snow and growing snow crystals is stretched by a frame not shown in the snow generating chamber, and the snow catching body has a cylindrical shape with an open bottom. It is made of a material having air permeability obtained by braiding various filaments into a net shape or a coarse cloth shape.
[0014]
Brush-shaped scrapers 14 and 15 for scraping off artificial snow growing on the inner surface of the snow trapping body are provided on the peripheral trunk portion and the top portion of the snow trapping body 13, respectively. The scraper 15 rotates to scrape artificial snow.
[0015]
In the artificial snow making machine 3 configured as described above, the mist from the two-fluid nozzle 8 floats and freezes in the snow generating chamber 6 and grows on the inner surface of the snow trapping body 13 to generate crystals similar to those generated in the natural world. After the structure is formed, the grown artificial snow is scraped off by the scrapers 14 and 15 without damaging the crystal structure.
[0016]
Thus, in the artificial snowfall device of the present invention, blowers 16 and 16 that are airflow generators are arranged around the openings 4 and 4 that are the artificial snowfall openings in the snowfall chamber 1, and the blower is controlled not shown. The circuit controls the air blowing conditions such as the air flow and the air blowing direction, and forms a stirring airflow below the openings 4 and 4.
[0017]
For example, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, when one blower 16, 16 is disposed on the left and right sides of the openings 4, 4, the left and right blowers are alternately driven and stopped every required time to move left and right. A stirring air flow that changes the direction of the wind is formed.
[0018]
In addition, there is a case where the blower amount and the blow direction of each blower are changed based on 1 / f fluctuation or a random function, and in this case, the blower amount and the blow direction of the two blowers are asynchronous so as not to be the same. And
[0019]
In the above-described embodiment, two fans are arranged on the left and right sides of the opening 4 where the artificial snow falls. A total of three fans are provided depending on various conditions such as the snowfall area and the purpose of use of the snowfall device. In some cases, the above blower may be provided, or only one unit may be provided. For example, a swirling airflow in a certain direction may be formed without changing the blowing direction.
[0020]
Further, the airflow generation device may not be a blower, and for example, a stirring airflow may be formed by ejecting compressed air from an air nozzle and appropriately controlling the ejection amount and ejection direction of the compressed air.
[0021]
[Operation and effect of the invention]
According to the artificial snowfall device of the present invention, when the artificial snow generated by the artificial snow making machine descends in the snowfall chamber, the airflow generated by the airflow generator is stirred by the airflow generated in the snowfall chamber and concentrated in one place. Without being dispersed, it descends evenly in the snowfall room and piles up flatly.
Therefore, it is possible to reproduce a snowfall state similar to that in the natural world.
[0022]
In addition, since artificial snow is agitated by air flow and piles flatly, it is not necessary to scrape the snow surface with a scraper or the like as in the past, and a flat snow surface is formed without impairing the crystal structure of the artificial snow. Can do.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an embodiment of an artificial snowfall device according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged view of the above.
FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an example of a conventional artificial snowfall device.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Snowfall chamber 2 Snowmaking chamber 3 Snowmaker 4 Opening part 5 Snowmaker casing 6 Snow generating chamber 7 Air cooling air path 8 Two-fluid nozzle 9 Air supply pipe 10 Water supply pipe 11 Air cooler 12 Blower 13 Snow trap 14, 15 Scraper 16 Blower 17 Artificial snow

Claims (2)

Above the snow chamber, internally provided with artificial snowmaking machine lowering the artificial snow into the snow chamber from the lower opening to generate artificial snow, around the opening in the snow chamber, provided with a flow generator, the Artificial snow that falls by natural fall from the artificial snow machine by forming an air current that stirs the air below the opening in the snowfall room by changing the air blowing conditions such as the air flow rate and direction from the air flow generator An artificial snowfall device characterized in that the snowfall can fall evenly in the snowfall chamber. The air flow generation device is configured by at least two blowers provided on the left and right sides of the opening, and is configured to form a stirring air flow by changing the air blowing direction by driving and stopping these blowers. The artificial snowfall device according to claim 1.

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