Systems of mechanical (artificial) snowmaking as an obligatory element of a modern ski center. How to make snow Snow cannons

Global warming has caused the season on some of the oldest ski resorts reduced from four months to one or two. There are forecasts according to which the center of the European ski industry will soon shift from the Alps to Scandinavia. In search of snow, Americans have already begun to explore Alaska. Everything, there is nowhere else to go. It remains only to use weapons. Special.

If you didn’t go beyond the Arctic Circle for snow, then most likely, at your favorite resort you ride on ersatz - artificial, or technical, as professionals call it, snow. Today, not a single resort can do without special snow-making machines, from French Chamonix to Volen near Moscow. Almost every rider has seen snow guns in action and their lighter versions - snow guns. From the outside, the process of snow formation looks simple: giant fans spray water, which turns into snow in the cold. But this is only from the side.

real snow

Natural snow is formed from atmospheric water vapor. When water vapor, which is the gaseous form of water, cools to the point of condensation, it changes from gaseous to liquid or solid form. Clouds familiar to us consist of just such condensed drops, though so small that they are easily kept at the top by rising air flows. When the droplets become too heavy, they fall to the ground as rain. If the temperature is much below the dew point, water vapor bypasses the liquid phase, forming small crystals. For the most part the globe the usual rain for us begins, oddly enough, with a snowfall, but the snowflakes, as they approach the ground, have time to melt. The fact is that at the height of the formation of clouds there is always a negative temperature, comparable to the Yakut frosts. A simple confirmation of this fact is hail in a hot summer.

However, water does not automatically freeze when the temperature falls below freezing. Distilled water can be cooled to a rather low temperature of -400C, and it will remain a liquid. However, in real life vapor in the clouds begins to crystallize already at 00C. The fact is that in order for the process of condensation to start, water needs the smallest particles around which its molecules could settle. Such centers of condensation in the atmosphere are the smallest particles of soot, urban smog, bacteria and other materials. For example, this is how clouds are dispersed by spraying special reagents (for example, silver iodide) from airplanes above them, which act as just such centers of condensation.

Crystallizing, the water in the clouds forms bizarre six-beam fractal shapes called snowflakes. The more for a long time crystallization process is underway harder drawing snowflakes. In the clouds, this process takes tens of minutes. Artificial snow, on the other hand, forms in seconds, so upon closer inspection, its crystals look like hexagonal ones with ray nuclei, and feel like grains to the touch. However, such snow melts more slowly than natural snow, and skis on it glide differently.

snow guns

The idea used to disperse clouds (condensation of water around artificial condensation centers) is also perfectly suited for the production of artificial snow. One of the most common crystallizers used in snowmaking is Snowmax, a special natural protein that does an excellent job of attracting water molecules.

In the early designs of snow cannons, water was mixed with compressed air and was thrown out through nozzles under high pressure into the air stream created by a powerful fan. Compressed air performed three tasks at once: it sprayed water, threw the resulting droplets into the air, and additionally cooled the water. The latter effect is based on the fact that gases cool during adiabatic expansion. Try to open a can of carbon dioxide - it will instantly cool to sub-zero temperatures, risking frostbite on your hands.

The disadvantage of this scheme is the high air consumption. Therefore, more modern guns operate in a two-stage process. First, by mixing compressed air and a small amount of water, tiny ice crystals are formed - the embryos of artificial snow. Then these "embryos" fall into the stream of water sprayed by powerful fans, which, crystallizing on them, quickly forms ready-made snow crystals.

hallmark of all guns is a powerful fan that ejects a water-air mixture over tens of meters. During such a flight, crystals of artificial snow have time to form, in addition, the high “range” allows you to snow large areas.

In ski resorts, you can also see another type of snow gun - snow guns. Their difference from guns is in the absence of a fan.

The process of snow formation in them is as follows. The spaced apart air and first water nozzles supply a limited amount of water and air to the mixing zone, located at a distance of 810 cm from the gun, where the snow crystals are nucleated. These mini-crystals are displaced by inertia further, at a distance of approximately 20 cm from the gun, they enter the water stream from the second nozzle, where water sticks to them. Snow crystallization occurs during the free fall of crystals to the ground from a height of at least 4 m.

Snow conditions

The presence of snow artillery does not yet mean the solution of snow problems. Much also depends on the conditions of snow formation, the most important parameters of which are temperature and relative humidity (the ratio of water vapor actually contained in the air to the amount of water vapor corresponding to the state of saturation). The fact is that water is cooled by its own partial evaporation, that is, the transition of part of the liquid into vapor. However, the higher the relative humidity, the slower will be the evaporation process and, consequently, the cooling.

Therefore, at low relative humidity the process of snow formation is possible at temperatures above 00C. At high humidity and low temperatures it is possible to get ordinary rain instead of snow.

With a relative humidity of 30%, it is possible to start snow guns at a temperature of -10C, this is considered good conditions for snowmaking. If the temperature falls below -6.70C, then it is possible to make snow even at a relative humidity of 100%. At temperatures below -100C, humidity can be ignored.

In real life, snow formation conditions can vary not only from track to track, but also between two rows. standing cannons: one can already make snow, and for one standing only 100 m below, the conditions are insufficient. Previously, highly professional specialists monitored the work of snow cannons, who decided when and where to turn on snow weapons. Now they are being replaced by powerful computer systems, and snowmaking systems are controlled from a single comfortable center.

ice crushing

The cannons are only suitable for making snow in winter. But what if it’s summer outside, but there’s no urine to ride right? Until recently, the only way out was to move into the Southern Hemisphere or into the high mountain glaciers. But progress does not stand still. Thanks to the Japanese company Piste Snow Industries from Tokyo, which invented the Ice Crushing Systems (ICS) technology, snow can be produced at temperatures up to +150C. Inside the Japanese installation, outwardly indistinguishable from a transformer box, the water freezes into thin sheets of ice that are crushed to a powder with compressed air. That is why ICS systems in Russia are sometimes called ice crushing plants. The size of the final ice crystals of artificial snow can vary from a micron to 0.3 mm. Small crystals are more reminiscent of natural snow, while large ones do not melt longer. ICS systems differ in the way artificial snow is applied to the track: it is sprayed through a giant hose. In Japan, summer tracks using ICS technology appeared back in 1991 (now more than 15 Japanese resorts are equipped with year-round tracks), and in the mid-90s, Japanese technology reached Europe. For example, since 1997 French snowboarders in the Sig Urban Park in Grenoble have been provided year-round skiing by ICS technology. Modern machines are capable of producing 150 tons of snow per day, while consuming 400 kW of electricity per hour and 142 liters of water per minute. This 45-ton miracle machine costs about a million dollars.

IN last years Europe is quite warm even in winter. “There is no snow” - in the mountains this is no longer a joke, but the harsh truth of life. Because of this, starts are postponed, training camps are canceled, training is postponed. Moreover, “no snow” does not always mean that it really does not exist at all. It just doesn’t lie where it should, or doesn’t cover the entire track, or even covers it, but it’s unsuitable for skiing - it’s too damp ... It happens that skiing tournaments are held in a city park or in a square where there is never so much snow at all, how much is needed for this, and there have never been mountains: instead of slopes, an artificial track several floors high is being built, and real snow can lie on it - just not local.

We had a similar experience: they brought snow from Siberia, 4,000 kilometers by car, - the president of the sports directorate tells RR. new league» Ekaterina Selyametova. - We agreed with the management of local ski slopes, they willingly met. In this case, the snow is pressed so that it does not melt, it is folded into special polyethylene containers - big bags - and delivered to the place by truck.

Last year, the New League in several stages carried snow to Moscow, which was needed by the organizers of the Freestyle World Cup stage. The tournament was supposed to be held in the center of the city, in Gorky Park, the weather turned out to be very cold - minus fifteen, but completely dry. The organizers did not count on this, they did not set up snow cannons, and the participants have already gathered from all over the world. There was not a single snowflake in the air, and the snow parcel brought from Siberia on the last day before the tournament came in handy. Athletes and coaches themselves dragged the bags to the top of the artificial track - to the height of an eight-story building.

water volley

In general, natural snow is much less suitable for professional competitions - they usually use only artificial snow. Simply because it is much easier to drive it into the right quality framework to provide all athletes with a perfect glide.

Artificial does not mean synthetic. Nothing to do with sparkling polyethylene, snowdrifts lying around Christmas trees in apartments. Artificial means created not by nature, but by technology. But otherwise, this snow is no different from the present.

We are talking about the so-called snow guns - the most common means of correcting weather shortcomings. Today, such guns (officially they are called snow guns) are at all ski resorts.

The principle of their operation from the outside seems not very complicated, but one such generator is served by a huge expensive system. It includes not only the cannon itself (a mast, in the form of a tall stick, or a fan, like a large turbine), but also water intake devices, filters, even bactericidal ones in good resorts, a pump high pressure, pipes for supplying water to each gun and an electrical cable. At the same time, pipes are usually buried in the ground so that they do not freeze.

Snow is made from pressurized water, said Is-SpoRt, a manufacturer and trader of ski slope equipment, to PP. - The system has two types of nozzles, mechanical atomizers. One is nucleators: here, water supplied by a high-pressure pump is mixed with compressed cooled air from a compressor, and a "snowflake germ" is obtained. The second is ordinary water nozzles, through which water is simply sprayed under high pressure.

Water particles, mixed with air in the nucleator, are ejected with force from tiny holes - with a sharp expansion, the air cools and freezes the water. At the same time, the smallest drops of ordinary water from another nozzle are glued to the “embryo”. The fan of the cannon drives all this away, the water freezes, falling to the ground with snow. The further the water flies away from the generator, the more time it has, the better the snow will turn out. That's all. No chemistry.

As a result, the banal spraying of water turns into a real science. It is easy to check its ingenuity, you just have to try to spray water from a spray bottle on a frosty night. Even if it has time to freeze, there will be no snow - there will be ice. And all because to get the perfect snowflake, you need to take into account the temperature of air, water, humidity and the necessary pressure.

Many conditions must be strictly observed, - says Ekaterina Selyametova. - If you need a large amount of snow, then necessary condition- the air temperature is minus five and below, and the temperature of the water that is poured into snow cannons should not be higher than plus three. If you do not need a very large volume or have a lot of time left for preparation, then you can use guns that create ice chips - it can be used even at high positive temperatures: up to plus thirty. However, there is a nuance: ice chips are not suitable for professional competitions. It can be used as a base for snow or for recreational skiing.

The quality of snow is determined by its density. If for tourist routes a suitable density is from 380 to 420 kilograms per cubic meter, then for high-speed descent of snow it should be 500 kilograms per cubic meter. Its density depends on the structure of the snowflake: the less fluffy it is, the denser it is. All this can now be controlled on the snow machine, automatically setting the quality of the snow. For example, I ordered “snow quality No. 5” - and the equipment itself will do everything so that the output has a certain density. The weather station will determine the air temperature and humidity, and then the required water temperature and the desired pressure. Hypothetically, now all this can be done without human intervention, but after all, pressing the button should not be thoughtless.

Unfortunately, nothing can be solved by pressing a button, and the person responsible for the quality of the snow must be there, Selyametova assures. - They call him snowman. His task is to fully study a particular route, delve into its features, calculate what problems, including weather problems, may arise, and be ready for their prompt solution. And the quality of the snow is checked by hand.

Snowing a slope is not a cheap pleasure: 1 km of the route for a good European resort costs 1 million euros. The price depends on the time for which it is necessary to achieve the result: the more it is, the cheaper it is. Therefore, our resorts prefer to stretch the process for two weeks, while abroad they fit in a couple of days - before the change weather conditions. After all, artificial snow must be protected from direct sunlight and rain, and rain is especially terrible.

And yet, despite all the difficulties, artificial snow is wildly popular. The installation of such a system allows you to extend tourist season for several months and almost always spend necessary starts. And if something is covered, you can bring snow from afar. The only condition is that sub-zero temperatures are still desirable for all this. So to hold a snowboard contest in the middle of the Sahara is not yet possible. But in the city center in winter or even in spring - no problem.

Fan snow guns (snow guns) are designed for outdoor use at low temperatures. The composition of the snow gun includes:

Foundation in various options execution (sleigh, wheeled chassis, frame, etc.)

Compressor

Fan

Water supply system

Injector block (manifold)

Control unit (manual or ESGC-AUTO system)

The range of supplied fan snow guns (snow guns) manufactured by Ecosystem and their main specifications and cost

* - the maximum performance of the snow generator is achieved at a temperature of -15 degrees Celsius. At a temperature of -4 degrees Celsius, the performance of a snow gun is no more than 20-30% of the maximum.

** - the pressure and water flow required for the operation of the snow generator can be obtained using a stationary or mobile pumping station .

*** - the standard package includes: a manual snow generator, an electric cable - 20 m, a water supply hose - 20 m, a set of spare parts, a headlight.

It is possible to replace the standard air compressor with an advanced oil or oil-free compressor of the Snow version (at an additional cost).

Snow gun ESG-310 in operation

Delivery of snow blowers is carried out from a warehouse or under the order. Commissioning, commissioning, warranty and service maintenance is carried out by specialists of our company. Equipment delivery time is from 4 to 12 weeks, depending on the configuration and performance.

Automated monitoring and control system ESGC

All models of the ESG-2XX, ESG-3XX series can be equipped with an automated monitoring and control system ESGC, developed by Ecosystem. The system of automated control and monitoring of a snow gun is a hardware and software complex, which includes:

ESGC-AUTO- the system controls the parameters environment(ambient air temperature, relative humidity, temperature of the supplied water, etc.), allows you to start the snow gun "with one button", automatically changes the operating modes of the snow gun depending on changes in environmental parameters, warns or stops the operation of the snow gun if it is impossible obtaining quality snow or in case of an emergency. The system also allows you to manage snow cannon in manual mode with indication of the current environmental parameters. It is possible to connect the system to an external controller via the RS-485 interface using the MODBUS protocol.

ESGC-COM- the system consists of a head controller and an automated workplace operator, which controls the environmental parameters (including wind direction and strength), as well as the operation parameters of each snow gun equipped with the EGSC-AUTO system. The system allows you to fully simultaneously control the operation of all snow guns, pumping stations, food posts, as well as programming their work based on the tasks of high-quality snowmaking of the object. The connection of the head controller, as well as controlled devices, is carried out via the RS-485 interface (twisted pair), providing a bus length of up to 1200 meters without repeaters. Data exchange is carried out according to the industrial protocol MODBUS, which makes it possible to connect and control devices and structures of third-party manufacturers.

Equipment for snowmaking complexes

Snow generators are part of the artificial snowmaking system, therefore, for effective artificial snowmaking of an object, a number of engineering structures and devices are required, which includes:

Water intake facility;

Filtration system;

Water cooling system (if necessary)

Stationary or mobile pumping stations ;

Fittings, power posts, pipelines;

Control and management system;

High-pressure hoses;

Snow generators;

The company "Ecosystem" installs turnkey snowmaking complexes. Our specialists carry out calculation, design, production, and commissioning of the snowmaking complex both on the basis of our own equipment and on the basis of equipment from other manufacturers. Snowmaking complexes make it possible to obtain a uniform stable snow cover on the surface with a small amount or absence of natural snow in winter period, thereby extending ski season for 1-3 months. Practice shows that The cost recovery of a ski slope snow system is limited to one season.

Snow gun ESG-360 in operation

Artificial snow is very popular in our time for shows, various holidays, events, weddings and anniversaries. It is used in performances as scenery, for decorating shop windows, and in the interior of bars and restaurants, snow will also find application. It does not stain clothes, is non-toxic, and looks exactly like the real thing.

How to make artificial snow with your own hands

Most importantly, you will need a liquid concentrate or a special powder. It is mainly produced by foreign manufacturers.

To make artificial snow with your own hands, you need to add ordinary water to this powder or concentrate, and after that it increases in its volume by almost a hundred times. Such artificial snow is stored for several days. After the confluence of time, it begins to dry out and decrease in volume. If you collect it all and add water again, it will return to its previous state. Artificial snow is easily washed off and does not stain the surface.

snow cannon

It will be very easy to cover beautiful snowdrifts in just a few seconds. In order to get the effect of a blizzard or falling snow, an air gun and a special snow generator are used. The generator is a special device, the weight of which is from eleven to twenty kg. But there are still installations for artificial snow big size- from forty kg. Such a snow generator works on a concentrate that is previously diluted with water. The concentrate is supplied from America, and it is certified. One liter of water is enough for an hour of operation of such an installation. The size and shape of snowflakes can be programmed in advance. The dispersion of snowflakes is up to fifteen meters.

Video: Comparative test of snow guns.

The price of a snow cannon is 150.000-1.000.000 rubles. The cost depends on its performance. They are mainly used for ski slopes. To begin with, it is better to buy the most inexpensive snow generator. It can also be rented out. The cost of rent per hour of work ranges from two to five thousand rubles.

Assess the weather conditions. Snow production depends on the weather. Ideal conditions are low humidity and temperature -2 °C and below. It is advisable to choose a day when the air humidity is not higher than 50%.

Build a snow making machine. Prices for the necessary parts can vary from very low to obscenely high. To keep your snow gun from costing you a pretty penny, visit the plumbing department at your local hardware store. You will need the following details:

Wrap each of the connectors with Teflon tape. This must be done so that your snow gun does not leak during operation. Tape the threaded ends. The thread should show through the tape.

Drill a hole in the lid. Using a 2.7 mm drill, make a hole in the lid. Snow will subsequently fly out of this hole. The hole needs to be small, so make sure you don't make it too big or you won't get snow (the water won't get the physical properties it needs).

• Make sure that the tape is wound in such a way that it does not break during the assembly of the gun.