Snow making machine
AssigneeTurbines S.M.S. Inc.
InventorLouis Handfield
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device for producing an airborne stream of ice crystals, the device comprising an inner housing mounted within an outer housing to define therewith an air passage having a venturi-shaped zone. A flaring nozzle is mounted to an outlet end of the outer housing. A vaneaxial fan is mounted in the outer housing and cooperates with guide vanes extending between the inner and the outer housing to produce a substantially rectilinear air flow through the passage. A diffuser is mounted adjacent an outlet end of the inner housing for creating an annular and rectilinear stream of air surrounded by a diverging stream of air. A water nozzle and nucleators are mounted in the outlet end of the inner housing to produce water droplets sprayed in the air streams, which freeze to form an airborne stream of ice crystals.
Claims56
A device for producing an airborne stream of ice crystals, said device comprising:
- an elongated outer housing;
- an elongated inner housing mounted within said outer housing, said housings defining therebetween an air passage having a venturi-shaped zone to cause a gradual increase of velocity of air flowing through said passage;
- a flaring nozzle mounted to an outlet end of said outer housing;
- a vaneaxial fan in said outer housing;
- a plurality of guide vanes extending between said housing, said vaneaxial fan and said guide vanes constituting means for producing a high velocity, substantially rectilinear air flow through said passage;
- a diffuser adjacent to an outlet end of said inner housing for creating a substantially annular and substantially rectilinear stream of air at the outlet end of said inner housing, said diffuser and said flaring nozzle creating an outer, annular, diverging stream of air generally coaxial with said substantially rectilinear stream of air;
- a water nozzle of spraying a diverging stream of water into said streams of air;
- and
- a plurality of nucleators in the outlet end of said inner housing for spraying fine water droplets downstream of the outlet end of said inner housing, said fine water droplets forming nuclei to induce ice crystals formation whereby, temperature permitting, water drops of said stream of water adhere to said nuclei to form ice crystals.
A device for producing an airborne stream of ice crystals, said device comprising:
- an elongated outer housing;
- an elongated inner housing mounted within said outer housing, said housings defining therebetween an air passage having a venturi-shaped zone to cause a gradual increase of velocity of air flowing through said passage;
- a fan in said outer housing, said fan generating a flow of air through said passage which egresses through an outlet end of said outer housing as a high velocity air stream;
- a water nozzle for spraying a diverging stream of water into said air stream;
- and
- a nucleator in an outlet end of said inner housing for spraying fine water droplets within said streams, said fine water droplets forming nuclei to induce ice crystals formation whereby, temperature permitting, water drops of said stream of water adhere to said nuclei to form ice crystals.
A device for producing an airborne stream of ice crystals, said device comprising:
- an elongated outer housing;
- an elongated inner housing mounted within said outer housing, said housings defining therebetween an air passage;
- a fan in said outer housing, said fan generating a flow of air through said passage which egresses from an outlet end of said outer housing as a high velocity air stream;
- a water nozzle for spraying a diverging stream of water into said air stream;
- and
- a nucleator in an outlet end of said inner housing for spraying fine water droplets within said streams, said fine water droplets forming nuclei to induce ice crystals formation, whereby, temperature permitting, water drops of said stream of water adhere to said nuclei to form ice crystals.
A device for producing an airborne stream of ice crystals, said device comprising:
- an elongated outer housing;
- an elongated inner housing mounted within said outer housing, said housing defining therebetween an air passage having a venturi-shaped zone to cause a gradual increase of velocity of air flowing through said passage;
- a fan in said outer housing, said fan generating a flow of air through said passage which egresses from an outlet end of said outer housing as a high velocity air stream;
- a water nozzle for spraying a diverging stream of water into said air stream;
- and
- a nucleator for spraying fine water droplets within said streams, said fine water droplets forming nuclei to induce ice crystals formation whereby, temperature permitting, water drops of said stream of water adhere to said nuclei to form ice crystals.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.