Submerged combustion snow melting apparatus

A method of melting snow, comprising:

• providing snow to a snow-melting apparatus, wherein the snow melting apparatus comprises:
• a container for holding snow melting medium and receiving snow;
• a burner having a combustion chamber, wherein the combustion chamber extends downwardly into and is a least partially submerged in the snow melting medium and the submerged portion of the combustion chamber communicates with a generally horizontally extending sparger tube and wherein the sparger tube includes exit ports;
• combusting fuel in the combustion chamber to form hot combustion gases;
• heating and agitating the snow melting medium by directly contacting the snow melting medium with the hot combustion gases exiting the sparger tube;
• bringing the snow into contact with the heated snow melting medium to melt the snow and directing the combustion gases toward the bottom of the container at solid snow and/or ice collected therein.

A snow melting apparatus comprising:

• a container for holding a snow melting medium and receiving the snow;
• a burner having a submerged combustion chamber, wherein the combustion chamber extends downwardly into and is at least partially submerged in the snow melting medium and communicates with a generally horizontally extending sparger tube and wherein the sparger tube includes exit ports through which combustion gases emerge into, mix with and agitate the snow melting medium and wherein the combustion gases are directed toward the bottom of the container at solid snow and/or ice collected therein;
• and
• a continuous debris removal mechanism.

A method of melting snow comprising:

• providing snow to a snow-melting apparatus, the snow-melting apparatus including a container, a submerged combustion burner extending downwardly into a snow melting medium and communicates with a generally horizontally extending sparger tube and wherein the sparger tube includes exit ports, and a continuous debris removal mechanism;
• operating the submerged combustion burner to heat the snow melting medium which receives and melts the snow in the container with hot combustion gases exciting the sparger tube through the exit ports, and directing the combustion gases toward the bottom of the container at solid snow and/or ice collected therein;
• and
• continuously removing debris from the snow melting apparatus by means of the continuous debris removal mechanism.