SECURED WATER AND/OR AIR DISPENSER FOR SNOWMAKING SYSTEM, EQUIPPED WITH AN ELECTRIC-ACTUATOR-DRIVEN VALVE

• US 20090140069A1
• Filed: 11/28/2008
• Published: 06/04/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Johnson Controls Neige
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Neige
• Inventors: LANDREAU, Damien, DAVID, Eric, JOUNEAU, Pierrick, GALVIN, Michel
• Granted Patent: US 8,292,261 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 239/14.200
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 2303/044 Snow making using additional features, e.g. additives, liquid gas
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 3/04 for sledging or ski trails; Producing artificial snow

Abstract

A water and/or air dispenser for snowmaking system includes water and/or air supplying ducts and is equipped with at least one valve (9) associated with an electric actuator (10), the actuator (10) being connected to an electric power source (12, 19) and associated with its own management unit (11) to ensure the operation of the valve (9) between the open and closed configurations thereof. The dispenser is associated with security elements able to cause the valve (9) to be positioned in a known security configuration, for example tightly closed, in case of voltage cut-off at the electric source (12, 19), the security elements being integrated and including a capacitor-type electric unit (16), connected to the electric power source and to the actuator (10), the capacitor unit being able to store, and then return, a quantity of energy necessary for complete actuation of the valve, to implement the security elements.

Claims

1. Water and/or air dispenser for snowmaking system, comprising water and/or air supplying ducts (6, 7) and equipped with at least one valve (9) associated with an electric actuator (10), said actuator (10) being connected to a electric power source (12, 19) and associated with its own management means (11) to ensure the operation of said valve (9) between the open and closed configurations thereof, said dispenser (8) being also associated with security means able to cause said valve (9) to be positioned in a known security configuration, for example tightly closed, in case of voltage cut-off at said electric source (12, 19), characterized in that said security means are integrated in said management means (11) and comprise a capacitor-type electric unit (16), connected to the electric power source (12, 19) and to the actuator (10), said capacitor unit (16) being able to store, and then return, a quantity of energy necessary for complete actuation of said valve (9), this energy returning being used, during a voltage cut-off at the power source (12, 19), to implement said security means.

2. Dispenser according to claim 1, characterized in that the management means (11) of the valve actuator (10) comprise a charger module (17) located upstream from the capacitor unit (16), and, on the other hand, a voltage up-converter unit (18) located downstream from said capacitor unit (16), to recreate a supply voltage adapted to said valve actuator (10) from the voltage generated by said capacitor unit (16).

3. Dispenser according to claim 2, characterized in that the management means (11) also comprise a control logic (15) arranged to drive said actuator (10), said control logic (15) being power-supplied from the voltage up-converter unit (18) and associated with means (21) for detecting the voltage cut-off at the electric source (12, 19) in order, when a power outage is detected, to drive said actuator (10) so as to position the associated valve (9) in the aimed security configuration.

4. Dispenser according to claim 2, characterized in that the electric source (12, 19) supplies direct current to the charger module (17), the voltage up-converter unit (18) also supplying direct current to feed an electric actuator (10) powered with direct current or, in association with an inverter stage, with alternating current.

5. Dispenser according to claim 2, characterized in that the means for detecting a voltage cut-off at the electric power source (12, 19) consist in a threshold relay (21) interposed between the control logic (15) and said electric source (12, 19), upstream from the charger module (17).

6. Dispenser according to claim 2, characterized in that the actuator (10) is connected to the power source (12, 19) only through the charger module (17), the capacitor unit (16) and the voltage up-converter unit (18), so as to ensure continuously the good operation of the security means.

7. Dispenser according to claim 1, characterized in that the capacitor unit (16) has a value between 20 and 1000 farads.

8. Dispenser according to claim 7, characterized in that the capacitor unit (16) has a value between 100 and 300 farads.

9. Dispenser according to claim 1, characterized in that the management means (11) comprise means for remotely reporting the absence of voltage, as well as possibly means for transmitting certain state or measurement parameters related to the equipped valve (9), or the environment thereof, during the phase of absence of current.

10. Operating method of the dispenser according to claim 1, characterized in that it consists in:

charging and keeping charged the capacitor unit (16) when the management means (11) are powered from the electric power source (12, 19),

detecting the voltage cut-off of the electric source (12, 19), and

driving the actuator (10) of the valve (9) so as to cause the latter to be placed in the secured configuration, using the energy stored and returned by said capacitor unit (16).

11. Snowmaking equipment equipped with a plurality of snowmakers each comprising a dispenser (8) according to claim 1, in which a control logic (15) drives the electric actuator (10) and is connected to a network management system (13), of the computer or programmable logic controller type, through a communication line (14), said communication line (14) comprising at least one signal amplifying device (30) connected to an electric power source (12), said signal amplifier (30) comprising a secured supplying device including a charger module, a capacitor unit and a voltage up-converter unit, said capacitor unit being able to store, and then return, a quantity of energy necessary for information to be transmitted on the communication line (14) during a period long enough for the network management system (13) to ensure that all dispensers (8) are placed in security condition, this energy returning being used, during a voltage cut-off at the electric power source, to supply the signal amplifying device.

12. Dispenser according to claim 3, characterized in that the electric source (12, 19) supplies direct current to the charger module (17), the voltage up-converter unit (18) also supplying direct current to feed an electric actuator (10) powered with direct current or, in association with an inverter stage, with alternating current.

13. Dispenser according to claim 3, characterized in that the means for detecting a voltage cut-off at the electric power source (12, 19) consist in a threshold relay (21) interposed between the control logic (15) and said electric source (12, 19), upstream from the charger module (17).

14. Dispenser according to claim 3, characterized in that the actuator (10) is connected to the power source (12, 19) only through the charger module (17), the capacitor unit (16) and the voltage up-converter unit (18), so as to ensure continuously the good operation of the security means.

15. Dispenser according to claim 3, characterized in that the capacitor unit (16) has a value between 20 and 1000 farads.

16. Dispenser according to claim 3, characterized in that the management means (11) comprise means for remotely reporting the absence of voltage, as well as possibly means for transmitting certain state or measurement parameters related to the equipped valve (9), or the environment thereof, during the phase of absence of current.