Snow making nozzle

• US 4,383,646 A
• Filed: 11/19/1980
• Issued: 05/17/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fergus S. Smith
• Original Assignee: Fergus S. Smith
• Inventors: Smith, Fergus S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Love, John J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Forman, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US06/208,380
• Time in Patent Office: 909 Days
• Field of Search: 239/2 S, 239/14, 239/428, 239/430, 239/433, 239/422, 62/74
• US Class Current: 239/14.2
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/14 with multiple outlet openings B05B1/02, B05B1/26 take precedence; with strainers in or outside the outlet opening
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/0025 with a compressed gas supply
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/0416 with arrangements for mixing one gas and one liquid
• CPC Class Codes: F04F 5/466 with a plurality of nozzles arranged in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 2303/0481 with the use of compressed air
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 3/04 for sledging or ski trails; Producing artificial snow

Abstract

A snow making nozzle in which streams of water impinge on each other to atomize the water and to direct the water out of the nozzle with the assistance of compressed air to spray the atomized water into the atmosphere to make snow is disclosed. The nozzle uses opposed groups of water outlet ports carried in nozzle plates. These water outlet ports are angled toward the outlet of the nozzle and are located at the venturi of a converging-diverging nozzle with each water outlet port in the upper plate being directly opposite from a corresponding water outlet port in the lower plate so that the water streams from cooperating ports directly contact each other. Impingement of these streams with each other provides superior water atomization which takes place without contacting the body of the nozzle. The inclination of the water outlet ports increases the operating efficiency of the snow making nozzle and allows more snow production per unit of energy than prior art devices.

Claims

1. A snow making nozzle assembly for use in atomizing water and projecting the water into atmosphere having an ambient temperature below about 32°

F. to form snow, and nozzle assembly comprising;

upper and lower nozzle plates;

plural spaced angled water outlet ports passing through said upper and lower nozzle plates with each said water outlet port in said upper plate being positioned substantially directly above and in opposition to a corresponding one of said water outlet ports in said lower plate;

upper and lower water distribution means in said upper and lower nozzle plates, said water distribution means overlying corresponding water outlet ports for supplying water under pressure to said water outlet ports;

a converging-diverging flat nozzle in said plates, said nozzle extending outwardly from a compressed air inlet at an interior portion of said plates to an elongated outlet at a peripheral portion of said plates, said water outlet ports terminating at upper and lower apexes of said upper and lower nozzle plates, said apexes forming the venturi of said converging-diverging nozzle; and

,

a mixing space defined by said diverging portion of said nozzle, said water outlet ports being angled toward said nozzle outlet to cause the water supplied under pressure to said upper and lower water distribution means to pass through said water outlet ports in separate streams each of which impinges on a corresponding stream from an opposed water outlet port for atomization in said mixing space out of contact with said nozzle plates, said water outlet ports further being angled sufficiently toward said nozzle outlet to direct the atomized water out from said mixing space through said nozzle outlet, and to prevent flow of the atomized water into the interior of said nozzle to thereby prevent choking of said nozzle, air under pressure passing out through said nozzle from said compressed air inlet and contacting said atomized water to atomize it further and to assist in carrying said atomized water into the atmosphere for formation of snow.