Ratnik Industries, Incorporated

Timothy Cy Wang

H Ronald Ratnik

Louis N Rapp

Snow-making apparatus comprises the combination of a bulk water nozzle for projecting a spray of water particles into the air, and a plurality of nucleators for injecting ice particles (nuclei) into the spray to provide nucleation sites about the water particles freeze and form snow particles or crystals. Each nucleator comprises discrete nozzles for respectively projecting air and water particles to a location at which they collide in the open air to form ice particles. Because the ice particles are formed 'externally' of any housing, the 'freeze-up' problem associated with the 'internal-mix' nucleators of the prior art is avoided. Preferably, each of the water nozzles of the external mix nucleators projects a relatively thin 'sheet' of water which collides with a similar pattern of compressed air which acts (a) to break-up the water into relatively tiny droplets (e.g. 5-100 microns in size) which quickly freeze to form the ice nuclei of about the same size, and (b) to project a relatively flat pattern of ice nuclei towards the bulk water spray.

Method and apparatus for making snow

A fanless snow gun for producing man-made snow comprises one or more water nozzles for projecting a substantially conical spray of water particles into the air, and a plurality of nucleating nozzles arranged rearwardly of and at spaced locations surrounding the water nozzles for injecting ice nuclei into the water spray to effect conversion of the water particles to snow prior to descending to the ground. To compensate for the absence of an independent source of air (e.g. a motorized fan) for cooling the water particles provided by the water nozzles, the snow gun is adapted to be supported at least 20 feet above ground level to increase the particle flight time and, hence cooling time, the water particle size is limited to about 300 microns or smaller to facilitate particle cooling and conversion to ice crystals, and the ratio of ice nuclei-to-water particles in the spray is increased by at least a factor of at least two compared to the same ratio in conventional fan guns.

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Rochester, NY, United States of America

Timothy Cy Wang