Measurement and Analysis of the Critical Snow Formation Height of an Internally Mixed Nucleonator

Abstract

In this study, the critical snow formation height of a mixed single-aperture nucleator in an artificial snow machine was examined. The threshold values of critical snow formation height were experimentally measured at different air-water pressure ratios and ambient temperatures, and the effects of air-water pressure ratios and ambient temperatures on the threshold values of critical snow formation heights were analyzed. The results showed that the threshold value for the critical height of critical snow formation did not exist at temperatures of -5 ℃ and -10 ℃ under the working conditions with a gas-water pressure ratio of 0.40 MPa∶0.40 MPa, but snow formation could be realized at -15 ℃, and the threshold value for the critical height of critical snow formation was 50-55 cm. When the gas-water pressure ratio is 0.50 MPa∶0.45 MPa or 0.50 MPa∶0.40 MPa, snow can be formed at ambient temperatures of -5 ℃, -10 ℃, and -15 ℃. The gas-water pressure ratio and ambient temperatures have a certain influence on the height of critical snow formation. Under the same ambient temperature, the greater the gas-water pressure ratio, the lower the critical snow height. Provided that the gas-water pressure ratio remains constant, the critical snow height decreases when the ambient temperature lowers from -5 ℃ to -15 ℃, and the trend of the change is more obvious in the temperature interval from -5 ℃ to -10 ℃.

Keywords

• artificial snowmaking
• refrigeration system
• Critical snow height
• operating conditions