Snow making tower and method of making snow

Abstract

A snow making tower pipe comprised of multiple aluminum pipe segments of different diameters dimensioned whereby the segments are telescopically fitted and welded end to end with the segment of larger diameter at the lower end, and the end to end weld fittings are angled relative to the longitudinal axis of the tower pipe at an angle of less than 90 degrees to provide a maximum strength weld connection. The snow making tower ejects air and water under pressure through snow making nozzles to form an atomized plume of water in adjacent ambient atmosphere under sub-freezing conditions. Water is ejected under pressure from a projection nozzle in the form of a spray stream at a velocity greater than the ejection velocity of the plume and this water stream is directed to engage the plume and thereby project the plume outwardly farther than possible without the assistance of the spray stream.

1 . A snow making tower including an elongated upright aluminum tower pipe mounted on a support and having upper and lower ends with air and water connectors at the lower end for connection to sources of air and water under pressure and snow making nozzles at the upper end for discharge of air and water under pressure into ambient atmosphere for manufacture of snow in sub-freezing conditions, said tower pipe comprised of multiple aluminum pipe segments of different diameters dimensioned whereby said segments are telescopically fitted and welded end to end with the segment of largest diameter at said lower end, said end to end weld fittings angled relative to the longitudinal axis of said tower pipe at an angle less than 90°. 
     
     
         2 . The snow making tower of  claim 1 , wherein said angle is 45°. 
     
     
         3 . The snow making tower of  claim 1 , wherein said tower pipe is supported at an inclined angle and said weld fittings are positioned with the upper most point of said weld fittings aligned along the underside of said inclined tower pipe. 
     
     
         4 . The snow making tower of  claim 3 , wherein said tower pipe consists of two separable sections releasably joined by a pipe coupling. 
     
     
         5 . The snow making tower of  claim 4 , wherein said tower pipe is approximately forty feet long. 
     
     
         6 . The snow making tower of  claim 1 , said lower end of said tower pipe, including said air and water connectors, detachable from the remainder of said tower pipe whereby tower pipes of different lengths and different lower end diameters may be interchangeably connected to said lower end of said tower pipe. 
     
     
         7 . The snow making tower of  claim 6 , wherein said lower end of said tower pipe is threadably connected to the remainder of said tower pipe. 
     
     
         8 . A snow making tower including an elongated upright aluminum tower pipe mounted on a support and having upper and lower ends with air and water connectors at the lower end for connection to sources of air and water under pressure and snow making nozzles at the upper end for discharge of air and water under pressure into ambient atmosphere for manufacture of snow in sub-freezing conditions, said snow making nozzles dimensioned and configured for forming an atomized plume of water in adjacent ambient atmosphere, the improvement comprising:
 a projection water nozzle positioned on the upper end of said tower pipe below said snow making nozzles for ejecting water under pressure in the form of a spray stream at a velocity greater than the ejection velocity of said plume, said projection water nozzle directed whereby said stream is directed upwardly and outwardly to engage said plume and thereby project said plume outwardly from said tower pipe farther than possible without the assistance of said spray stream.   
     
     
         9 . The snow making tower of  claim 8 , wherein said projection nozzle is dimensioned and configured to provide maximum laminar water flow. 
     
     
         10 . The snow making tower of  claim 8 , wherein said snow making nozzles include three nozzles circumferentially positioned and spaced about said pipe tower with a separation of less than 60°. 
     
     
         11 . The snow making tower of  claim 10 , wherein said nozzle separation angle is approximately 30°. 
     
     
         12 . A method of making snow comprising:
 ejecting air and water under pressure though snow making nozzles to form an atomized plume of water in adjacent ambient atmosphere under sub-freezing conditions; and   ejecting water under pressure in the form of a spray stream at a velocity greater than the ejection velocity of said plume, and directing said stream to engage said plume and thereby project said plume outwardly farther than possible without the assistance of said spray stream.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the ejecting of air and water to form said plume is accomplished by using snow making nozzles annularly spaced apart by less than 60°. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said annular spacing is approximately 30°.