Nucleator for generating ice crystals for seeding water droplets in snow-making systems

Abstract

The present invention is an improved nucleator for generating ice crystals for seeding water droplets in snow-making systems. Atomized water droplets can more easily be converted to snow at higher temperatures by using a nucleator. Embodiments of a snow-making gun including the novel nucleator are also described.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A nucleator for generating ice crystals for seeding water droplets used in a snow-making system, the nucleator comprising:
 a hollow mixing chamber housing comprising an outer surface and an inner surface forming a mixing chamber passing axially along a mixing chamber axis, the mixing chamber further comprising:
 a compressed air inlet forming a first opening between the outer surface and the inner surface for introducing compressed air into the mixing chamber; 
 a water inlet forming a second opening between the outer surface and the inner surface of the mixing chamber housing, the inner surface forming an outer extremity of the mixing chamber within the housing, the water inlet configured for delivering water from the outer surface of the housing into the mixing chamber; and 
 an exit orifice in fluid communication with the mixing chamber for delivering a mixture of compressed air and water; and 
   a nucleator nozzle configured with a nozzle inlet for receiving the mixture of compressed air and a nozzle outlet, the nucleator nozzle further adapted for continuously pressurizing the mixture along a convergent portion of the nozzle, thereby creating a pressurized mixture until the pressurized mixture reaches a core diameter of the nozzle, the pressurized mixture passing through the core diameter and directed through a divergent portion of the nozzle channel where the pressurized mixture depressurizes until exiting the nozzle outlet as tiny ice crystals.   
     
     
         2 . The nucleator according to  claim 1 , wherein the mixing chamber further comprises a water filter for filtering water prior to passing through the water inlet. 
     
     
         3 . The nucleator according to  claim 2 , wherein the water filter comprises a particle filter. 
     
     
         4 . The nucleator according to  claim 2 , wherein the water filter comprises a wire filter. 
     
     
         5 . The nucleator according to  claim 2 , wherein the water filter comprises a cylindrical particle filter inside a cylindrical wire filter. 
     
     
         6 . The nucleator according to  claim 1 , wherein the water inlet directs water into the mixing chamber toward the mixing chamber axis. 
     
     
         7 . The nucleator according to  claim 1 , wherein the nucleator nozzle further comprises a core diameter between about 0.95 mm and about 1.4 mm. 
     
     
         8 . The nucleator according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of nucleator nozzles further comprises a core diameter of about 1.4 mm. 
     
     
         9 . The nucleator according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of nucleator nozzles further comprises a core diameter of about 0.95 mm. 
     
     
         10 . A snowmaking system including a nucleator for generating ice crystals for seeding water droplets used to make artificial snow, the nucleator comprising:
 a hollow mixing chamber housing comprising an outer surface and an inner surface forming a mixing chamber passing axially along a mixing chamber axis, the mixing chamber further comprising:
 a compressed air inlet forming a first opening between the outer surface and the inner surface for introducing compressed air into the mixing chamber; 
 a water inlet forming a second opening between the outer surface and the inner surface of the mixing chamber housing, the inner surface forming an outer extremity of the mixing chamber within the housing, the water inlet configured for delivering water from the outer surface of the housing into the mixing chamber; and 
 an exit orifice in fluid communication with the mixing chamber for delivering a mixture of compressed air and water; and 
   a nucleator nozzle configured with a nozzle inlet for receiving the mixture of compressed air and a nozzle outlet, the nucleator nozzle further adapted for continuously pressurizing the mixture along a convergent portion of the nozzle, thereby creating a pressurized mixture until the pressurized mixture reaches a core diameter of the nozzle, the pressurized mixture passing through the core diameter and directed through a divergent portion of the nozzle channel where the pressurized mixture depressurizes until exiting the nozzle outlet as tiny ice crystals.   
     
     
         11 . The nucleator according to  claim 10 , wherein the mixing chamber further comprises a water filter for filtering water prior to passing through the water inlet. 
     
     
         12 . The nucleator according to  claim 11 , wherein the water filter comprises a particle filter. 
     
     
         13 . The nucleator according to  claim 11 , wherein the water filter comprises a wire filter. 
     
     
         14 . The nucleator according to  claim 11 , wherein the water filter comprises a cylindrical particle filter inside a cylindrical wire filter. 
     
     
         15 . The nucleator according to  claim 10 , wherein the water inlet directs water into the mixing chamber toward the mixing chamber axis. 
     
     
         16 . The nucleator according to  claim 10 , wherein the nucleator nozzle further comprises a core diameter between about 0.95 mm and about 1.4 mm. 
     
     
         17 . The nucleator according to  claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of nucleator nozzles further comprises a core diameter of about 1.4 mm. 
     
     
         18 . The nucleator according to  claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of nucleator nozzles further comprises a core diameter of about 0.95 mm. 
     
     
         19 . A snowmaking system comprising:
 a nucleator for generating ice crystals for seeding water droplets used to make artificial snow; the nucleator comprising:
 a hollow mixing chamber housing comprising an outer surface and an inner surface forming a mixing chamber passing axially along a mixing chamber axis, the mixing chamber further comprising:
 a compressed air inlet forming a first opening between the outer surface and the inner surface for introducing compressed air into the mixing chamber; 
 a water inlet forming a second opening between the outer surface and the inner surface of the mixing chamber housing, the inner surface forming an outer extremity of the mixing chamber within the housing, the water inlet configured for delivering water from the outer surface of the housing into the mixing chamber; and 
 an exit orifice in fluid communication with the mixing chamber for delivering a mixture of compressed air and water; and 
 
 a nucleator nozzle configured with a nozzle inlet for receiving the mixture of compressed air and a nozzle outlet, the nucleator nozzle further adapted for continuously pressurizing the mixture along a convergent portion of the nozzle, thereby creating a pressurized mixture until the pressurized mixture reaches a core diameter of the nozzle, the pressurized mixture passing through the core diameter and directed through a divergent portion of the nozzle channel where the pressurized mixture depressurizes until exiting the nozzle outlet as tiny ice crystals; and 
   a fluid nozzle adapted for spraying atomized water droplets in the path of, and mixing with the tiny ice crystals exiting the nucleator to form artificial snow.