Snow melting system, apparatus, and method

Abstract

A system, method, and apparatus for melting snow. The snow melting system may include a container having a cavity that is at least partially filled with a liquid. There should be a sufficient amount of liquid in the container to submerge a heating section of a heating assembly that is located within the cavity. The heating assembly is operably coupled to a source of steam, such as the steam generated from a boiler or steam generator in an existing building. The heating assembly may also include a condensate recovery section that is configured to flow condensate from the steam back into the liquid in the cavity of the container. The snow melting system also includes a spray assembly that pumps the heated liquid to a plurality of sprayers that then spray the heated liquid back down onto snow placed within the cavity of the container.

1 . A snow melting system comprising:
 a source of steam;   a container defining a cavity having an open top end;   a liquid in the cavity;   a heating assembly positioned within the cavity, the heating assembly comprising:
 a heating section operably coupled to the source of steam and submerged in the liquid so that steam from the source of steam flows through the heating section to heat the liquid; and 
 a condensate recovery section operably coupled to the heating section, the condensate recovery section having an outlet providing a passageway into the cavity of the container so that condensate from the steam flows through the condensate recovery section and into the liquid in the cavity; and 
   a spray assembly fluidly coupled to the liquid in the cavity, the spray assembly comprising a plurality of sprayers located above the liquid in the cavity and a pump for pumping the liquid from the cavity to the sprayers, wherein the sprayers are configured to spray the liquid back into the cavity.   
     
     
         2 . The snow melting system according to  claim 1  wherein the source of steam is a high-pressure steam generated by a boiler or a steam generator. 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The snow melting system according to  claim 1  further comprising a support member located within the cavity between the heating section of the heating assembly and the open top end of the cavity, the support member at least partially covering the heating section of the heating assembly to prevent snow that is dumped into the cavity from contacting the heating section of the heating assembly. 
     
     
         5 . The snow melting system according to  claim 4  wherein the support member is a grating having a top surface, a bottom surface opposite the top surface, and a plurality of openings extending from the top surface to the bottom surface so that the liquid in the cavity can flow through the openings in the grating. 
     
     
         6 . The snow melting system according to  claim 5  wherein the support member is submerged in the liquid such that the surface level of the liquid in the cavity is above the top surface of the support member. 
     
     
         7 . The snow melting system according to  claim 4  wherein the support member is alterable between: (1) a closed state in which the support member is oriented horizontally and covers the heating section of the heating assembly; and (2) an open state in which at least a portion of the support member is angled relative to a floor of the cavity to at least partially expose the heating section of the heating assembly. 
     
     
         8 . The snow melting system according to  claim 1  wherein the container comprises an outlet port for draining the liquid from the cavity. 
     
     
         9 . The snow melting system according to  claim 1  wherein each of the sprayers comprises a flow control mechanism configured to control a pressure of the liquid being sprayed through the sprayer, and wherein an angle at which each of the sprayers sprays the liquid into the cavity is adjustable. 
     
     
         10 . The snow melting system according to  claim 1  wherein the container comprises a floor and a sidewall extending upwardly from the floor to a top end that surrounds the open top end of the cavity, and further comprising a protective member extending from the top end of the container at an obtuse angle relative to the sidewall in a direction towards the cavity of the container, wherein the protective member is adjacent to the sprayers. 
     
     
         11 . The snow melting system according to  claim 1  wherein the heating assembly heats the liquid in the cavity to a temperature between 160° F. and 200° F. 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . The snow melting system according to  claim 1  wherein the heating assembly further comprises a flow control mechanism downstream of the heating section of the heating assembly and upstream of the outlet of the condensate recovery section of the heating assembly to control a flow rate of the condensate through the condensate recovery section. 
     
     
         14 . A snow melting apparatus comprising:
 a container having a floor and an inner surface that define a cavity having an open top end, the cavity having a lower portion adjacent the floor and an upper portion adjacent the open top end;   a heating assembly positioned within the cavity, the heating assembly comprising a heating conduit located within the lower portion of the cavity, the heating assembly configured to heat a liquid contained within the lower portion of the container;   a spray assembly comprising an inlet positioned in the lower portion of the cavity, a plurality of sprayers located above the lower portion of the cavity, and a pump configured to pump a liquid from the lower portion of the cavity to the sprayers, the sprayers configured to spray the liquid back into the cavity; and   a support member positioned within the cavity between the heating conduit of the heating assembly and the open top end of the cavity, the support member at least partially covering the heating conduit of the heating assembly.   
     
     
         15 . The snow melting apparatus according to  claim 14  wherein the heating assembly comprises a condensate recovery conduit operably coupled to the heating conduit, the condensate recovery conduit comprising an outlet that provides a passageway into the lower portion of the cavity. 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . The snow melting apparatus according to  claim 14  wherein the support member is a grating comprising a top surface, a bottom surface opposite the top surface, and a plurality of openings extending from the top surface to the bottom surface, wherein the lower portion of the cavity is located between the floor of the container and the bottom surface of the grating and the upper portion of the cavity is located between the top surface of the grating and the open top end of the cavity, the openings in the grating forming a passageway between the upper and lower portions of the cavity. 
     
     
         19 . A method of melting snow comprising:
 a) providing a snow melting apparatus comprising a container having a cavity with an open top end and a heating assembly positioned within the cavity;   b) at least partially filling the cavity of the container with a liquid until a heating section of the heating assembly is submerged in the liquid;   c) coupling the heating assembly to a source of steam so that the steam flows through the heating section of the heating assembly and heats the liquid in the cavity to form a heated liquid having a desired temperature;   d) placing an amount of snow in the cavity via the open top end of the cavity; and   e) pumping the heated liquid to a plurality of sprayers that spray the heated liquid onto the snow within the cavity to melt the snow.   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19  wherein the source of steam is high-pressure steam generated by an existing boiler or steam generator located within a building. 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 19  wherein during step d) the snow is placed on a support member that is located between the heating section of the heating assembly and the open top end of the cavity. 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 19  wherein during step c) a condensate is formed from the steam, and further comprising flowing the condensate into the liquid located within the cavity. 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 25  wherein the condensate flows through a condensate recovery section of the heating assembly, the condensate recovery section of the heating assembly having an outlet that forms a passageway into the cavity. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 19  wherein the desired temperature is between 180° F. and 200° F. 
     
     
         28 .- 30 . (canceled)