It takes a while to freeze a snow crystal, which is why the snow machine is designed to send its icy bullets so high into the cold air.
Height also allows additional time for evaporation, which helps freeze our baby snow. Because human-made snow is made from droplets rather than vapour, it has a different shape. It forms a ball that freezes from the outside in — a bit like freezing an egg. The result is a tiny rounded grain instead of a flake. So can we still call these little ice balls snow? It certainly looks a bit different when it first falls. But once on the ground, the structures of both natural and manufactured snow continue to change as they bond and mix with other snow crystals to become a continuous snow pack.
They end up pretty similar. In fact, the human-made stuff is arguably better for groomed ski runs — where snow is smoothed and compacted using a tractor.
Human-made snow from a snow machine makes a more durable ski slope and is slower to melt, and hence is usually preferred for slalom courses. Related reading: Snow worries. Originally published by Cosmos as How do snow machines work? Cosmos is published by The Royal Institution of Australia, a charity dedicated to connecting people with the world of science. Financial contributions, however big or small, help us provide access to trusted science information at a time when the world needs it most.
It is essential to select the right snow gun in order to fully exploit the geographical conditions and the available resources. The individual solution and the choice of snow guns and snow lances in any given case will depend on the temperature, the slope width, the amount of snow required, the gradient of the terrain and the wind situation. The research department at TechnoAlpin is always trying to come up with ways to make the TechnoAlpin snow guns even more efficient.
The aim is to produce more snow with the resources used in order to cut costs and protect the environment. The Snowfactory is mainly suitable for events, for snow coverage on relatively small slope sections, and Nordic centers.
Fan guns are often also called snow guns. For a long time, mobile fan guns were the only models which were used. As snowmaking technology developed, however, the stationary installations also became popular for surface coverage in order to avoid set-up times. Fan guns are characterized by a wide projection range, high snow output, low wind sensitivity and flexible use.
Snow lances basically generate snow in the same way as fan guns. A greater height is required, however, to crystallize the snowflakes because they lack the propeller, or turbine, fitted in the fan guns. Snow lances therefore have a lower projection range and greater wind sensitivity but they are more accurate in terms of where the snow lands. The quantity of snow produced by a lance is similar to that of a small fan gun.
Ideal fields of application are, for instance, narrow slope sections without particular exposure to wind, connecting pistes or ski trails. The SnowFactory is a snow generator which can also be used in warm temperatures. The SnowFactory is designed to add to the possible applications of snowmaking technology and is therefore mainly used on lower slope sections or at events in large towns.
The SnowFactory produces snow by means of an innovative cooling technology without any chemical additives. No complicated building work or fittings are necessary to install it which is why it is also suitable for temporary applications. The amount of artificial snow produced depends on the particular snow gun model. The TR10, the fan gun with the biggest snow output currently on the market, produces 10 truck loads of snow per hour under optimal conditions.
It is not only the energy efficiency of the device itself that is important, but also all components of the snowmaking system, including system planning, the construction of pumping stations and the careful use of resources.
The energy consumption of a snowmaking system depends on the chosen technical system, the location, the water supply and the climatic conditions.
In order to keep resource consumption as low as possible, TechnoAlpin has developed a sophisticated and highly efficient technology, as well as special software for controlling the snowmaking system, thus enabling targeted snowmaking. Thanks to detailed weather data and snow height measurements on snow groomers, it can be ensured that snow is only produced in the right places and under optimal conditions.
The deployment of smart control software has significantly improved the energy balance of TechnoAlpin equipment in recent years. Snowmaking does not consume water, it only uses it. Snow guns require different quantities of water per second, depending on the model. One cubic meter of water can produce an average of 2. About 1, cubic meters of water are needed for the basic coverage approx. This corresponds to less than one-third of the water needed for an Olympic swimming pool.
Snow gun prices vary depending on the model and application. A fully automatic TR10 fan gun is worth the same as a middle-of-the-range station wagon. A snow lance can be purchased for about a third of the price in comparison. Over the past 30 years, more than 60, snow guns have been delivered to over 2, customers in almost 50 countries. About snow guns are produced in an average working week at TechnoAlpin. Snow guns have a very long service life.
Products from different generations are now being operated side by side in many ski resorts. The M90 fan gun has had a successful track record for over 30 years and continues to be operated alongside the latest models.
The investment in new snow guns is more a question of technology and efficiency than a lack of functional efficiency. TechnoAlpin has been building over 2, snow guns a year since On average, over 4, snow guns have been produced in recent years.
The numbers of snow lances and snow guns are roughly the same. Nowadays, TechnoAlpin no longer only produces snow solely for ski slopes, but also offers solutions for indoor ski centers and snow domes. The indoor ski centers offer an authentic winter experience in areas where natural snow is hard to find.
Ski slopes are just as much a part of this as play areas. There are also SnowRooms for a wide range of applications including wellness areas or in flagship stores. TechnoAlpin's know-how in water atomization and turbine technology is also used off-piste. The subsidiary, EmiControls, was founded in It offers tailor-made solutions to protect against fires, dust and odors.
EmiControls machines look like snow guns but use the technology in a different way and do not produce snow. TechnoAlpin can be reached worldwide at any time, whether in writing or by telephone.
Get in touch with your representative easily and without any complications. TechnoAlpin is the expert when it comes to snow production. Fan guns spray a mist of water into a fan which then blows the water upwards into the air, where it turns into snow. Patterns of snowfall in the Alps have altered in recent years, with many resorts now reporting favourable ski conditions in April and negligible snowfall in December.
Snow cannons supplement coverage when real snow is falling, and when it is not, they can lay the first bed of snow in preparation for natural snowfall. This allows resorts to start their seasons as early as possible. Also, resorts are aware that skiers expect to see snow on the ground. Rather than trust to the vagaries of the weather, they want certainty. A lot. Of course, the use of such technology is reflected in the price of a ski pass, but without the machines, skiers and boarders might face serious limitations on their sport.
Up to a point, yes. Early snowmaking machines required near freezing temperatures to operate, but new technologies claim to be weather-independent. However, there's no escaping the fact that if temperatures are too high, the snow will melt, as happened in the first part of winter Many skiers say that artificial snow is not of the same quality as natural snow.
The energy required to produce artificial snow is vast, offsetting other environmental initiatives employed by resorts. To optimise snowmaking, chemicals are added to the water that supplies snow cannons.
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