Artificial snow slopes are found in resort towns in temperate or warm zones, produced using snow cannons that shoot tiny ice balls into nebulized liquid water. Seed materials such as magnesium ions, calcium, or clay particles are used, and the most realistic-looking artificial snow is made from a freeze-dried protein powder called Snomax®. The floor is cooled using glycol and liquid ammonia to create an ideal padding of artificial snow.
A number of resort towns in temperate or warm zones contain large isolated buildings filled with artificial snow for people to ski on. These artificial snow slopes are found in Germany, Japan and even some Middle Eastern countries, such as Dubai, United Arab Emirates. These facilities produce realistic looking snow for year round snowboarding and skiing. Artificial snow is also produced in the entertainment industry for use as a backing or backdrop.
How is it possible to produce artificial snow? Several components are required. First, the wall of the structure containing the snow must be very well insulated. Double wall insulated walls are commonly used. On some artificial snow slopes, the insulation is so good that it would take weeks for the snow to melt, even if all cooling systems were turned off.
Snow is created on the roof of the building where “snow cannons” use compressed air to shoot tiny ice balls (10 micron diameter) into a cloud of nebulised liquid water. Giant refrigeration systems reduce the overall temperature of the interior to -8°C (17.6°F). Sometimes other seed materials are used in addition to ice grains, such as magnesium ions, calcium or clay particles or organic matter. Any small impurities will work, to some extent. The seed material that makes the most realistic looking artificial snow is a freeze-dried protein powder derived from Pseudomonas syringae bacteria called Snomax®, but ice granules are used more frequently.
As the seed particles travel through the water vapor and descend towards the floor, they accumulate snow crystals and turn into artificial snow. The idea is that all particles freeze before they hit the ground. Under the floor, systems using glycol and liquid ammonia further cool the floor, creating an ideal padding of artificial snow that closely simulates natural conditions.
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