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Artificial Snow System
In 2009 the snow making system in Pamporovo underwent a full modernization. A new snow processing machines were bought and the process of snow making was fully automated.
HOW DOES AN AUTOMATIC SNOW SYSTEM WORK?
The machine room houses the production and control components, pumping groups for the water, compressors for the air, automation panel and power cabinets. The machine room allows feeds the snow guns with air and water resources through the pipe system installed on the hill.
On the trail, the automation regulates snowmaking valves and snow guns that optimize the resources to make snow, based onlocal weather conditions. All weather data (temperature, humidity, wind etc.) are transmitted in real time to the snowmaking management software. The management software acts as the center piece of the system, giving start-up and shut-down orders to the components and equipment in the machine room. It adjusts the air and water resources in real time, taking into consideration the changing weather conditions based on the operating parameters set by the ski area and guaranteeing a best possible production. Water with 4° temperature leaves the snow cannon under pressure and when the outer temperature lower than -1.5 degrees on falling down turns into snow crystals.
Pamporovo disposes an own mini dam “Snezhanka” with 314 000 m³, which supplies a water-pipe system with overall length of 13 800 meters and 160 hydro-shafts.
The visible part of the snow making system consists of 110 stick snow cannons of the world famous company York Neige. Among the installed type of cannons are Borax, Safyr, Rubis and Rubis Evo. Although the cannons look pretty the same, the technology behind them differs significantly allowing each of them to work better and produce more snow in a definite temperature range.
This feature allows the system to supply the needed quantity of snow regardless of the weather conditions. The whole process is done by a new generation “LIBERTY” system with the following charachteristics:
MANAGEMENT AND DECISION MAKING ASSISTANCE TOOL
Liberty is a software suite, running in the multi-tasking Windows environment, in which many applications are combined to run a snowmaking installation.
It is intended for the control, management and facility operation of Johnson Controls snowmaking systems. It acts on the equipment through a dual channel: 1. the controllers that manage the machine rooms and 2. the communication modules that manage the valves and snow producers on the trail.
All operating data is stored and may be reviewed by the operator to guide the snowmaking decision-making process.
MANAGEMENT OF SNOW MAKING RESOURCES
Liberty continuously monitors and changes the water and air resources of the installation to meet the needs of the snow guns based on the changing weather conditions and the set parameters of the operator. By continually monitoring all measurements on the ski hill and in the machine room. Liberty accurately calculates the flow of water and air needed for each snow gun to produce the best snow quality given the local weather conditions.
Liberty also ensures the safe operation of all equipment. The start/stop sequences are performed safely using the network of controllers (the YPLC, designed by Johnson Controls Snow).
USER FRIENDLY AND ERGONOMIC
For easy accessibility to the numerous applications that make up the Liberty suite, they were combined into a single environment calledthe Liberty Surfer. From Liberty Surfer, the operator can access the Launch Manager application to launch the Liberty Menu, but can also access peripheral applications such as MR Viewer, Trail Viewer, Event Log (virtual printer), the Alert service or Sno-report (customizable analysis and statistical report).
UPGRADABILITY & SERVICE
Liberty is adapted and tailored to each installation it drives by integrating the specific parameters of the installation. Snowmaking system extensions are achieved with simple programming development In addition, backward compatibility of the equipment is available.
Additionally, the service teams from Johnson Controls Snow may, if necessary, remotely access the Liberty software and conduct trouble-shooting.
CONNECTION AND REMOTE ASSISTANCE
- Radio connection
- Optical connection
- SMS notification
- Statistical data
- Remote diagnostics, consulting and service
- Remote support
Except the static snow cannons system Ski Zone Pamporovo owes 6 ventilated cannons of the type SUFAG – S – Compact and SUFAG Compact Eco serviced by a 2000 meters long water-pipe system with a capacity of 92 liters per second and capable of covering a snow service of 53 250 m².
