NKK Sees Orders Rise for Snowmaking Systems
Artist's impression of the Snow Kaiser snowmaking system for the Mizuho Highland ski resort
NKK recently received two successive orders-one from a Shimane prefectural ski resort in western Japan and the other from an indoor ski dome near Tokyo-to supply NKK-developed snowmaking systems. The company has accumulated extensive ice and snow engineering technologies through its long experience building icebreaking ships for Antarctic research and drilling rigs for Arctic oil fields. The first order NKK received is for an icemaking-type snowmaking system called "Snow Kaiser"for the Mizuho Highland ski resort in Shimane.The ¥800-million system, due for commissioning prior to the winter season this year, will have a daily snowmaking capacity of 600 tons, the largest of this type in Japan, and can cover a ski slope measuring 2,600 meters in total length. The Snow Kaiser's main feature is that it can generate fine-quality snow regardless of natural weather conditions, such as temperature and humidity. The system consists of a flake-ice making machine, a conveyor unit, a pneumatic transport unit using a blower and pipeline and an automatic snow spraying machine. Flake ice, 1mm thick and 1-2cm square, is formed in the ice-making machine,transported and then transformed into fine-particle snow crystals and sprayed onto the slopes. The Mizuho Highland system uses three 200-ton-per-day ice-making machines installed at different locations along the slopes. Connected via optical cables, the system allows automatic control of snow volume and spraying locations according to preset programs. The system also permits 24-hour continuous operation with various data fully controlled by a computer. NKK has already supplied similar Snow Kaiser snowmaking systems to three domestic ski resorts and looks forward to securing further orders for larger capacity systems.
The other order, received from Mitsui Fudosan Co., is for an ¥80-million snow crusher that is designed to make powder snow for the Lalaport Ski Dome "SSAWS" near Tokyo. SSAWS is a yearround indoor ski resort jointly built by NKK and Kajima Corporation in 1993. The 42,000m2 ski dome is 490m long with three ski slopes 70-100m wide. The advanced run has an 80m drop (on a maximum slope of 20 degrees) and is long enough for official international races. A fine snow crystal measuring about 80 microns in diameter is produced using a unique NKK-developed snowmaking system that sprays compressed air and a mist of cold water onto the slopes. One problem with indoor ski slopes is that snow crystals combine over time to form larger particles and this degrades the quality of the snow. The snow crusher will be employed to reduce such particles to a fine powder that is natural in appearance. The self-guided snow crusher at SSAWS automatically collects and processes the snow as it moves along the slopes. The machine not only takes in snow but also chilled air, effectively preventing the snow from melting due to the heat generated during crushing. With a snow crushing capacity of 30 tons per hour, the machine can produce fine (average 50 microns), powdery snow that surpasses the quality of fresh snow.
Drawing on its successful marketing of the Snow Kaiser system for outdoor ski resorts, NKK is continuing efforts to commercialize new snow crushers and make them available to various ski resorts. |
