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09.01.2025
Cooling towers for enhanced performance
The temperature of the snowmaking water plays a key role when it comes to the efficiency and performance of snowmaking systems. Especially at limit temperatures, the water temperature can be the difference between the system operating or being out of commission. A decrease of 4°C in water temperature is roughly equivalent to a 1°C reduction in wet-bulb temperature. As a result, systems can be activated under challenging conditions sooner when the water temperature is as low as it can be.
Besides, an optimal water temperature offers great potential for energy savings. Using cold water can achieve savings of up to 20%, because more water is converted into snow for the same energy input. At limit temperatures, a mid-range fan gun delivers 50% more power at water temperatures of 1°C than at 9°C.
The new cooling towers from innovation leader TechnoAlpin were developed specifically to address the unique challenges of snowmaking systems. They have ingenious functional design: The water is cooled by cold air by carefully redirecting the water through a honeycomb-type system. This honeycomb principle keeps energy consumption low and output incredibly high. The flow rate is between 30 and 90 l/sec and the energy requirement is between 15 and 45 kWh, depending on the model.
The cooled water is collected in a cold water basin below the cooling tower. All air inlets, connections and pipelines are clad in special insulation and equipped with a heating system. This protects them from adverse operating conditions and ensures reliable operation. Various covers or wood paneling soften the visual impact on the landscape.