METHOD OF CREATING AN OUTDOOR ICE SLAB IN SUMMER WEATHER AND OF REDUCING ENERGY REQUIREMENTS FOR INDOOR AND OUTDOOR ICE RINKS

摘要

S P E C I F I C A T I O NMETHOD OF CREATING AN OUTDOOR ICE SLAB IN SUMMER WEATHER AND OFREDUCING ENERGY REQUIREMENTS FOR INDOOR AND OUTDOOR ICE RINKSABSTRACTHeretofore it has been completely impractical to tryto create and hold ice for the purposes of ice skating, curl-ing or sliding during summer weather unless the area were com-pletely enclosed. This invention presents a method for doingthis which is practical not only by keeping refrigeration re-quirements low but also by eliminating dripping, fogging andsurface melting. This method also has the advantage of reduc-ing energy requirements for holding an ice slab under indoor oroutdoor conditions. The method includes creating a floor forice under which tubes or pipes containing an antifreeze so-lution are laid, connecting a refrigeration plant to chill andrecirculate the antifreeze solution, suspending a surface ofaluminum foil facing downward covering the entire ice floor atleast ten feet above such floor, mounting fans to recirculatethe air from below such aluminum surface to above it, freezingice by applying water upon the floor, painting the ice whiteto reflect radiant energy, freezing more ice above the whitepaint, erecting a solid perimeter fence around the ice floor,blowing air through a header box alongside the rink to de-humidify the air and delivering that air through openings inthe perimeter fence onto the ice floor area and certain com-binations of the above steps. The low emissivity of thealuminum foil and the high reflectivity of the white paintprevent radiant energy from loading the ice while recircu-lation fans warm the cool moisture laden and often foggy airover the ice by conveying it to the warm area above the sus-pended ceiling.- 1 -