Refrigeration – Rink
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-04
2001-01-09
Tapolcai, William E. (Department: 3744)
Refrigeration
Rink
C062S260000, C472S092000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06170278
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a thermal storage reservoir for mounting below an ice surface of an ice rink for regulating a temperature of the ice surface.
BACKGROUND
Conventional indoor ice rinks keep the ice frozen using a refrigeration system below the ice rink floor. Typically the refrigeration system includes a concrete pad directly under the ice having a plurality of refrigerated tubes extending therethrough. The concrete pad is usually about six inches deep and insulated on a bottom face. This system requires constant cooling by the refrigerated tubes. The resulting ice temperature is unstable and highly dependent on the operation of the tubes. This results in the ice melting if a power outage or other temporary interruption of the refrigerated tubes occurs.
SUMMARY
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided an ice rink comprising;
a sheet of ice;
a sub-floor supporting the sheet of ice thereon;
a cooling system mounted within the sub-floor for controlling a temperature of the sub-floor such that the sheet of ice remains frozen; and
a thermal storage reservoir mounted adjacent a bottom face of the sub-floor, the reservoir being filled with a material having a high heat capacity.
Preferably there is provided an insulated layer adjacent a bottom face and a perimeter face of the reservoir.
A heated floor is preferably mounted in the ground spaced below the reservoir for preventing permafrost in the ground below the reservoir. The heated floor may comprise a plurality of heated pipes mounted spaced apart to extend through the ground spaced below the reservoir, the heated pipes being arranged to have heated fluid pumped therethrough. When using a heated floor, a drainage system is preferably mounted in the ground around a periphery of the heated floor for draining ground water under the reservoir.
The reservoir is preferably filled with particulate material, the particulate material being surrounded by fluid. A freezing point depressant may be added to the reservoir for lowering a freezing point of the reservoir below that of water.
Preferably there is provided a set of cooling tubes extending through the reservoir for controlling a temperature of the reservoir. The cooling tubes are preferably mounted parallel and laterally spaced apart throughout the reservoir at a position spaced below a top face of the reservoir towards a bottom face. A portion of the cooling tubes may be positioned adjacent a periphery of the reservoir.
The cooling system of the sub-floor may comprise cooling tubes being arranged to communicate with the cooling tubes extending through the reservoir for passing fluid therebetween to exchange heat between the sub-floor and the reservoir. A layer of insulation may be mounted between the reservoir and the sub-floor when the sub-floor and reservoir are connected by cooling tubes.
According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided an ice rink comprising;
a sheet of ice;
a thermal storage reservoir supporting the sheet of ice thereon, the reservoir being substantially larger in volume than the sheet of ice;
a mass of particulate material having a high heat capacity filling the reservoir;
a fluid surrounding the particulate material, the fluid having a freezing point below that of water; and
a set of cooling tubes extending through the reservoir, the cooling tubes being arranged to have cooling fluid pumped therethrough for controlling a temperature of the reservoir.
Preferably there is provided an insulated layer adjacent a bottom face and a perimeter face of the reservoir.
There may be provided a heated floor spaced below the reservoir for preventing permafrost in the ground below the reservoir. When a heated floor is provided, a drainage system may be mounted in the ground around a periphery of the heated floor for draining ground water under the reservoir.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3599441 (1971-08-01), Sills
patent: 3878694 (1975-04-01), Holmsten
patent: 4089142 (1978-05-01), Kachadorian
patent: 4467619 (1984-08-01), Kovach
patent: 5063748 (1991-11-01), Davis et al.
Battison Adrian D.
Tapolcai William E.
LandOfFree
Thermal storage reservoir for ice rink does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Thermal storage reservoir for ice rink, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Thermal storage reservoir for ice rink will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2485764