Ice rinks are a typical example of secondary cooling. The primary refrigerant doesn’t cool the ice directly, but cold is transported via the secondary heat transfer fluid. This fluid is pumped through a matrix of pipes underneath the ice and takes care of the cooling. As the heat transfer fluid is used to cool down the water or ice, it makes sense that simply water can not be used. MEG, MPG or brine based coolants are commonly used. But they not only prevent from freezing the pipes, they also protect the pipes against corrosion.
Typical dosage rates are 35-40 % Zitrec MC or Zitrec LC. Or Freezium -15°C or Zitrec S -10°C is used.
Ice
skating, hockey and indoor ski are growing in popularity : hockey, figure
skating, speed skating are just a number of popular sports. But also ice
skating for the great public has become more popular. More and more around
Christmas, big and small towns set up their own temporary ice rink.
Although these temporarily ice rinks are set outdoor, temperature of
surrounding is hardly cold enough to guarantee continuous freezing.
But also more and more large complexes are built in various parts of the world. And some very large football stadium use a network of pipes filled with a heat transfer fluid to prevent snow and ice to ruin the grass.
Quality of ice
Experienced
skaters will acknowledge the value of the quality of the indoor ice. There
are many characteristics that can make the difference between gold or silver
medals, goal and speed. During the making of the ice the water must be of
excellent quality, the ice must be cold enough to skate fast, and the
entire surface must be of consistent quality. But the process of forming an
indoor ice rink is very complex. Many different layers of ice, some as thin
as not even 1mm together, form the final skating surface.
The making of an ice-rink
At the built
of an ice-surface, chillers cool the secondary heat transfer fluid which is
pumped through the pipes. These pipes are commonly made out
of steel.
Deionised water is sprayed onto this network of pipes, and the water starts
freezing when in contact with the cold pipes.
As the heat transfer fluid is used to cool down the water or ice, it makes sense that simply water can not be used. MEG, MPG or brine based coolants are commonly used. But just providing the frost protection is not sufficient; the pipes also need to be protected against corrosion.
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