The Viennese never cease to amaze people with their creative talent and remarkable achievements in various fields. Whether it’s in performing and visual arts, business and technology, they always surprise the world with their world class creations.
Just recently, scientists from the University of Agricultural Sciences and Vienna’s Technical University developed an artificial snow cloud. This invention produces the finest powder of snow meant for use in ski slopes. Right now, the snow powder is being tested on the slopes of Obergurgl-Hochgurgl resort in Tyrol.
What the scientists do is inject water droplets into a 3.5 metre high cloud chamber in the shape of a balloon. They are then cooled at low temperatures lower than -5 degrees but reaching its freezing point. This results in water turning into powdered snow.
Compared to the usual snow cannons, this new Viennese technology makes use of less energy and water but produces more snow powder. While the snow cannon produces only about two cubic metres of snow from one cubic metre of water, the snow cloud can produce up to 15 cubic metres of powder snow.
Every year, ski resorts in Austria make use of 120 million cubic metres of artificial snow to provide skiers with the best skiing experience.
