Once upon a time, skiing was limited by geography and the calendar. If you wanted to ski, you had to go to certain parts of the world that received ample snowfall. Nowadays, however, modern technology has removed many of those restrictions. The latest geography and calendar-defeating mechanism is an indoor ski slope in Dubai that offers gentle snowy slopes at any time of the year, regardless of the weather outsid
However, creating a facility that maintains a 6,000-ton snow base and a constant -1° C to -2° C in the middle of Dubai’s scorching desert, where average outdoor temperatures in a year vary between 25 – 48° C posed something of a formidable challenge. And Grundfos was very eager to participate.
The Situation
Ski Dubai has real snow, made from pure water with no chemicals added. The water is put through a chiller and then to the snow guns on the ceiling. When the cooled water is blown out into the freezing environment it crystallises and becomes snow. The final product is 30 tons of fresh snow daily – as real as if it came from nature.
During the initial design phase of the project, Grundfos supported the system designers and offered a complete pump system that could secure a reliable chilled water circuit. Based on competent system support, unique local after sales service and training, and the renowned quality of the pump systems, Grundfos was chosen to supply pumps for the prestigious project.
The Grundfos Solution
Grundfos supplied a total of 24 end-suction pumps to handle
the circulation of water in the chiller system. To secure reliable operation at a constant water temperature of –4° C all pumps were equipped with special shaft seals, customised for this specific task.
Due to a unique reliability and flexibility the Grundfos NB/NK range is the most common end-suction pump used in chilled water applications. Customisation with standard components, such as special shaft seals and metallurgy, allows the pumps to meet the demand for reliable operation at very high or very low temperature requirement. In addition, the wide range of sizes enables Grundfos to meet virtually any head and flow requirement.
The Outcome
With the new ski slope Dubai offers a kaleidoscope of attractions. In a single day, locals and tourist can experience everything from rugged mountains and awe-inspiring sand dunes, sandy beaches and lush green parks to riding the black piste in real snow.
Ski Dubai is the first indoor ski resort in the Middle East. The
remarkable structure offers an amazing 22,500mē covered with real snow all year round to enjoy skiing, snowboarding or just playing in the snow. The slope has five runs that vary in difficulty, height and gradient – the longest run being 400 meters with a fall of over 60 meters.
The customer and the consulting engineer are very pleased with the Grundfos solution and have experienced no problems whatsoever. The NB/NK pumps have performed as promised and secured a constant low temperature. As a result, the high quality facilities and the “real” snow on the artificial ski slope and the huge interactive Snow Park attract huge crowds of kids and parents alike.
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- System design support
- Customised solution
- Reliable operation
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| The artificial ski slope offers an amazing 22,500mē covered with real snow including the world’s biggest indoor interactive snow park |
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- 20 x NB end-suction pump
- 4 x NK end-suction pumps
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| The customised NB/NK solution guarantees a sufficient snow level and constant low temperatures |
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| Relevant product families: |
> NB
> NK
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