MND & Demaclenko Announce Innovations At MountainPlanet Show
Discovering ever more efficient and sustainable solutions for technical snowmaking has always been the main focus in DEMACLENKO’s research and development. That’s why, as the sector’s innovation leader, DEMACLENKO every year manages to demonstrate pioneering spirit and come up with unique technologies that point the way to a more sustainable future for the industry. At Mountain Planet in Grenoble, the company once again presented lots of new products that set new standards, especially in terms of resource efficiency.
- EOS 4.0 & EOS 4.0 DUO. Lance technology redefined. The EOS 4.0 is the latest generation of DEMACLENKO’s resource-saving, energy-efficient snow lance. Many years of tried-and-tested technology go hand-in-hand with a whole series of innovations to create a product that fulfils all of the market’s requirements. Its nozzle head and control cabinet have been completely revised, increasing efficiency and performance yet again. Not only has performance been significantly increased in the marginal temperature range, so too has snow quality. Like its predecessor, EOS 4.0 is equally impressive on account of its versatility. Numerous configuration options can be adapted individually to meet requirements and customer needs, guaranteeing the greatest possible flexibility. With a water flow rate of up to 6.9 l/s and a maximum production quantity of 69 m³/h, the EOS is one of the market’s top players. At the same time, its power consumption is only 0 to 2 kW, depending on the model. The optional compressor operates oil-free and is one of the most efficient and highest-quality solutions available on the market, at only 1.5 kW. With the EOS 4.0 DUO, DEMACLENKO also presents its proven lance model in a powerful double head version. It unites the usual unbeatable energy efficiency of the EOS with a powerful water flow of 8 l/s, producing an unbeatable 80 m³/h of snow.
- Ventus 4.0 Blizzard. Optimum performance-to-consumption ratio. The Ventus 4.0 Blizzard is the upgraded new edition of the revolutionary Ventus 4.0, which had already established new market standards and marked a new era in DEMACLENKO’s 4.0 line when it was launched in 2017. As before, the product offers an unbeatable ratio between consumption and performance, producing 90 m³/h of snow while consuming less than 20 kW of energy. There are now no less than 15 switching steps, making operation even more energy-efficient, which proves a particular advantage in the boundary temperature range. The nozzle ring is made of cast aluminium, which requires significantly less heating. And,thanks to an integrated heat exchanger, the nozzle ring is heated while the compressor air is efficiently cooled. Maintenance and servicing is simple and straightforward, because all of the relevant components are grouped together in easily accessible places. An optimized fan shape achieves an impressive range and optimum snow distribution on the piste.
- Evo 3.0 ATC/ATCK. Fan power meets lance technology. Evo 3.0 ATC/ATCK is available with or without compressor and combines the power of a fan gun with the simplicity of a lance. This means that the product can easily be integrated into lance-only systems, bringing the benefits of a fan gun, such as on wider or windier slope sections. By adapting fan technology to the requirements of lance systems, DEMACLENKO has proven its role as a technology leader once again.
- E-Tower. Smart usability. The innovative E-Tower is unique in the market and solves the problem of the difficult accessibility of snow guns that are permanently mounted on towers. It combines the advantages of tower-mounted snow guns, such as projecting snow from an elevated position, with those of mobile snow guns, like easy transportability. The E-Tower is also really safe and user-friendly to work on, as it can easily be lowered for maintenance while the snow gun remains accessible from all sides. This also enables faster and safer assembly/disassembly and easy removal of the snow gun. Another unique selling point: the snow gun remains 100% functional even in its lowered position. When retracted, the tower is also very compact and disappears almost completely into the pit.
- C150 Premium concrete pit. Ultimate safety standards. DEMACLENKO has raised work safety to a new level with its new C150 Premium pit model. In addition to the long-established standard model, another pit has now been developed with an extra-wide access hatch (80 x 80 mm), making for even greater ease of use. The shape has also been optimized to make the interior even more spacious, but without it being any heavier than the standard model. DEMACLENKO’s pit systems offer closed circuits, ease of use, great stability and durability, as they are reinforced by default and are suitable for all towers and inclined lifts up to 6 m. Pre-placed mounting openings and elements also make them quick and easy to install.
At the Mountain Planet trade fair, MND unveiled the future 10-seater gondola lift in Saint-lLry, its latest innovations, and the world’s largest pylon zip line.
Saint-Lary, the largest ski area in the French Pyrenees, entrusts MND ROPEWAYS with the construction of three strategic lifts. Altiservice, a key player in the ski areas of the Pyrenees, has chosen the French industrial group MND to build three new ski lifts in its resort: the „Espiaube“ gondola and two detachable 6-seater chairlifts, „Forêt“ and „Tourette“. Awarded in 2021, this is the biggest investment in cable transport in France for the winter of 2022/2023 in mountain territories. The „Espiaube“ gondola reinforces the sector of the same name, a real meeting point between the foot of the slopes as well as the Col du Portet (2215 m altitude) and the summit of the Tourette (2320 m altitude). This new 10-seater gondola will operate in winter and summer and will be delivered with MND ROPEWAYS cabins, for optimum comfort for skiers and pedestrians. The installation includes an automatic storage garage for the cabins in the bottom station, which will improve the availability of the lift and reduce maintenance costs. The two detachable 6-seater chairlifts, „Forêt“ and „Tourette“, will make the customer’s journey more fluid and improve intra-station links. The „Tourette“ and „Espiaube“ infrastructures will together ensure the connection to the heart of the resort and will be commissioned for winter 2022, while the „Forêt“ lift will be put into service in 2023.
Key figures
- Espiaube: Length 1862m / Elevation: 724m / 2800 p/h / travel time: less than 6 min
- Tourette: Length 1290m / Elevation: 292m / 2800 p/h / travel time: 4 min
- Forêt: Length 1560m / Elevation: 604m / 2400 p/h / travel time: 5 min
Chamrousse, a 4-season mountain with the world longest zipline with pylon and a 130-metre footbridge over the Casserousse couloir. To support the development of the winter and summer attractivity of the Chamrousse resort in Isère, France, MND will build a giant zip line and a suspended footbridge. At 1,904 meters in length, this is the largest zip line with two intermediate pylons and 600 meters drop. Connecting the summit of the Croix de Chamrousse at 2 253 meters with the heart of the resort at Recoin, on the track of the gondola. The 130-meter footbridge will fly over the black slope of the Casserousse couloirs, the mythical slope of the 1968 Grenoble Olympic Games. Construction will will begin this spring and the bridge will be operational in the fall.
In addition the company showed:
- Avawatch: artificial intelligence to model avalanche risk. MND SAFETY, the world leader in remote avalanche control, has developed an autonomous device placed in the couloir downstream of the blaster that detects the passage of the avalanche and models its size. This is key data for operators who, from a distance, must be able to ensure that the piste, road or protected infrastructure is properly secured.
- O’Bell’X option +. O’Bell’X is a removable remote avalanche triggering system based on the explosion of a hydrogen/oxygen gas mixture inside an open cone. This non-polluting, low visual impact, fully removable system is environmentally friendly and suitable for nature reserves and protected sites. The new O’BellX option + has already been installed and commissioned this winter at 7 sites worldwide, including 5 in France: Val Thorens, Morzine, Flaine, Les Carroz and Les 7 Laux. The O’Bell’X option + offers twice the shooting power of its initial version, to better adapt to all types of terrain. It has all the advantages of a 100% removable device thanks to its patented transport hook, which facilitates its installation and maintenance by helicopter.
- A new software to remotely control avalanche triggering systems. In order to react as quickly as possible to the avalanche risk and to control it remotely, MND SAFETY deploys the latest generation of its remote-control software. Accessible on PC, tablet or smartphone, this new digital interface allows a more intuitive use and integrates all the existing functionalities as well as the piloting of all the latest MND SAFETY security solutions.
- MND SNOW facilitates the management of automated snow networks. MND SNOW is a forerunner in the automated management of snowmaking installations, having deployed the first dedicated software in 2002. Resource optimization, real-time monitoring, intelligent snowmaking scheduling… A number of historical options have been reinvented, as well as new features such as 3D viewing for more efficient management of the snowmaking system.
