Abstract: The invention relates to equipment for alternatively producing either artificial snow or heating or cooling, the equipment comprising: an artificial snow production installation including in particular a buried pressurized water network; at least one heat pump having a ground heat exchanger circuit; and a configuration system for either disconnecting the connection circuit of the heat pump from the buried water network of the artificial snow production installation during a stage of producing artificial snow, or else connecting the connection circuit to the water network of the artificial snow production installation during a stage of heat pump operation, either in heating mode or in cooling mode.

Abstract: Method for covering with snow artificial slopes for downhill or cross-country skiing, comprising the formation of an ice layer forming the bottom of the run, the on site production of snow by machining said ice layer by forming chips having a predetermined thickness, the keeping of the thickness of the ice layer forming the run bottom, the maintenance of the desired characteristics and quality of the snow. The machine for implementing such method comprises: a raisable curved blade (5) which is front-mounted for smoothing the snow surface; as a tool, a cylindrical cutter (7) provided with teeth and driven by a hydraulic motor (8) and housed in a casing (10) of which the bottom forms a vault and opens at the rear to deposit snow on the ground; as reconstitution means, a water sprinkling ramp (12) arranged under the vault; a comb (14) provided with tracers (25).

Abstract: A snow gun for making artificial snow by atomizing a mixture of air and water is disclosed. The snow gun comprises a hollow body, a compressed air supply conduit terminated by an injection nozzle accommodated inside the hollow body and opening at an end into the hollow body. A pressurized water supply conduit opens into a space between the hollow body and the air supply conduit. A mixing chamber for mixing air and water communicates through an inlet port with the interior of the hollow body, the inlet port facing the discharge nozzle of the injection nozzle. The injection nozzle is displaceable longitudinally relative to the inlet port of the mixing chamber for adjusting the water flow passage to the mixing chamber. A needle valve adjusts the cross-sectional area of discharge orifice of the air injection nozzle. The mixing chamber comprises the bore of a main nozzle extending in the continuation of the injection nozzle.