<font color=red>ON THE ROAD</font> Snow Dragon

Snow Dragon President John Allin discusses his snow melting system. Photo: SNOW Magazine

Cleveland-based Snow Dragon recently held the official debut of its line of commercial snow melting systems.

Snow Dragon claims their snowmelters provide a cost-effective alternative for snow contractors, facilities managers, municipalities and airport operations in lieu of physically hauling and relocating snow.

Snow and ice are deposited into a hot water bath that is integrated with heat exchanger tubes. The burner, which is

Participants were given a birds-eye view of how the system works. Photo: SNOW Magazine

fueled by either No. 2 fuel oil or diesel, fires into the tubes creating a burner boiler type system heating the water to 120 degrees F.promote melting. As snow is dumped into the melting hoper and the water level rises, standpipes from within the unit further screen out particles while the water drains from under the unit.

A spray system is incorporated in the melting hopper where warm water is sprayed over the snow and ice to

Several screens also filter out dirt and debris so storm

A spray system in the melting hopper sprays a constant stream of warm water over the snow to promote melting. Photo: SNOW Magazine

water relocation systems are not clogged or impeded, according to Snow Dragon. The company claims water leaving the melter is cleaner than the snow being dumped in. If required, contaminants contained in the melter can then be hauled and dumped at a designated site.

Snow Dragon displayed its SND900 MiniPro Model, which can melt about 75 cubic yards of snow per hour and designed for contractors tending strip malls, schools and parking lots; and its SND1800 Contractor Model, which melts at a rate of 180 cubic yards per hour, and designed for companies that handle big commercial sites, shopping

Contractors deposit snow and ice into a hot water bath that is integrated with heat exhanger tubes. Photo: SNOW Magazine

centers, stadiums, hospitals, downtown parking lots and airports.

The companies SND5400, which was not on display, melts 450 cubic yards per hour and is designed for the airport market and other large-scale users.

Snow Dragon is a partnership between snow industry professional John Allin, who previously owned Erie-Pa.-based Snow Management Group,  and Cleveland-based Park-Ohio Co., a leader in oven and heat exchanger

The SND900's control panel. Photo: SNOW Magazine

technology. The two formed Snow Dragon in 2004 to design an affordable, highly efficient and technologically advanced snow melting product.

market and other large-scale users.

>