Abstract
It is known that water mist occasionally forms near ice surface in an ice-skate arena depending on the indoor environmental conditions. The mist can causes problems such as decreased visibility during skating competitions. The objective of the present paper is to clarify the relationship between indoor air conditions and water mist formation and to provide a useful design method for preventing mist formation in an ice-skate arena. In the former section, studies concerning the indoor air conditions for preventing water mist formation near the ice surface are described. The boundary layer theory is used to determine the criteria of mist formation. The criteria can be expressed by a psychrometeric chart. In the later of this paper, the results of measurements made in both an existing ice-skate arena and Nagan Winter Olympic Memorial Arena are described. According to visual observation, water mists were formed when outdoor humidity were high. Consequently, indoor relative humidity had become high. The measured air temperatures and relative humidities prove that the proposed criteria for mist formation are usefull for designing HVAC systems in ice-skate arenas.
