Snow Dragon Snowmelters

While Snow Dragon® snow melters are easy to use and maintain, below are many frequently asked questions we have received along the way. If you do not find what you are looking for below, don't hesitate to contact us for additional assistance at (216) 531.1599 or email us today!

How does the Snow Dragon® snowmelter work?

The snowmelters are designed to allow snow to be dumped into the melting hopper. This melting hopper is a large water bath heated to over 120F by heat exchanger tubes that are powered by 9,000,000 BTU/hr burners. It is this HOT water bath that is critical for snowmelters to work efficiently. Basically the burner tubes heat the water and the hot water melts the snow. See Snowmelting the SND Way for more information.

Do you have to fill the melting hopper with water before you can start to melt snow?

No. The Snow Dragon® snowmelters have been designed so that you can perform a Dry-Start method (available on the SND900 & SND1800). By choosing this option, simply turn on the burners and dump a bucket of snow onto the heat exchanger tubes. The hot tubes will turn the cold snow into water. While this option will take longer than the traditional method of adding water, it can be beneficial if you do not have access to a water supply.

Q	What happens to the water as you're melting snow?
	As the water level rises, screens within the unit skim out particles and filter out debris, while the water is discharged under the unit. While it is recommended to park the melter over or close to a drain or storm sewer, the water is leaving the melter around 60F-70F at a rate of 135 gpm to 750 gpm and will not refreeze. Warm constant running water will not refreeze.

Q	Can you describe the clean-out process?
	During a melting operation, sand and sediment will be captured at the bottom of the melter. Once you are finished with the snowmelter, there are several clean out hatches that are easily accessible around the unit. Each Snow Dragon® snowmelter comes with a rake to help assist with the clean out process. Any larger debris that falls onto the heat exchanger tubes can be picked up by hand.

Q	After I dump the snow into the melter, how long do I have to wait till I can dump another load?
	Normally there is no need to wait as long as the design volume is kept. Snow Dragon Snowmelters, unlike other melters out there, will NOT shutdown if you overload (or overstuff) the machine.

Q	How many people does it take to operate the melter?
	The Snow Dragon® is designed so that the loader operator can also operate the melter.

Q	How much water does the Snow Dragon® snowmelters discharge?
	If you are melting at full capacity, the SND900 will release approx 160 US gallons per minute. The SND1800 is approx 360 US gallons per minute, and the SND5400 is approx 750 US gallons per minute.

Q	Why aren't your melters rated in Tons per hour?
	Tons per hour for snow is a tricky unit of measure...what is a ton of snow? Our engineering staff researched this and found that by measuring by the cubic yard (based on, of course, moisture content of the snow), it was simpler for the end user to actually keep track on how much their unit was melting. Snow Dragon Snowmelters look at moisture content as 10:1, meaning, 10" of snow = 1" of water.