On Sat, 11 Feb 1995, MR ADAM C WODON wrote:
 
> I mentioned to Princeton rink manager Jeff Graydin tonight about the discussion
> here on zambonis.
>
>   He said VERY definitively (and with some obvious knowledge of the
> physics/chemistry involved) that it was NOT because of mixing the new water
> with the shavings.
>    He said the zamboni has a razor-sharp blade that scrapes the ice smooth, and
> scoops up the shavings.
 
>   Sounds pretty definitive.  I thanked him greatly for making me look good
> here<G>!   Assuming no one disagrees, that is.
 
Almost, but not quite.  While the oxygen process is one reason, saying
that there is no need to blend the hot water with the ice is wrong.  The
ice resurfacer (there are more models than Zamboni) does cut the ice with
its razor sharp blade, but it doesn't completely cut the used ice.  Skate
blades cut a lot deeper than the fraction of an inch cut with each
resurface (the blade can be adjusted up or down to cut more or less ice,
but most arenas try to maitain an inch to an inch and a half of ice
depth).  Hence, the hot water seeps into the crevices on the ice after
the resufacer scrapes the ice and creates a level surface as it freezes.  As
previously mentioned, the hot water helps bond the new water to the old ice.
 
 
 
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*                                                          *
* Robb Dunn                         University of Michigan *
* Project Administrator                   Sport Facilities *
*                                      Research Laboratory *
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* [log in to unmask]            Cal '93, Michigan '94 and '97 *
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