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38 / SEPTEMBER.OCTOBER.2024 USICERINKS.COM FRIEND OR FOE? COLD WATER FLOODING: , Each facility is different. Evaluate your specific needs and financial situations. the water on the ice sheet itself. Your annual total savings will depend on year-round or seasonal operation. Be aware that if you are a lighter-usage facility, savings will be less than those mentioned in this article. If you were expecting it to cost far more per day to use hot water for resurfacing, you are not alone. The reason we think it would be a much greater number is a result of our perception. Utility costs at most ice rink operations are now usually second only to labor. We have a sense of this large volume of hot water we use in our resurfacer as being very expensive as it's energy we can see. So, why isn't it even more expensive? Part of the paradox is the state-change energy (liquid to solid). With either hot or cold water flooding, at least half of the energy we must remove (for freezing to occur) is a result of the state change, not the temperature change. So hot or cold water incur the same refrigeration cost to actually freeze the water, and the refrigeration systems in our ice rinks are designed to provide this cooling effect with minimum cost. Really, the only difference is the initial heating and re-cooling that occurs on the ice sheet itself. When dealing strictly in dollars and cents, it would appear that cold water flooding is a preferable option to hot water flooding; however, the principles of chemistry and physics clearly indicate that hot water holds less air than cold water, thereby creating a less porous and stronger ice surface. Issues of clarity have been noted to arise when resurfacing with cooler water. It should be noted that water heated above 160°F maintains the same air water soluble consistency, so there is no advantage to heating floodwater above this temperature. It will only raise operating costs and increase the risk of burns to the skin. If you are considering switching to a cold-water option, it is wise to maintain caution before purchasing high-priced equipment and ice additives that promise to reduce the amount of air in cooler water. Many companies offer cost savings through cold water flooding by saving wear and tear on compressors and hot water heaters, thereby extending the life of your equipment. You may save on this end of your equipment shelf life; however, most of these "energy-saving" devices cost in the neighborhood of $25,000 or more. Delving into and confirming whether or not these systems actually work, or how effectively they work, is a more lengthy discussion beyond the scope of this article. One of the biggest deterrents to using them is the cost implication. The basic math of dividing your equipment purchase cost by your anticipated yearly savings will result in the "simple payback" in years. That is, the number of years until you have paid for this investment with reduced spending. So, if you are a busy, multi-pad facility, and you can keep your purchase limited to one system, and it works for you, your simple payback could be reasonable to consider. For many facilities with a 10-year-plus payback on this investment, is it really serving the needs of your organization or are there better ways to cut costs? If you answer this question first, you will be providing much greater value to your organization. If you are planning on switching to cold water flooding, it may be prudent to try using cold water from your own facility before purchasing expensive specialized equipment. This would be the most cost-effective method of making the switch and possibly provide great insight for your organization into making this move. Each facility and its needs are unique. We have clients who are very happy with the results of cold water flooding while others have tried it and were not satisfied. Take a step back and remember that the most reliable source of information available to you is your own rink and organization. Be informed about your decisions and their actual financial impact. Every facility is different and nobody can tell you the "magic" fix for your resurfacing needs. By the way, if someone is using the words "magic" to explain to you how their product works, further investigation is warranted. With any cost-cutting project, there will be no shortage of expensive equipment promising to help you achieve your goals. Don't forget to challenge yourself to see if you can achieve the same results with what you already have at your fingertips. J Ian B. Storey is the president of I.B. Storey Inc. EVERYONE LOVES HIGH-QUALITY ICE, BUT DELIVERING THE BEST POSSIBLE PRODUCT COMES AT A PRICE. PHOTOS: RINK PHOTOS