by Mitchell Rily
Since as far back as I can remember, I’ve loved going to amusement parks because for a little while I could be swept away, transported to another world filled with sights, sensations, and sounds designed to dazzle and amaze me. All of us, at one point or another, have found ourselves in awe at some of the amazing things that have been created for our entertainment and enjoyment. And for me, that amazement has always been coupled with the simple inquisitiveness of a child: how did they do that?
So, I’ve decided to start finding the answers to some of those questions that have been nagging me for years. And since I’m sure that some of you have probably asked the same questions that I have at one point or another, I thought I’d take the time to tell you what I’ve learned.
Something’s In The Air: Fog.
It seems no matter where you go in an amusement park, whether on the rides, watching shows, or just taking in the landscaping, it’s bound to find you. Lurking over the ground, puffing overhead, or obscuring your view of something which might rob you of the magic of the moment, fog seems to be a staple in the themed entertainment industry. But where does all that fog come from?
Back in 1969, a designer of meteorological instruments named Tom Mee was asked to design an artificial fog system that would engulf a pavilion in a cloud of water. Although the design has come along way since then, the same basic principles still apply.
A simple water fogging system starts with a compressor sending gallons of water through a network of tubes to a set of nozzles. With the diameter of the hole less than the width of a human hair, the water is pushed through under a substantial pressure, from 500 to 2000 pounds per square inch (PSI). As the thin stream of water flows from the nozzle, it runs into and is redirected by a small pointed attachment called an impacting pin. The resulting effect is the dispersal of the water into a large number of exceptionally small droplets, so small that they appear to hang in the air and scatter the light before they are evaporated.
Depending on the pressure of the water, the diameter of the nozzle, the shape of the impacting pin, the number and spacing of the nozzles, and the atmosphere into which the water is escaping, a fogging system can create the effects of fog, smoke, mist, or clouds. Even the purity of the water needs to be determined in order to produce the expected appearance.
For the past 35 years, Mee Industries Inc. has been perfecting how to turn ordinary water into swirls, streaks, patches, and banks of fog, often in ways Mother Nature has yet to come up with. With equipment and installations in many of the world’s amusement parks, zoos, aquariums, and entertainment centers, you’ve probably seen their expertise and not even known it.
Although other fogging systems may be used for indoor functions, using chemical reactions to create the impression of mysterious mist or befuddling fog, water-based systems are often simpler, easier to operate, and environmentally friendly.
Check in with A.I. next month for more Amusement Intelligence. If you’ve got a question about the science of the amusement park world, send it to: [email protected].
