Typical Recreational Ice Floor Configuration
- Full size hockey arena floor is normally 200' x 85'
- Olympic size hockey floor is 200' x 100'
- Curling sheets are 14' x 146' but are usually laid out at 15' x150'
- Refrigeration Load can range from 45 to 300 tons for an arena
The floor surface is occasionally constructed entirely with sand but this limits the use of the facility. More commonly the floor consists of a 5" or 6" cement pad reinforced with Rebar.
The brine is supplied to the floor via 6" to 10" headers. The headers are constructed of PVC or steel. The headers feed an in-floor-cooling grid consisting of 1" polyethylene or steel pipe spaced on 3" to 4" centers.
The cooling floor brine is usually a calcium chloride solution mixed to a freeze point of -5 to -10 deg. F. The pH should be maintained at a level of 7.5 to 8.5 The brine should be tested annually by a lab regularly engaged in testing arena brine samples.
The rejected waste heat from the refrigeration plant typically provides the heat source for the heating floor but boilers or electric resistance heaters are occasionally used as well.
The heated calcium is usually supplied to the heating floor via 4" brine mains. The mains in turn feed a 1" polyethylene grid spaced on 12" to 24" centers The heating floor is positioned approximately 1' under the cooling floor and is separated by insulation and a vapour barrier.
The heating floor brine should be kept at a freeze point of 10-15 deg. F. The pH should be maintained at a level of 7.5 to 8.5 The brine should be tested annually by a lab regularly engaged in testing arena samples.