Ice arena
The heart of the Center is the high speed icefield of 11.7 thousand square meters surrounded by platforms for seven thousand spectators. The icefield accommodates two 400-meter competition tracks and one limbering-up track, 300-meter track for children, fields of 30 by 60 meters for figure skating and curling, oval field for short-track speedskating (a 111 meter track, the sport is highly tactical and requires strength, endurance and skill). The icefield is a separate monolithic concrete stove without temperature joints. Dutch equipment ensures the perfect looking-lass polishing of its surface. The water for 16 cooling machines that produce ice is received from the specially drilled slit. The ice is 2.6 centimeter thick. The general length of the tubes along which the cooling fluid is running under the ice, is around 100 kilometers. They worked out computerized electric systems, systems of ventilation and air conditioning that allow to keep the lower temperature on the icefield and the higher – around the rows of spectators. It is natural that an object of such a high level needs a ceaseless energy supply. Therefore special attention is given to the building of a self-contained energy supplying station.
The Heads of the Moscow Region Speed Skating Center «Kolomna» have the full right to be proud of the unique sports complex, and they do! Vladimir Scherbenko, Deputy General Director-Head Engineer explains: «Our ice palace is the only one in the whole Europe. The equipment of the ice arena is unique and ecologically safe: the automatic system of ice preparation and maintenance which was projected by Dutch specialists permits receiving the necessary temperatures of the concrete stove, ice and air. The temperature of the stove can be regulated separately in the three zones. The system of water preparation ensures the needed cleanness of the major ice massif. Beside this the implement part of our everyday work is further technological development and new challenges. First, we are going to introduce and use energy-conservative technologies of the cooling and conditioning systems. Second, we co-operate with the leading scientific and research laboratories so that to better the high speed characteristics of our ice».
