The nozzles
The theatrical shows in this fountain are supported by 52 vertical chasing nozzles, one transforming nozzle, and six robotic nozzles, which move water side to side, front to back, and can twist and turn in 360-degree directions. The nozzles are placed within motion bases, which move sheets of water to create dramatic effects.
The nozzles used in this water feature are commonly called ‘chasing nozzles’ due to their ability to create low arcs of water that meander throughout the fountain and can be made to mimic water chasing different streams of movement. These ‘chase’ scenes are choreographed to music and give personality to the water. It is like dancers onstage but, in this case, the performers are streams of water with unique lighting effects.
With the ability to shoot water up and down, as well as popping and cutting the water off, the system offers individual control of each nozzle and light.
Each robotic nozzle provides a wide array of possible effects.
The lighting
The fountain also uses LED colour mixing, red, green, and blue (RGB) lights, which can be calibrated with a wide palette of programmed and repeatable colours with a variety of brightness and hue options. There are 60 light fixtures throughout the fountain, as well as a fog system to create additional dramatic effects.
The fountain’s capability is so vast it can portray up to three million variant shades of colour. It also features a cascading waterfall flowing into a lower pond combining with the misting nozzles to create a magical fog. Although the fountain looks spectacular at any time of the day, it is best viewed at night when the wide range of colours is most vivid.
Choreographing the shows
The shows are created using a sophisticated program powered by a complex computer system more than one terabyte in size. Each display is manually choreographed beat-by-beat to music, which creates the illusion of moving water while adjusting the light intensity and colour to create audio-visual shows.
The company’s programmers use specialized software and hardware to synchronize the movements of water to the crescendos of a musical score. For most of the year, seven different shows rotate throughout the day, while three additional holiday-themed displays are added into the rotation in the winter.
The shows are programmed using Digital Multiplex (DMX), a type of electric signal data protocol used in the lighting industry to control a series of light fixtures, LEDs, and other devices. The code is then exported, and the information is transferred to the client digitally or by mailing a flash drive. This process is executed at the company’s office to eliminate the expense of sending a programmer to adjust the show.
Sometimes, the company sends out its programmer for a quick test and adjustment in the field, rather than spending two to three weeks at the fountain doing the programming.
Additionally, there is no real downtime for the fountain. This is particularly important as the water feature operates almost 365 days a year.
