The latest ice rink system is based on fold-out aluminum elements. It has been invented by a Dutch enterpriser. The fold-out aluminum ice rink system changed the ice world and has been officially distributed for the first time in winter 2003.The patented ice rink technology is merchandised aggressively and had become a raving success for them manufacturer and national dealers.

Purchase of aluminum-pipes based, portable ice rink is combined with the comparatively highest acquirement costs. The Aluminum-System has a relative small heat exchange surface (1.07 m²/m²) compared to a special EPDM-System (2.00 m²/m²). Consequently the operating expenses of the aluminum ice rink technology can be higher but still competitive, than those of an EPDM-System.

The product is advertised with the argument, that the coefficient of thermal conductivity of aluminum is a multiple of a unit than other ice rink system technologies. But because of the Aluminum-Systems inability to transmit the effective output, the according coefficient of thermal conductivity is irrelevant in view of the cooling efficiency.

Delivery of the ice rink cooling surface elements is being carried out in smart designed, fold-out element blocks. The dismantled ice rink system is stackable and space-saving.

Installation process implied the quick and easy positioning of the fold-out elements in a collecting pan made of plastic film. The ability to configure the fold-out cooling elements out of aluminum is possible but strictly limited. Hence there are restrictions in designing the ice rink area. The build of rakes within the rink-system is all but impossible, anyhow for a standard ice rink event not essential. The installation of ice lanes is intractable and complex.

Building up the ice-base proceeded within flooding water into the collecting pan made of plastic film, which speeds up the system installation process enormously. But that cubed ice-base is susceptible in view of temperature variation and ice quality is not comparable with a multi-layered ice-base.

As smart as the design of the fold-out aluminum ice rink system for small, quadrate rinks may be, the system has its weak points, too. The most serious malfunction based upon basic necessity of application for a flexible connector between the solid cooling elements. As a result the ice temperature and quality above those tube connectors vary from the rest of the ice rink surface.

Furthermore but less serious, because of the systems collectors are not piped under Tichelmann-principle, the pressure of the cooling liquid inside the cooling surface is not continual at any point of the total ice rink area.

Because of being distributed for the first time in winter 2003, durability can not be meaningful commented.