First, Terrafog is a patented design, brought about by a desire from the nightclub market to have a high-powered smoke effect to simulate the large liquid nitrogen fog cannons seen in some of the superclubs of Ibiza and Florida. The company says that, whilst the effect of Terrafog is not as big as the liquid nitrogen cannons, or as cold, it is very close - given the price.
Terrafog uses one or two Le Maitre G300 smoke machines to give a visual effect, plus carbon dioxide for the cooling effect, compressed air or nitrogen for the pneumatics and special fog fluid to ensure the effect disappears quickly. The combination of these elements gives a large blast of cold fog that can be blasted upwards, down on to the audience or across a stage, say the company, adding that Terrafog is also useful for the simulation of rocket blasts or explosions in theme parks as well as for reveals on stage etc.
The Terrafog can be used with compressed air in place of the carbon dioxide but will not create the "cold" fog effect experienced when using the CO2. Also, compressed air can be used for the pneumatics, as can nitrogen or carbon dioxide - in fact any inert gas at between 6 and 8 Bar pressure can be used.
Also new, the Megatron is a high-powered liquid nitrogen fog cannon which, say le Maitre, is capable of engulfing an entire dance floor with freezing fog in just a few seconds. Blasting up to six cubic meters of fog per second from its 35mm diameter nozzle, the Megatron uses liquid nitrogen at -198°C to create its effect. The Megatron comes in three standard sizes, although systems can be designed and built to suit any size venue and with any number of effect heads. Every system is supplied with an oxygen depletion monitor.
Next up, Liquid Fire is a dancing, outdoor, fire effect made up of multiple effect heads, each capable of firing a streamer of fire 8m into the air. The system is an ideal accompaniment to firework displays, as a substitute for dancing water fountains or for a dramatic show in its own right, say the company. The heads can be positioned up to 10m apart (with 12 heads, that's 120m wide show) and each is fully DMX controllable, so that complex sequences can be programmed using any standard lighting desk.
Finally, Le Maitre has introduced the CO2 Jet - a simple, instant, effect designed for maximum impact on a smaller scale than the company's Terrafog or Megatron fog products.The CO2 Jet, as the name suggests, runs on liquid carbon dioxide and creates a blast of cold white fog between 2 and 4m in length (depending on gas pressure and ambient conditions. The CO2 Jet is fully DMX512 compatible with DMX "in" and "link".
(Lee Baldock)
