A novel underground heating system for deicing applications

Abstract

Due to the snow and ice on the roads in winter season, difficulties in transportation and accidents are unavoidable. Municipalities and residents put all their effort to clean up the streets and highways. Mechanical cleaning, salt and chemical applications, thermal heating are some common deicing and anti-icing methods currently used. Many of these methods have some disadvantages. While the salt and chemicals harm the concrete and steel reinforcement, thermal methods are quite expensive and difficult to install. Mechanical cleaning is labor extensive and costly. Environmental effects of using salt and chemical in long term cannot be neglected. Once all deicing techniques are reviewed, it is obvious that low-cost, efficient deicing technologies needed to be developed. In this study, for deicing and anti-icing purposes concrete was heated using carbon fiber electrical resistance technique. Heating panels were placed into the concrete and their heating performance was tested in different ambient temperatures. The effect of heat panel depth, carbon fiber form, power density and ambient temperature on the heating performance was studied. Once experimental study was completed, field application of the heating system was constructed and tested. It was concluded that carbon fiber heating system offers a viable solution for icing and snow accumulation problems.