Experimental Study on Carbon Fiber Tape–Based Deicing Technology

Abstract

In cold regions, snow and ice cause serious safety problems to the transportation system. South central Alaska, particularly Anchorage, is susceptible to a number of icing events resulting from frequent freeze/thaw cycles in the winter season. Traditionally, deicing has been accomplished by mechanical, chemical, and thermal methods. However, these methods cause problems such as damage to pavement, pollution in the environment, corrosion to vehicles and reinforcing steel in concrete, or being too expensive. A new type of roadway deicing system on the basis of commercially available carbon fiber tape is proposed. This paper presents the design of a deicing heating panel, the layout and construction of the test sidewalk, experimental results and analyses, and cost comparison with other deicing systems. Experimental results including system performance, deicing time, energy consumption, deicing cost, and temperature variation with time and location are presented. The sensitivity of the deicing cost to ambient air temperature, wind chill, and snow density is also analyzed. Finally, this system is compared with other deicing systems in annual operating cost, unit cost, power density, and installation cost. The cost comparison shows that the present deicing system demonstrates higher energy efficiency and lower installation cost among the systems compared and has great potential for applications in cold regions.