DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS FOR GEOTHERMAL RESEARCH

A prototype bridge deck heating system that utilizes heat pipes to transfer the energy between a warm water source and the deck surface was tested for possible use on some of the I-70 structures through the geothermally active Glenwood Canyon. At water flow rates around 35 GPM and temperatures of 25C, the snow cover duration on the 59 square meters of heated surface was reduced between 96 and 100% and the deck's frozen time was reduced between 85 and 95% for the five different heat pipe configurations tested; this despite the fact that over a 1/4 in. thick sludge was deposited on all the unprotected metallic surfaces exposed to the geothermal water which caused the system's thermal resistance to double. If this system is to be viable for this application, a durable, protective coating with a low thermal resistance must be found to prevent both fouling and corrosion. The thermal analysis indicates that up to two hundred of these units can be placed in series with a tolerable degradation in the last unit's performance for water flow rates above 100 GPM.

• Corporate Authors:

  University of Wyoming, Laramie

  Department of Mechanical Engineering
  Laramie, WY  United States  82071

  Colorado Department of Highways

  4201 East Arkansas Avenue
  Denver, CO  United States  80222

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Nydahl, J
  • Pell, K
  • Senser, D
  • Twitchell, G
  • Ownbey, S
• Publication Date: 1981-8

Media Info

• Pagination: 128 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bridge decks; Corrosion; Data analysis; Data collection; Geothermal resources; Heat exchangers; Heat pipes; Heat transfer; Heating (Structures); Marine fouling; Mathematical analysis; Protective coatings; Snow removal; Thermal analysis; Thermal resistance; Water pipe
• Geographic Terms: Colorado
• Old TRIS Terms: Heat radiators
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Design; Energy; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; I24: Design of Bridges and Retaining Walls; I61: Equipment and Maintenance Methods;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00365008
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: CDH-UW-R-81-11-81-11Final Rpt.
• Files: NTIS, TRIS, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Jun 30 1982 12:00AM