GET SALTED

The author of this article, a winter maintenance specialist at Schmidt UK, discusses the advantages of using pre-wetting to spread de-icing salt. The spreading of de-icing salt has become quite a refined process, where the weight of salt deposited can be controlled to minimise the amount of salt used, thus reducing cost and environmental impact. However, the deposited salt cannot begin to reduce snow or ice melting temperature until it has begun to dissolve; pre-wetting makes it quicker and easier to achieve this objective. Pre-wetting should be done using a liquid with lower freezing point than water. A common method is to use a salt solution to wet the dry salt particles, in a 1:2 ratio. Pre-wetting has other benefits besides quicker de-icing. Smaller particles of salt can be used, and a third less salt can be used, so that environmental disbenefits can be reduced. From the viewpoint of spreading effectiveness, it makes little or no difference whether rock salt or white salt is used. Calcium chloride is another cheap product that can be used in pre-wetting solutions. The article finally describes the pre-wetting process. It is not uncommon for one year's savings in winter maintenance costs to cover the additional investment needed for pre-wetting.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/3831968
• Corporate Authors:

  Alad Limited

  P.O. Box 135
  Sutton, Surrey  United Kingdom  SM2 7JP
• Authors:
  • Brown, J
• Publication Date: 1999-7

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 28-9
• Serial:
  • Highways
  • Volume: 68
  • Issue Number: 6
  • Publisher: Alad Limited
  • ISSN: 0142-6168
  • Serial URL: http://www.highways-mag.co.uk

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Chemical solutions; Costs; Deicing chemicals; Environmental protection; Expert evidence; Halides; Ice; Investments; Snow; Surface active agents; Winter maintenance
• Uncontrolled Terms: Decreases
• ITRD Terms: 224: Cost; 9009: Decrease; 2598: Deicing; 2444: Environment protection; 1528: Expert opinion; 7314: Halide; 2578: Ice; 227: Investment; 2552: Snow; 7131: Solution (chem); 4501: Surface active agent; 2593: Winter maintenance
• Subject Areas: Environment; Finance; Law; Maintenance and Preservation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00771523
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Files: ITRD
• Created Date: Nov 4 1999 12:00AM