Poly(ethylene-co-tetrafluoroethylene)-based Permanent Motorway Roofs Equipped with Night Lighting Sources and Thin Film Solar Cells
This article presents the idea of providing newly-built motorways with permanent transparent roofs that are equipped with light sources and thin film photovoltaic solar cells. This is a way to: (1) significantly improve road safety (by eliminating most of the problems associated with adherence changes on non-dry pavements and with reduced visibility); (2) improve road transport efficiency during natural precipitation periods; (3) drastically reduce road maintenance costs associated with snow removal and road infrastructure damage due to water; and (4) generate electrical energy. The article shows that poly(ethylene-co-tetrafluoroethylene [ETFE]) could be successfully used as the main constructive material for permanent motorway roofs, with part of the surface being equipped with thin film solar cells. Assuming a 5000-km motorway network covered with ETFE roofs equipped with 20% peak efficiency photovoltaic cells on 60% of the roof surface and considering a yield correction factor of 0.8, more than one third of the electrical power currently consumed in Romania could be produced by this system.
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Availability:
- Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/12215848
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Authors:
- Grecu, Mihai
- Publication Date: 2011
Language
- English
Media Info
- Media Type: Digital/other
- Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
- Pagination: pp 43-56
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Serial:
- Acta Technica Napocensis: Civil Engineering & Architecture
- Volume: 54
- Issue Number: 2
- Publisher: UTPRESS
- ISSN: 1221-5848
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Crashes; Freeways; Highway safety; Snow removal; Solar cells; Visibility; Wet weather
- Uncontrolled Terms: Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene; Wet pavements
- Subject Areas: Energy; Highways; Safety and Human Factors; I85: Safety Devices used in Transport Infrastructure;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01361007
- Record Type: Publication
- Files: TRIS
- Created Date: Jan 25 2012 2:21PM