CHEMICAL DE-ICING AT RAF AIRFIELDS

The authors describe the results of trials with polyglycols and urea for de-icing RAF airfields, that were carried out to study their effect on the pollution of water supplies. They first discuss the methods of de-icing that are available, pointing out that grit causes damage to aircraft engines and salt corrodes metal components. Polyglycols and urea do not present these problems, but information has been lacking on their effect on water supplies. The authors next describe the polyglycol trials which have led the Thames Conservators to prefer the use of urea, the effects of which are better known. Details are given of the urea trials, which included the measurement of the urea and ammonia concentration of the water at a number of points in the Shill Brook and the River Thames. It was found that significant quantities of urea were not found until at least 2mm of rainfall occurred, that urea recovery varied from 5 to 20 per cent, that the degree of hydrolysis of urea to ammonia ranged from 5 to 25 per cent and that the rate of hydrolysis tended to increase as the "season" progressed. It was concluded that little difficulty would be anticipated in winters where cold spells were short and interspersed with rainfall, but that under prolonged cold conditions the amount of urea used should be limited.

• Corporate Authors:

  IPC Building and Control Journals, Limited

  Dorset House, Stanford Street
  London SE1 9LU,   England 

  IPC Building and Control Journals, Limited

  Dorset House, Stanford Street
  London SE1 9LU,   England 
• Authors:
  • Capon, D
  • Nicolson, N J
• Publication Date: 1974-9-6

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 38-40
• Serial:
  • Surveyor - Public Authority Technology
  • Volume: 144
  • Issue Number: 4291
  • Publisher: IPC Building and Contract Journals Limited

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Airport runways; Deicing chemicals; Pollution; Rain; Rainfall; Urea; Water; Water pollution
• Geographic Terms: United Kingdom
• ITRD Terms: 2598: Deicing; 2453: Pollution; 2507: Rain; 1038: Runway; 8119: United Kingdom; 7335: Urea; 4355: Water
• Subject Areas: Environment; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Pavements; I62: Winter Maintenance;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00096172
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL)
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 24 1975 12:00AM