PREWETTING WITH SALT BRINE

Prewetting salt helps it work more effectively as a deicing agent for two reasons: First, wet salt clings to the road instead of bouncing off or being swept off by traffic. The result is that less salt is spread, saving money and minimizing the threat to the environment. Second, to be effective as a deicing agent, salt requires moisture. Moisture dissolves the salt, releasing heat and thereby melting the ice and snow, as well as breaking the ice-road bond. When temperatures drop below freezing there is no moisture on the road, and salt alone is ineffective. Prewetting the salt, however, ensures that there will be enough moisture to facilitate the melting process. Then, prewetted salt works faster and at lower temperature than does dry salt, with less waste.

• Record URL:
  http://www.ctre.iastate.edu/pubs/semisesq/session1/donahey/
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0965231003
• Corporate Authors:

  Iowa State University, Ames

  Center for Transportation Research and Education
  2711 South Loop Drive, Suite 4700
  Ames, IA  United States  50010-8664

  Iowa Department of Transportation

  800 Lincoln Way
  Ames, IA  United States  50010
• Authors:
  • Donahey, T J
  • Burkheimer, D
• Conference:
  • 1996 Semisesquicentennial Transportation Conference Proceedings.
  • Location: Ames, Iowa
  • Date: 1996-5-13 to 1996-5-14
• Publication Date: 1996

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 21-23

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Brines; Deicing chemicals; Melting; Sodium chloride; Sodium chloride; Wetting
• Uncontrolled Terms: Prewetting
• Subject Areas: Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; I62: Winter Maintenance;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00721835
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0965231003
• Files: TRIS, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Jun 4 1996 12:00AM