THE USE OF HEAT PIPES TO PREVENT ICE FORMATION ON HIGHWAY BRIDGE DECKS

Sufficient heat can be transported from the surrounding ground to a bridge deck by heat pipes to both reduce the number of freeze-thaw cycles and to reduce the time during which the surface is below freezing. In a computer model of the thermal response of a bridge during a sample month, the use of heat pipes spaced six inches apart reduced the number of freeze-thaw cycles by 58% and the time that the surface was below freezing by 87%. While even higher performance is possible, economic and structural constraints will certainly preclude the elimination of all freezing. A screen covered groove heat pipe using ammonia as a working fluid appears to yield the best performance. Computer models are presented to analyse the performance of such heat pipes and to predict the thermal response of a highway bridge with heat pipes to either idealized or actual meteorological conditions. Recommendations are made for further work. /Author/

• Corporate Authors:

  University of Oklahoma, Norman

  Research Institute
  Norman, OK  United States  73019

  Oklahoma Department of Highways

  200 NE 21st Street
  Oklahoma City, OK  United States  73105
• Authors:
  • Witwer, J G
  • Sommers, D W
• Publication Date: 0

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 58 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Airborne navigational aids; Ammonia; Bridge decks; Computers; Forecasting; Freezing; Heat pipes; Highway bridges; Ice prevention; Meteorology; Side looking radar; Thaw
• Uncontrolled Terms: Freeze thaw cycles
• Old TRIS Terms: Side looking airborne radar
• Subject Areas: Geotechnology; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00159608
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: Project 73-05-2
• Files: TRIS, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Nov 23 1977 12:00AM