Anti-icing reagents are modern means that provide patency in large cities. With their help, roads can be made safer, and the means themselves are environmentally friendly.
How do reagents work?
Most of these tools are designed to lower the melting point of snow. When snowing, deicing reagents lead to the fact that the active substance generates heat, which quickly cleans roads from icing and drifts. All mixtures are solid or liquid, in our country the first option is most often used, since it differs:
- Ease of use.
- No need to use special equipment and special staff training.
- Low expense with a large coverage area.
Solids are most often granular and have better melting ability. In addition, some deicing reagents of this type can be used even at temperatures below 30 degrees. Some formulations are complemented by corrosion inhibitors that protect the pavement from damage. The snow melts and is easily removed, and the degree of slip decreases, due to which the road becomes clean and safe.
From the history
The need for reagents arises every winter, as this is the easiest way to timely avoid the formation of ice on the roads. Production of anti-icing reagents is carried out in accordance with GOST, so that the final composition does not have a harmful effect on the natural balance, is easily removed from the soil and does not cause damage to car tires. Due to the fact that modern technologies are being improved, and the quantity and quality of raw materials used is growing, modern anti-icing products can ensure environmental friendliness and safety of use.
It is noteworthy, over the past years, these compositions have changed significantly, and the usual sand-salt mixture (92% sand, 8% technical salt) has been replaced by more modern anti-icing reagents. Their composition is different, which depends on the purpose of the product and its scope. The use of sand-salt mixture over time became impractical, since in the spring there was sand on the roads, which clogged the gutters. Later it was decided to use just technical reagent as a reagent, which quickly melted the ice, was resistant to frost and constant action.
On the other hand, such anti-icing reagents — technical salt first of all — also had disadvantages. First of all, they were expressed in the erosion of car bodies, shoes of passers-by, and where the soil turned out to be too saline, nothing grew.
Primary requirements
The principle of operation of most anti-ice products is simple: it absorbs moisture from ice, as water is saturated, crystals pass into a liquid, heat up and melt frozen crystals. Today, different anti-icing reagents can be used to treat the roadway - GOST is different for each material, as well as technical requirements:
- Maximum environmental safety.
- No harm to the natural balance of the soil.
- High efficiency: that is, the means at low concentrations should be distinguished by fast operation at any temperature.
- Easy to use: most formulations are scattered on the soil or sprayed on it.
Composition
Deicing reagents for the most part consist of various salts - chlorides, chlorates, hydrochlorides, which begin to act at extreme temperatures, and they act instantly. The effectiveness of the reagents is increased due to several components:
- anticorrosive additives;
- biophilic components that improve soil quality;
- accelerating additives that operate in extreme temperatures;
- baking powder.
Calcium chloride
In recent years, more advanced deicing agents have been used, the technical characteristics of which contribute to compliance with environmental standards. And the usual solid formulations were replaced by effective liquid formulations that are easy to apply and leave no residue on the road, on wheels, or on shoes. Of the liquid analogues, HKM is used, which is spent less, is able to melt ice even at low temperatures and prevents the appearance of ice.
On the other hand, the anti-icing reagent based on calcium chloride also had disadvantages:
- It operates for only three hours, so road processing should be ongoing.
- Scientists who studied the composition of this tool, came to the conclusion that when it is used, the coefficient of adhesion of tires to the road surface is reduced, that is, it turns out that HCM attracts moisture, while technical salt repels it.
- Calcium chloride did not meet the requirements of environmental friendliness, as it could cause allergies and corroded the metal of vehicles.
Pros and cons
Experts note that due to the hygroscopic properties, calcium chloride reacts with it when it gets on the snow and releases heat. Such anti-icing reagents, the technical characteristics of which are very different, do not harm the environment. The benefits of using this deicing agent include:
- the ability to quickly and deeply penetrate the ice layer;
- operational ice melting and soil fertilization;
- reduction in the adhesion forces of ice and road surface due to the formation of brine;
- reagent activity, which affects its lower consumption.
Aismelt
The use of anti-icing reagents is aimed at timely cleaning of city streets from snow. Aismelt is a modified substance that can act at the lowest possible temperature of -20 degrees. The use of this substance is advisable due to its effectiveness, efficiency, safety and the possibility of use even on grass. By structure, the ice coping agent is gray crystalline granules consisting of calcium chloride, sodium chloride, a corrosion inhibitor, which is needed to protect the surface.
Application of Aysmelt
The composition of the material allows you to use it in two directions:
- As a preventative measure. In this case, AISMELT is used in advance, even before the onset of winter, to process the coating, which is most at risk of icing. It is best if the treatment will be conducted before rainfall. The substance should be evenly distributed over the surface.
- To combat the ice. In this case, the material is applied to the ice surface, dissolving the particles. Before processing, the coating must be free of loose snow.
These deicing materials reagents have several features:
- easy to use;
- consumed in small quantities;
- do not contain harmful substances and impurities, therefore, if used correctly, they will be safe for nature, people and animals.
Granite crumb
This anti-icing drug has been used in this capacity for a long time, since it has no harmful substances, and its cost pleases availability. To treat the road against ice, a crumb of a fraction of 2-5 mm is suitable, which is easy to distribute on the surface. Granite chips differ:
- strength;
- durability;
- environmental friendliness and safety;
- use at any temperature.
Granite crumb is produced by crushing crushed stone of granite rocks, after which the material is sieved and washed - this is necessary in order to rid the composition of granite dust. Of course, this is not a reagent in the literal sense of the word, since crumbs do not melt ice, but due to its high abrasiveness and good adhesion to the ice surface, the material has found wide application in this quality as well.
Peskosol
Perhaps the sand-salt mixture is the most popular way to get rid of ice. It is a combination of river sand with industrial salt. The use of this composition is advisable due to the low cost and the possibility of application in any temperature conditions. The mixture is created taking into account certain proportions, which depends on the degree of frost and the characteristics of the treated surface. The effectiveness of using this reagent is explained by several features:
- sand due to its abrasiveness contributes to better adhesion of the wheels of vehicles and the surface of the roadway;
- technical salt provides ice melting, making it less slippery.
Among the advantages of using this composition are affordable cost, ease of use, quick action on the roadway and use in any conditions. But it is worth remembering that if sand of low grade is used, in which there are a lot of small particles, this will lead to the formation of a mash on the road. A good mixture consists of refined fractional sand. The second point - the use of the composition is advisable only if the temperature is not lower than 20 degrees, since at its lower indices the mixture will stick together and it will not be easy to evenly distribute it.
Liquid products
Today, liquid deicing reagents are increasingly popular. They are most often based on calcium chloride, and their main purpose is to deal with ice on the winter road, which accounts for a high traffic intensity. The advantages of using precisely liquid formulations include:
- impact on ice;
- facilitating snow removal mechanically;
- ensuring road safety;
- quick surface distribution;
- ease of transportation.
Technology features
For the first time, liquid reagent technology was used in Europe, and today it is popular in Russia. The essence of the process is that dry salt is moistened with solutions based on calcium chloride, which increases its effectiveness. Wetting technology is good in that:
- The reagent is evenly distributed on the surface of the road.
- The adhesion of the composition and the road surface becomes better.
- The reagent remains on the road and is not carried away by cars, unlike solid materials, so it is advisable to use liquid solutions on the road with high intensity.
- The use of a liquid reagent reduces the salt load on the environment.
Selection rules
Before choosing anti-icing material, it is necessary to take into account its characteristics such as:
- High melting ability. For example, calcium chloride is more effective than technical salt in terms of its effect on the ice cover.
- Sufficient crystallization temperature, which allows the reagent to be used for a long time.
- Acceptable viscosity of the composition, which guarantees the safety of its use on the roadway. If the material contains calcium chloride, then it can be used even at extreme temperatures.
Remember that liquid reagents are more effective, as the surface is wetted. In addition, the use of such compositions is advisable due to the uniform distribution over the road surface, low consumption and wide temperature range of operation.