Application of Electrical Energy to Culvert Icing Problems. A Laboratory Study.

A laboratory study was made to investigate the use of electric heat cables to counteract culvert icing. An automatic system for producing a thaw tunnel of a preselected diameter was developed and tested. An 80-in.-long, 1 ft-diam culvert with a 10 ft copper sheath heating cable modeled a typical Ala...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Gaskin,David A., Stanley,Leonard E.
Other Authors: COLD REGIONS RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING LAB HANOVER N H
Format: Text
Language:English
Published: 1974
Subjects:
Snow
Ice and Permafrost
Air Condition
Heating
Lighting & Ventilating
Civil Engineering
*Roads
*Deicing systems
*Electric heaters
Drainage
Ice formation
Land ice
Cold regions
Cost analysis
Alaska
Computer programs
FORTRAN
*Culverts
Ice
permafrost
Online Access:http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/AD0777516
http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=AD0777516
Description
Summary:A laboratory study was made to investigate the use of electric heat cables to counteract culvert icing. An automatic system for producing a thaw tunnel of a preselected diameter was developed and tested. An 80-in.-long, 1 ft-diam culvert with a 10 ft copper sheath heating cable modeled a typical Alaskan installation. Tests were made to evaluate several continuous power levels, a short-term percentage timer, and the automatic system. Maximum efficiency (cross section produced/unit energy input) occurred when the cable was operated continuously at its maximum permissible power level. The short-term timer system was less efficient than applying the same amount of energy continuously. The automatic system performed well in the laboratory, but may need additional design work to ensure high reliability in field applications. (Modified author abstract)

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