Lock Wall Deicing with Water Jets: Field Tests at Ship Locks in Montreal, Canada, and Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.

• Main Authors: Brierley,William H., Calkins,Darryl J., DenHartog,Stephen L., Mellor,Malcolm, Ueda,Herbert T.
• Other Authors: COLD REGIONS RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING LAB HANOVER N H
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1975
• Subjects: Snow; Ice and Permafrost; Civil Engineering; *WATER JETS; *DEICING SYSTEMS; *INLAND WATERWAYS; REMOVAL; PERFORMANCE(ENGINEERING); FIELD TESTS; HIGH PRESSURE; CONCRETE; ICE; WALLS; RIVERS; CANALS; CUTTING; MICHIGAN; ICE PENETRATION; QUEBEC; Canada; Nozzle; Ice; permafrost
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA021768; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA021768

Tests were made to evaluate a proposed technique for removing ice from lock walls during winter navigation. The technique involves use of a high-pressure water jet to slice through ice collars that adhere to vertical walls. The test equipment consisted of: (1) A jet lance tipped with a nozzle designed to produce a long coherent jet; (2) A small tractor (hydraulically driven) to carry the lance; and (3) A high-pressure pump unit to supply water to the lance. Tests were made with operating pressures from 3,000 to 14,000 lbf/sq in. and nozzle diameters from 0.063 to 0.152 in. Most of the work involved pressures around 9,000 lbf/sq in. and nozzle diameters of approximately 0.09 in. Traverse speeds were in the range 3 to 17 ft/min. Jet penetrations of up to 4 ft. were achieved in a single pass, and the equipment proved capable of cleaning the lock wall under the prevailing conditions. However, performance was somewhat less favorable than had been predicted, and a revised scheme involving changes in lock operating procedures was proposed. (Author)