Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/101364
A CLOSER LOOK By Sean Randall Deicing chemicals R oad crews have used many materials to deice winter roads over the years. Some newer formulations are less corrosive to truck metals than traditional salt-based treatments, but they���re also more expensive. Inorganic salt begins to melt the frozen precipitation. In below-zero temps, salt is ineffective, but additives such as calcium chloride, potassium chloride Spreading sodium chloride ��� no different than table salt ��� traditionally has been the most popular and magnesium chloride provide an even lower freezing point. Those additives, though, can damage method of deicing roads because it is cheap and sidewalks and roads if left for too long. effective. Ice or snow usually has a thin coat of Salt sometimes is mixed with dirt, sand or gravel water, so salt mixes with it. Salt water has a lower freezing point ��� 0 degrees ��� than plain water, so it to help with traction. Organic compounds Some salt alternatives are organic compounds, such as calcium magnesium acetate. While these are far more expensive, they are only about as corrosive as tap water and are effective down to -17�� degrees. Potassium acetate, often used on airport runways, is used as a food preservative and in fire extinguishers. Urea ��� now familiar to truckers as the key ingredient in diesel exhaust fluid ��� is also a noncorroding alternative used in products such as dish soap and Nair and is used to resurface snowboarding halfpipes. Alcohols Some chemicals such as methanol and ethyl glycol can be used on roads, and propylene glycol is used to deice aircraft. But these generally are avoided due to cost and the potential for runoff to contaminate water. These chemicals are used more commonly in antifreeze. 28 | Overdrive | January 2013