Potassium acetate-based alternatives for application by a fixed salting device on the road
On expressways operated by Nexco Central, sodium chloride has been the conventional deicer. However, it shortens the service life of road structures. Toward mitigating salt damage to road structures while maintaining deicing effectiveness and economy, potassium acetate-based alternatives are sought for freezing-prone spots where greater effectiveness is desired and fixed deicing devices are used. Potassium acetate has several advantages.
- It has greater deicing effectiveness than sodium chloride alone or a sodium propionate/ sodium chloride mixture
- It is no more damaging to road structures than rainwater is.
- It can be used at tunnel portals and approaches and other freezing-prone spots, where greater effectiveness is desired.
- It is good for spreading as an aqueous solution from fixed spraying devices. The photo shows a potassium acetate spraying device. The road shown here has been sprayed with potassium acetate when the snowfall intensity is less than 2 cm/h.
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