Anti-icing systems could make airport runways safer and less expensive to maintain during winter months. College of Engineering researchers are developing a system that uses a conventional photovoltaic system to supply energy to a conductive concrete slab that would function as a surface overlay on runways. Energy conducted throughout the slabs allows them to continually maintain temperatures above freezing and thus prevent accumulation of snow and ice.
“Major U.S. airports do a good job of keeping runways safe and clear of ice and snow,” said Ernie Heymsfield, associate professor of civil engineering. “But this is a labor-intensive and expensive process, especially for northern airports. The St. Paul, Minnesota, airport, for example, budgets approximately $4 million annually for snow removal. For various reasons, including the fact that it is grid-energy independent, our system could put a huge dent in this budget.”
After initial design, Heymsfield now leads a team of researchers who are testing the slab at the university’s Engineering Research Center in south Fayetteville.