Propane Powered Ice / Snow Melter ???

[SpringHollow]

Hi Andy,

I think you will be surprised at how very long it takes.

Tires rated for ice would go a long ways. Nokian makes some great ones which work much better on a front wheel car than normal ones on a 4WD car. I can not imagine what it is like to have them on a 4WD car.

Ken

 

[Don87]

Thanks all of the suggestions, I now have a design based around a "MrHeater" infrared propane shop heater. The steel for the frame and the wheels will come from the scrap pile so my total out of pocket cost for the heater will run around $130.00 for the heater from Northern Tool. Nice thing is if the design doesn't work I can still use the heater in the shop.

Just for clarification what I have is a steep gravel driveway that after being scraped can have a thin layer of ice and I plan on melting 2 tracks ~ 18" wide in the areas that don't get much sun.

I'll take pictures of the final design and post some pictures when we get some snow.

If you are determined to do it with a heater..........at least start at the top, and work your way 'down the hill'.

If you go the opposite way, it will freeze behind you, and when it does............it will not be 1/2 inch thick anymore...........it will be closer to 2 inches.

 

[jake98]

If you're getting a big ice formation, you probably need better drainage in the area.

 

[NC4AB]

The ice layer I am dealing with is typically very, very thin - 1/8" or less.

If we get 1/2" of ice there won't be any need to clear the driveway because the roads will be covered for days.

 

[SensibleNick]

You are totally missing the point of what he is trying to accomplish. He is not heating pavement for a patch.

Suddenly I feel I should point out that I'm not a complete idiot.... :drool:
I read the Original post, and didn't fail to miss that he was trying to melt ice.

You in turn appear to have failed to read past the first sentence of my post, and totally missed the point I was trying to make.

My first sentence was simply pointing out that to raise the temperature of a piece of ground takes time - partly thanks to my ability to read, I know that this isn't the OP's actual goal.

Anway........ if the OP requires the ice to melt, and stay gone, then - whether it's his goal or not - he'll need to get some heat into the ground. Given the massive capacity for stone to hold thermal energy, if he stops heating/melting before he's raised the road surfaces' temperature, that surface is going drop to freezing in very little time.

My point was that "melting the ice" by burning immense amounts of gas is
a) a waste of time,
b) only going to be effective for 2 minutes, and
c) environmentally irresponsible.

In addition - as the driveway in question is gravel - it will not be possible to "burn off" the water. There will always be water in it ready to re-freeze.

You might as well try to keep a 20 meter steel beam at a nice cherry-red with a small blowtorch.

1/8" ice eh? That is the perfect scenario for grit/sand. :thumbsup:

 

[SensibleNick]

Tires rated for ice would go a long ways. Nokian makes some great ones which work much better on a front wheel car than normal ones on a 4WD car. I can not imagine what it is like to have them on a 4WD car.

On a 4WD car they're excellent. :thumbsup:
Are you allowed Studded tyres on cars in the US? I run studded Yokohamas on one of mine, and un-studded Nokian Hakkapelitta 7's on the other.
Nokains with studs below...

 

[Duffster]

Sensible Nick seems to have an appropriate username for this thread.

I don't know how to put it other than to say the ice will melt on it's own before you get anywhere this way.

 

[JoeL4330]

if you have a gravel drive already, have you considered spreading some larger gravel, say #3 on the trouble spots?

and/or, there are better ice-melters than salt ...

DR Power Equipment - Liquid Ice Melt With Sprayer

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200394382_200394382

Bare Ground Deluxe Liquid Deicing Snow Melt System - Bare Ground Liquid Ice Melt

 

[Duffster]

if you have a gravel drive already, have you considered spreading some larger gravel, say #3 on the trouble spots?

and/or, there are better ice-melters than salt ...

DR Power Equipment - Liquid Ice Melt With Sprayer

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200394382_200394382

Bare Ground Deluxe Liquid Deicing Snow Melt System - Bare Ground Liquid Ice Melt

Almost all "ice melters" are salt.

 

[SensibleNick]

Sensible Nick seems to have an appropriate username for this thread.

The name was infact given to me in irony... but when people set themselves on wasting time & money and show a keen will to abuse the planet then I put the sensible hat on.

.. Bah.. what would I know? I'm only an engineer who - amongst other things - designs induction heating components for machines that heat/cool at high frequency. I've only got a few years of calculating specific heat capacities, energy requirements and cycle times under my belt.. So my gut-feeling is probably *way* out.

You should ignore me really. Infact, I'm probably wrong. Heating up water and letting it flow onto a cold surface with a huge thermal mass is probably the right way to deal with it...
And fortunately, that kind of machine actually exists and has a name.

It's called a ZAMBONI.

Now.. Where's my Popcorn?