An analysis of hydronic heating pavement to optimize the required energy for anti-icing

Journal article, 2018

The aim of this study is to determine the optimal required energy for anti-icing the road surface using a Hydronic Heating Pavement (HHP). A hybrid 3D numerical model is used to simulate the transient anti-icing operation of the HHP system. Moreover, a superposition principle is used to separate the numerical simulation model into two fundamental sub-models: (i) a model with supplying heat to the HHP system and (ii) a model without any heat supply. The criteria for determining the optimal required energy is to increase the temperature at the road surface to provide an ice-free road. To ensure the anti-icing, the temperature threshold of +0.49 °C is added to the required temperature increase at the road surface. The optimal required energy is calculated using a linear programming optimization method. The climate data are obtained from Östersund, a city in the middle of Sweden with long and cold winters. Furthermore, the maximum heat flux supplied to the HHP system is constrained to be 200 W/m2. The results of optimization reveal that the optimal required energy is 106.6 kWh/(m2year). Supplying this amount of energy to the HHP system leads to remain only three hours of the slippery conditions at the road surface.