Anti-freeze substances
Anti-freeze substances are used for example in railway tyraffic as a de-icing method.
For the train itself, there are deicing facilities, where hot water or chemicals like propylene glycol are used in de-icing. De-icing of rails and train carts can be done for example with electrical heating and using hot water to power wash the carts.
Some railway companies have specialized trains to be used for ice clearance of the track. They have de-icing tools attached to them. These trains are equipped with snow ploughs, brushes or scrapers, and hot air blowers, steam jets and anti-freeze sprays.
Train carts are de-iced by washing them in. This washing can also include applying of antifreeze substances.
Hot water is efficient only for short term de-icing but can increase icing in the long term.
De-icing with glycol is an alternative to water, but glycol dripping from the train is another issue that needs to be taken care of.
Propylene glycol has been used for de-icing in aviation for years. It has been shown to be more effective than air or water in de-icing. Heated propylene glycol can be used the same way that water is used, sprayed at the ice-covered train. This would also leave propylene glycol on the train, which has an anti-freeze effect. The effect would only be temporary, because propylene glycol is water soluble, and would eventually be washed of by weather. But time needed for de-icing would be reduced. It is also more environmentally friendly than ethylene glycol.
More on this topic: de-icing chemicals in aviation
References
- ↑ Niklas Kandelin: Icing Factors Affecting Railway Traffic Master of Science Thesis Tampere University Master’s Degree Programme, Materials Science October 2021
- ↑ Kloow, L. (2011). High-speed train operation in winter climate. KTH Railway Group Publication 1106.
- ↑ Li, G. (2018). Fundamentals of icing and common strategies for designing biomimetic anti-icing surfaces. Journal of Materials Chemistry. A, Materials for Energy and Sustainability, 6(28), 13549–13581.
- ↑ Makkonen, L. (2012) Ice Adhesion -Theory, Measurements and Countermeasures. Journal of adhesion science and technology. [Online] 26 (4- 5), 413–445.
- ↑ Rolling stock anti-Icing, Nordic Winter Solutions, webpage, available (accessed 4.3.2021): http://www.nordicws.com/rollingstock/
- ↑ TRAIN ANTI-ICING SYSTEM, Railshine, webpage, available (accessed 4.3.2021): https://railshine.com/en/products/station-ferroviaire-antigivre/