Ice prevention

An Aeroflot Airbus A330-200 undergoing de-icing at Sheremetyevo International Airport.

Ice prevention methods can be divided in two ways, into anti-icing and de-icing, or into active and passive methods. Anti-icing methods prevent ice from accreting (treating the material against ice formation), and de-icing methods remove ice. Active methods apply when needed, and passive methods work on their own. Most efficient ice prevention is combining methods.

• Anti-icing methods prevent ice from accreting. anti-icing can be used to decrease ice adhesion, which will make it easier to remove through de-icing methods.
• De-icing methods remove ice. De-icing methods can benefit from the decreased ice adhesion granted by anti-icing.