Thermochemical ice melting
AssigneeArctic Systems Limited
InventorPeter H. F. Gammon
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method is described for melting ice, e.g. for penetrating ice, snow, frozen soils and other low melting solid materials where frozen water is a principal constituent. It comprises directly contacting the material to be melted with a melting agent comprising at least one compound selected from the hydroxides, monoxides, methoxides and amides of the alkali metals, lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium and cesium. Mixtures of at least two of these compounds are preferably used to form ice melting compositions of specific characteristics.
Claims33
A melting agent for melting ice comprising a mixture of at least two compounds selected from the group consisting of lithium hydroxide, lithium monoxide, lithium methoxide, lithium amide, sodium hydroxide, sodium monoxide, sodium methoxide, sodium amide, potassium hydroxide, potassium monoxide, potassium methoxide, potassium amide, rubidium hydroxide, rubidium monoxide, rubidium methoxide, rubidium amide, cesium hydroxide, cesium monoxide, cesium methoxide and cesium amide, said melting agent being in solid, anhydrous, water-soluble form, with the compounds and proportions thereof in the melting agent being selected to rapidly generate heat at a controlled rate through dissolution of the melting agent when directly contacting ice.
A method for melting ice which comprises directly contacting the ice to be melted with a melting agent comprising a solid, anhydrous mixture of at least two compounds selected from the group consisting of lithium hydroxide, lithium monoxide, lithium methoxide, lithium amide, sodium hydroxide, sodium monoxide, sodium methoxide, sodium amide, potassium hydroxide, potassium monoxide, potassium methoxide, potassium amide rubidium hydroxide, rubidium monoxide, rubidium methoxide, rubidium amide, cesium hydroxide, cesium monoxide, cesium methoxide and cesium amide and melting the ice by rapidly generating heat at a controlled rate through dissolution of the melting agent while directly contacting the ice.
A method for melting ice which comprises directly contacting the ice to be melted with a melting agent comprising a single compound selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide, sodium monoxide, sodium methoxide, sodium amide, potassium hydroxide, potassium monoxide, potassium methoxide, potassium amide, rubidium hydroxide, rubidium monoxide, rubidium methoxide, rubidium amide, cesium hydroxide, cesium monoxide and cesium methoxide, thereby melting the ice by rapidly generating heat at a controlled rate through dissolution of the melting agent while directly contacting the ice.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.