Innovative hot water system for ice control at Aebi Schmidt

For more than 25 years, Aebi Schmidt and Waterkracht have worked together on innovative solutions for snow and ice control. We are manufacturer and supplier of the burner unit at the rear of the Stratos Lava. A spreader that fights slippery ice using a mixture of hot water and sand. An ambitious challenge, as the unit has to maintain a constant temperature even under extreme weather conditions.

The collaboration

• Collaboration has existed since 2000
• Waterpower has been brought in to create a plant that mixes hot water and sand to make the ice less slippery.
• The plant must be able to withstand the most extreme weather conditions.

Glacidity control on ice does not work with salt alone. Stratos Lava can be used when the use of conventional de-icing agents is not practical due to extreme conditions. The Lava application ensures permanent friction on the road surface by using heated water and spreading materials such as sand or grit (small pebbles). Icy and slippery roads, where wet salt, brine or dry salt are no longer effective, are made passable again thanks to the Stratos Lava.

Aebi Schmidt was looking for an alternative to make the ice less slippery. A mix of sand and hot water had to provide the solution here. On top of that, installation had to withstand the most extreme weather conditions. Technically, it is therefore a challenge to keep the outgoing water temperature constant.

Waterpower supervised the project from start to finish. From design and assembly to delivery to Aebi Schmidt. The installation used a double high-pressure oil burner and a proprietary control system capable of achieving a constant water temperature of 95°.

Unique features

• The outgoing water temperature remains constant 95° due to the deployment of an in-house control of the plant.
• The entire hot water system is mounted a self-developed frame.
• The heating systems have been tested both at Aebi Schmidt and in the field. User experiences have continuously improved the installation over the years.

Implementation

Prior to the Lava application, water is heated to 95 °C with a diesel-fired heater developed by Waterkracht and pumped into the tanks. During spreading, the hot water is sprayed onto the spreading material and then spread on the road surface as a heated mixture. Due to the high temperature, this partially penetrates the ice and creates a permanently rough surface. The burner units of Waterkracht are hereby mounted at the rear of the spreader.

Cooperation with Waterkracht has given Aebi Schmidt a unique method of reducing slipperiness on ice. All parties involved are happy with the end result. This is partly due to the long-standing cooperation and short lines of communication between them. More than 100 burner units have already been delivered by Waterkracht.