29 MARCH 2025 WorldWide Drilling Resource® Unique Geothermal Deicing System Adapted from Information by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) U.S. Highway 287, overseen by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), serves as a significant highway for tens of thousands of vehicles daily, traversing north and south, passing through the Dallas/Fort Worth region. While rare, freezing rain and snow can bring the region to a standstill and pose serious risks for motorists navigating elevated bridges. To counteract icy conditions, Dallas, like most cities, relies on salt and sand compounds, but these have unintended consequences such as pavement damage, bridge corrosion, and water pollution. Dispatching salt or sand trucks during unexpected storms puts staff in harm’s way, and the accumulated costs of snow removal equipment, labor, fuel, deicing agents, and system maintenance can be prohibitive. Department of Civil Engineering Professor Dr. Xinbao Yu of the University of Texas at Arlington and Professor Dr. Anand Puppala of Texas A&M University collaborated on a research project to explore the use of geothermal heat pumps to melt ice and snow on bridges, reducing maintenance costs and potentially saving lives while providing a sustainable alternative to salt and sand. TxDOT recognized the safety potential and funded the work, which consisted of two phases: a conceptual study involving pilot bridge mockups and laboratory testing to validate the idea, the implementation, and study of the real-life performance of the geothermal heat pump system installed on one of Highway 287’s bridges. To facilitate fieldwork for students, researchers chose an in-service Fort Worth bridge near the campus and low to the ground. They installed a control room with heat pumps, monitoring instrumentation, and other equipment, including a thermostat that automatically turns the system on. The system includes 16 boreholes, each drilled 300 feet deep to supply a minimum of 68ºF (20ºC) fluid to four heat pumps for it to keep the bridge at a constant temperature of 100ºF (37.7ºC), preventing ice and snow from forming. This not only ensures drivers safety, it offers a sustainable alternative to chemical deicing, preventing corrosion damage, and pollution associated with using these compounds. “What we are doing is sound, safe, and efficient. We took the idea of using geothermal heat pumps for bridge deicing to the next level, creating an optimal way of deicing using innovative materials and applications,” said Dr. Yu. The system provides extra advantages, including pipes mounted under the bridge deck for simple identification and repair of any leaky pipes rather than being set within the concrete of the bridge during construction. Furthermore, the system’s efficiency is increased by foam core insulation that covers the pipes, ensuring the heat produced by the system is transferred the bridge deck rather than escaping into the air. Pipe loops spaced six inches apart insulate 4300 square feet of bridge deck. Photo courtesy of the University of Texas at Arlington. GEO For more information call: (270) 786-3010 or visit us online: www.geothermalsupply.com All New! Atlantis-Pro Vault • Traffic-Rated Capable • Simple installation • Trouble-free operation
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