Anti-icing spray system

• US 20060113401A1
• Filed: 11/29/2004
• Published: 06/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Energy Absorption Systems, Inc. (Rush Hour Intermediate II LLC)
• Original Assignee: Energy Absorption Systems, Inc. (Rush Hour Intermediate II LLC)
• Inventors: Thompson, Sean, Leonhardt, Patrick A.
• Application Number:
  US10/998,864
• Publication Number:
  US 20060113401A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 239/69
• CPC Class Codes: E01H 10/005 Permanently-installed devices for applying gritting or thawing materials, e.g. for spreading grit, for spraying de-icing liquids

Abstract

A method of applying an anti-icing solution to a roadway includes providing a plurality of spaced apart spray nozzles defining a system length. The plurality of spray nozzles are coupled to a plurality of spray valves. The method further includes supplying a pressurized anti-icing solution to each of the plurality of spray valves from a source of the anti-icing solution positioned upstream of the plurality of said spray valves. The method also includes opening the plurality of spray valves for a plurality of predetermined time periods, wherein the predetermined time periods of at least some of the plurality of spray valves are greater than the predetermined time periods of at least some other of the plurality of spray valves positioned upstream therefrom. In another aspect, an anti-icing assembly includes an anti-icing solution source, a valve in fluid communication with the anti-icing solution source, a nozzle connected to the valve, and a pressure detecting device coupled between the nozzle and the valve.

Claims

1. A method of applying an anti-icing solution to a roadway comprising:

providing a plurality of spaced apart spray nozzles defining a system length, wherein said plurality of spray nozzles are coupled to a plurality of spray valves;

supplying a pressurized anti-icing solution to each of said plurality of spray valves from a source of said anti-icing solution positioned upstream of said plurality of said spray valves; and

opening said plurality of spray valves for a plurality of predetermined time periods, wherein said predetermined time periods of at least some of said plurality of spray valves are greater than said predetermined time periods of at least some other of said plurality of spray valves.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said at least some other of said plurality of said spray valves are positioned at a greater elevation than said at least some of said plurality of said spray valves.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein a plurality of lengths of conduit connect said plurality of spray valves with respective ones of said plurality of said spray nozzles, wherein said conduits connecting said at least some other of said plurality of said spray valves to respective ones of said plurality of said spray nozzles valves have a lesser length than said conduits connecting said at least some of said plurality of said spray valves to respective ones of said plurality of said spray nozzles valves.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said supplying said pressurized anti-icing solution comprises pumping said anti-icing solution from a reservoir positioned upstream of said plurality of said spray valves.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said at least some other of said plurality of spray valves are positioned upstream of said at least some of said plurality of spray valves.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said plurality of said spray valves are positioned a plurality of distances from said reservoir, and further comprising determining said plurality of predetermined time periods as a function of said plurality of distances.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein each of said plurality of spray nozzles is associated with a corresponding one of said plurality of spray valves.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising spraying said anti-icing solution from each of said plurality of said spray nozzles a predetermined distance.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein each of said plurality of said spray nozzles has a spraying configuration, wherein said spraying configuration of at least some of said spray nozzles is different than said spraying configuration of at least some other of said spray nozzles.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said spraying configuration comprises an orifice size.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said at least some other of said spray nozzles are positioned upstream of said at least some of said spray nozzles, and wherein said orifice size of said at least some other of said spray nozzles are smaller than orifice size of said at least some of said spray nozzles.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein said spraying configuration comprises a discharge angle.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said at least some other of said spray nozzles are positioned upstream of said at least some of said spray nozzles, and wherein said discharge angle of said at least some other of said spray nozzles is smaller than said discharge angle of said at least some of said spray nozzles

14. The method of claim 1 wherein said opening said plurality of spray valves for a plurality of predetermined time periods comprises successively opening said plurality of said spray valves.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said plurality of predetermined time periods comprises a plurality of first predetermined time periods, and further comprising successively maintaining said plurality of spray valves in a closed position for a plurality of second predetermined time periods between said plurality of said first predetermined time periods.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising automatically determining said predetermined time periods with a computer.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising monitoring the flow of said anti-icing solution through each of said plurality of spray valves.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein at least some of said plurality of predetermined time periods are the same.

19. The method of claim 1 further comprising spraying substantially the same volume of said anti-icing solution from each of said plurality of spray nozzles when each of said plurality of spray nozzles is opened for one of said predetermined time periods.

20. A method of applying an anti-icing solution to a roadway comprising:

providing a plurality of spaced apart spray nozzles defining a system length, wherein said plurality of spray nozzles are coupled to a plurality of spray valves;

pumping an anti-icing solution from a reservoir with a pump located at one end of said system length upstream of said plurality of said spray nozzles and spray valves, wherein said plurality of said spray valves are positioned a plurality of distances from said reservoir;

supplying said anti-icing solution to each of said plurality of spray valves from said reservoir;

successively opening said plurality of spray valves for a plurality of first predetermined time periods, wherein said first predetermined time periods of at least some of said plurality of said spray valves are greater than said first predetermined time periods of at least some other of said plurality of said spray valves positioned upstream of said at least some of said plurality of said spray valves, and wherein said plurality of first predetermined time periods are determined as a function of said plurality of distances of said spray valves from said reservoir; and

successively maintaining said plurality of spray valves in a closed position for a plurality of second predetermined time periods between said plurality of said first predetermined time periods.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein each of said plurality of spray nozzles is associated with a corresponding one of said plurality of spray valves.

22. The method of claim 20 further comprising spraying said anti-icing solution from each of said plurality of said spray nozzles a predetermined distance.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein each of said plurality of said spray nozzles has a spraying configuration, wherein said spraying configuration of at least some of said spray nozzles is different than said spraying configuration of at least some other of said spray nozzles.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein said spraying configuration comprises an orifice size.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein said at least some other of said spray nozzles are positioned upstream of said at least some of said spray nozzles, and wherein said orifice size of said at least some other of said spray nozzles are smaller than orifice size of said at least some of said spray nozzles.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein said spraying configuration comprises a discharge angle.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein said at least some other of said spray nozzles are positioned upstream of said at least some of said spray nozzles, and wherein said discharge angle of said at least some other of said spray nozzles is smaller than said discharge angle of said at least some of said spray nozzles

28. The method of claim 20 further comprising automatically determining said predetermined time periods with a computer.

29. The method of claim 20 further comprising monitoring the flow of said anti-icing solution through each of said plurality of spray valves.

30. The method of claim 20 wherein at least some of said first plurality of time periods are the same.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein at least some of said second plurality of time periods are the same.

32. The method of claim 20 further comprising spraying substantially the same volume of said anti-icing solution from each of said plurality of spray nozzles when each of said plurality of spray nozzles is opened for one of said first predetermined time periods.

33. An anti-icing assembly comprising:

an anti-icing solution source;

a valve in fluid communication with said anti-icing solution source;

a nozzle connected to said valve; and

a pressure detecting device coupled between said nozzle and said valve.

34. The anti-icing assembly of claim 33 wherein said pressure detecting device comprises a pressure switch.

35. The anti-icing assembly of claim 33 wherein said pressure detecting device comprises a pressure sensor.

36. A method of applying an anti-icing solution to a roadway comprising:

providing an anti-icing solution source, a valve in fluid communication with said anti-icing solution source, a nozzle connected to said valve, and a pressure detecting device coupled between said nozzle and said valve;

opening said valve; and

determining whether a valve-open pressure is applied when said valve is open with said pressure detecting device.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein said pressure detecting device comprises a pressure switch, and wherein said determining whether said valve-open pressure is applied when said valve is open comprises determining whether said pressure switch has changed state.

38. The method of claim 36 further comprising sending an error signal if said applied valve-open pressure is less than a predetermined valve-open pressure.

39. The method of claim 36 further comprising closing said valve and determining whether a valve-closed pressure continues to be applied after said valve is closed with said pressure detecting device.

40. The method of claim 39 wherein said pressure detecting device comprises a pressure switch, and wherein said determining whether said valve-closed pressure continues to be applied after said valve is closed comprises determining whether said pressure switch has changed state.

41. The method of claim 39 further comprising sending an error signal if said applied valve-closed pressure is greater than a predetermined valve-closed pressure.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein said predetermined valve-closed pressure is about 0.

43. The method of claim 36 wherein said pressure detecting device comprises a pressure sensor.