National Concrete Pavement Technology Center

Project description

The proposed project will implement a micro-radiant heating system (MRHS) as a retrofit layer on the surface of existing concrete pavement. The technology will utilize a combination solar photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) system and novel thermally active materials to keep surfaces free of snow and ice. The self-contained system will effectively provide heating, improve safety, reduce winter maintenance, while reducing carbon emissions to the environment compared to existing technologies, and eliminating the usage of deicing salt for the control of ice/snow during cold seasons. To enhance the performance, the system will incorporate low operating temperature phase change material (PCMs) based heat transfer fluid (HTF) and surface composition to circulate/store the energy in the system. The latent heat release from the PCMs provide backup source of energy during days when little-to-no-sun is available. As an additional benefit, the system will reduce the number of freeze-thaw cycles experienced by the pavement, improving long-term durability.