backwoods07 Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 We had a little discussion the other day on the properties of salt (yea, we were that bored.) We talked about how salt melts ice and the melting/freezing point of salt. If water is saturated with salt, the freezing point is -21.1 degrees Celcius (-6 Fahrenheit). Soo, this is where we got confused. This would render putting salt down on streets to melt the ice inaffective below this temperature, yet I'm still seeing salt trucks dropping salt and its -20 right now. Do they add something else to their street salt to make it more efficient in extreme cold? I figured one of you guys/gals on here would have some first hand knowledge of this.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tominator Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 They could be putting sand down or calcium chloride. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texan_Til_I_Die Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 Also ground temp and air temp may be considerably different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevebeilgard Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 and don't forget the heat gaining qualities of blacktop, even from tire friction. notice how the streets always melt first? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWSmith Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 ...Do they add something else to their street salt to make it more efficient in extreme cold? Sometimes you just cant BEET mother nature:D http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2008/02/for_icy_roads_beet_juice_beats.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PotashRLS Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 Our Highway Departments don't use salt when its this cold because it is not effective. They mix a little bit with sand which allows the sun to have a darker surface to absorb the heat. For the interstates they use a chemical spray that works better, especially on all the overpasses and bridges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adjam5 Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 Our town uses a liquid salt brine and sand of some sort. It is supposed to work better than salt. They use it for the close proximity to many streams that they don't want polluted with calcium chloride or rock salt. Our storm drains are routed to our streams and eventually get to the Hudson river. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
backwoods07 Posted January 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 Sometimes you just cant BEET mother nature:D http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2008/02/for_icy_roads_beet_juice_beats.html I knew about this surprisingly! Figured it'd be a bit pricey for streets though And who woulda thought so many people had so much knowledge vested in salt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ladybird Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 out here in NW Indiana their not using anything to melt the ice,(and they wonder why all the accidents) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest oddg241 Posted January 17, 2009 Report Share Posted January 17, 2009 Flat Nebraska They use calcium chloride here or salt and small gravel. The gravel grates and grinds into the ice and snow with vehicles running over it to make way for the salt or chloride to get in deeper. Driving is no problem here, the stopping is!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrswtnhunt Posted January 17, 2009 Report Share Posted January 17, 2009 Very interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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