Snow removal blasters/melters

[deeps]

After seeing reports of Heathrow grinding to a halt, and the snow ploughs running out of room to shove the snow to, I wondered why they don't just melt it as they go?

I mean a couple of those space heater thingies attached to the front of a plough would shirley just melt it all away?

Is there a flaw to my plan?

Ps. I have nothing to do with space heater sales!

http://www.spaceheaters.co.uk/Product/Indirect

[dvs_dave]

Brooklands air museum has an exhibit from the 60/70's that's truck with a gas turbine mounted on it blowing forwards through a forked duct to melt and blow snow and ice quickly out the way for runway clearance. Not sure if such contraptions are still in use today but I thought it a bloody good (if noisy) idea.

[The Tea Boy]

poss problem could be ice instead

[Simpo Two]

deeps said:

After seeing reports of Heathrow grinding to a halt, and the snow ploughs running out of room to shove the snow to, I wondered why they don't just melt it as they go?

I mean a couple of those space heater thingies attached to the front of a plough would shirley just melt it all away?

Is there a flaw to my plan?

Yes, the sheer energy required to melt the ice into water. And it would just refreeze leaving ice, which would be worse.

[The_Cheeseman]

I'm pretty sure they have a turbine on the back of a flatbed at Santa Pod for drying out the strip when there are a few damp patches... I think that's what it was, I may or may not have been drunk and made this up.

[Amused2death]

The_Cheeseman said:

I'm pretty sure they have a turbine on the back of a flatbed at Santa Pod for drying out the strip when there are a few damp patches... I think that's what it was, I may or may not have been drunk and made this up.

Rockingham definitly has(or at least had) a jet on the back of a truck, was used to try and dry the track out for the first champcar race held in the UK

[Simpo Two]

Yebbut - drying surface water is not the same as shifting snowdrifts.

[TheEnd]

Amused2death said:

The_Cheeseman said:

I'm pretty sure they have a turbine on the back of a flatbed at Santa Pod for drying out the strip when there are a few damp patches... I think that's what it was, I may or may not have been drunk and made this up.

Rockingham definitly has(or at least had) a jet on the back of a truck, was used to try and dry the track out for the first champcar race held in the UK

Maybe borrowed from santa pod?

As for the fireball/snow idea, i've tried it.
Can of Lynx, lighter, snow = the results were pretty crap, it needs loads of heat to melt snow and snow is quite a good insulator too

[Roger645]

I tried to clear some snow from my drive today with a petrol engined leaf blower. Fecking usless half of it ended up on me and the rest just landed back from whence it came!

[grumbas]

Roger645 said:

I tried to clear some snow from my drive today with a petrol engined leaf blower. Fecking usless half of it ended up on me and the rest just landed back from whence it came!

I tried this too it was a spectacular fail - the top inch just went everywhere and the remaining 7-8 inches refused to budge!

[mybrainhurts]

All you need is Dave--------->

[Sgt Bilko]

Airports where snow is common tend to invest in these puppies!

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ItHcU3ADJQw&feat...