Wednesday, September 24, 2008
2008 R&D 100 Winner
Ice and snow removal from runways and taxiways/pavements is important for aerospace transportation safety. The currently used runway deicing fluids (RDFs) use chemicals that damage aircraft and airfield equipment and materials, as well as threaten the ecology of the receiving wastewaters. To overcome these drawbacks, researchers at Battelle Memorial Institute, Columbus, Ohio, jointly with researchers from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Wash., and the Air Force Materiel Command, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, developed Battelle-RDF: Environmentally Benign and Reduced Corrosion Runway Deicing Fluid. In addition to removing ice and snow from airport runways and taxiways, it can also prevent the adhesion of ice and snow to these concrete and asphalt surfaces, thus providing anti-icing protection. This was achieved without increasing the RDF price by using an inexpensive bio-based ingredient. IN addition, Battelle-RDF can be used for reducing corrosion of highway bridges and overpasses.
Technology
Runway deicing fluid
Developers
Battelle Memorial Institute
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Air Force Materiel Command
Air Force Aeronautical Systems Center
