Device and method for preventing ice slush from forming at eaves of a shed of a water and electricity project in a cold region

Abstract

The application discloses a device and method for preventing ice slush from forming at the eaves of a warehouse shed of a water and electricity engineering in a cold region, and relates to the technical field of ice slush removal at the eaves of a roof. The device comprises a rainwater gutter, a drip line, a gutter edge support assembly, a baffle plate, a snow melting louver assembly and a rainwater pipe. The drip line is arranged at the lowest part of the periphery of the rainwater gutter. The gutter edge support assembly, the baffle plate and the snow melting louver assembly are all arranged at the opening of the rainwater gutter. The rainwater gutter is connected with the rainwater pipe in a matched mode. The method comprises the following steps: installing the device and an ice and snow monitoring assembly at the eaves of a building; when it is raining and snowing and freezing, the electric heat tracing tape matched in the device is automatically powered to generate heat, the speed of removing the snow water under the eaves is accelerated, and the thickness of the snow on the eaves is reduced, so that the eaves of a project in a cold region is automatically prevented from forming ice slush. The application has the advantages of simple principle, intelligent management and control, safety, labor saving, high efficiency and energy saving.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of icicle removal technology for roof eaves, specifically to a device and method for preventing icicle formation on the eaves of hydropower engineering sheds in cold regions. Background Technology

[0002] In frigid regions, after heavy snowfalls and prolonged periods of low temperatures in winter, icicles often form on the eaves of buildings, resembling sharp cones. These icicles break off and fall when blown by the wind or when they melt. Excessive snow accumulation on pitched roofs poses a safety threat to the roof's load-bearing capacity and frequently causes large-scale snow slides, creating significant safety hazards and damage to pedestrians and surrounding property. Even in some southern regions affected by rain, snow, and freezing weather, accidents can occur where melting icicles from eaves injure pedestrians or damage vehicles. When icicles are low to the ground, they are usually cleared manually with shovels or long poles; when they are high, ladders or climbing to the roof are necessary. However, the icicles breaking off on the ground or working at heights increases the danger to workers. Moreover, these clearing efforts are always partial, intermittent, repetitive, and delayed, failing to prevent icicle formation or large-scale snow slides from the eaves from causing hazards around the clock.

[0003] Existing warehouse sheds are semi-enclosed structures, typically consisting of only a roof, pillars, and partial walls, with incomplete enclosure. They are used for storing or transporting materials that are not sensitive to environmental impact or are frequently accessed. These are mostly steel-framed structures with single-layer profiled steel sheet pitched roofs, allowing water to fall freely. Hydropower projects require the construction of multiple warehouse sheds, which typically occupy a large area. Even standard-sized sheds have dimensions of at least 30 x 60 meters and eaves heights of at least 10 meters. The high frequency of worker and vehicle access, coupled with the unpredictable nature of entrances and exits, means that the potential for icing hazards under the eaves of warehouse sheds in cold regions is significant. Furthermore, the harsh geographical environment and limited medical resources associated with hydropower projects make treatment and rescue extremely difficult in the event of injury.

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to design a device and method to prevent icicles from forming on the eaves of reservoir sheds in cold regions of hydropower projects, in order to solve the above-mentioned technical defects. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This invention addresses the problems existing in the prior art by providing a device and method for preventing icicle formation on the eaves of reservoir sheds in cold regions. The device involves arranging a rainwater trough, which is integrally formed from an electric heating element, an insulating core, and a double-layered cylindrical wall, along the edge of the metal roof eaves of the reservoir shed. During rainy, snowy, or freezing weather, the device automatically provides electric heating, preventing large-volume icicles from forming under the eaves all day long. This significantly reduces the risk of icicle formation and falling, or large-scale snowfall from the eaves that could cause injury or property damage. This device can also be optimized and applied to the eaves of other free-form rain-fed buildings, the edge structures of bridges, and other public facilities.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows:

[0007] A device for preventing icicles from forming on the eaves of a reservoir shed in a cold region hydropower project includes a rainwater trough, a drip line, a trough edge support assembly, a baffle plate, a snow melting louver assembly, and a rainwater pipe. The drip line is located on the outer periphery of the rainwater trough, while the trough edge support assembly, baffle plate, and snow melting louver assembly are all located inside the rainwater trough. The rainwater trough is matched with a rainwater pipe.

[0008] Based on the above technical solution, the rainwater trough is further configured as a cylindrical structure with a C-shaped opening, and the rainwater trough is installed at the edge of the eaves of the building roof.

[0009] Based on the above technical solution, further, a baffle plate and a snow melting louver assembly are installed in the space above the horizontal axis of the opening structure, and an interlocking edge structure is installed in the space below the horizontal axis.

[0010] Based on the above technical solution, further, the outer wall of the rainwater trough is flat and the inner wall is concave-convex. Each protrusion of the inner wall forms a cavity one, and the cavity one is filled with a self-regulating electric heating cable or filled with polyurethane insulation material; the space enclosed by the inner wall and the outer wall is a cavity two, and the cavity two is filled with polyurethane insulation material; the space enclosed by the outer wall of the drip line and the outer wall of the rainwater trough is a cavity three, and the cavity three is filled with a self-regulating electric heating cable.

[0011] Based on the above technical solution, the drip line is further configured as a conical structure, which is a combination of a cube, a cylinder and a cone welded from top to bottom.

[0012] Based on the above technical solution, the groove edge support assembly further includes a first groove edge support and a second groove edge support, which are symmetrically installed on the upper edge and lower edge of the opening structure, respectively.

[0013] Based on the above technical solution, the snow melting louver assembly further includes self-heating louver blades and I-shaped brackets. Each I-shaped bracket has a first groove edge bracket fixed to its upper wing plate, and several self-heating louver blades are installed horizontally between every two I-shaped brackets. The self-heating louver blades are aluminum alloy hollow structures with built-in self-limiting electric heating tape.

[0014] Based on the above technical solution, the baffle plate further includes a horizontal support plate and a perforated vertical plate. The horizontal support plate is fixed on the upper surface of the crest of the profiled steel sheet, and the perforated vertical plate matches the cross-sectional contour of the trough of the profiled steel sheet.

[0015] Based on the above technical solution, the device further includes an ice and snow monitoring component, which includes a pole support, a protective box, a sensor module, and a camera monitoring module. The ice and snow monitoring component is powered by a solar panel. The protective box, sensor module, and camera monitoring module are mounted on the pole support, and the data collected by the sensor module and the camera monitoring module are transmitted to the protective box via a wireless network.

[0016] A method for preventing icicles from forming on the eaves of reservoir sheds in cold regions includes the following steps: installing a device on the building eaves; when there is rain, snow, or freezing weather, the matching electric heating cable inside the device is automatically energized and heated, thereby accelerating the drainage of snow water under the eaves and reducing the thickness of snow accumulation on the eaves, thus preventing icicles from forming on the eaves of reservoir sheds in cold regions; wherein, the device installation process is as follows: 1) installing a cylindrical rainwater trough, a trough edge support assembly, and a snow melting louver assembly; 2) installing a conical drip line; 3) installing an antifreeze rainwater pipe; 4) installing an ice and snow monitoring component.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0018] This invention involves arranging rainwater channels along the eaves of a metal roof shed. These channels are made of an integrated system of electric heating, insulation, and double-layered cylindrical walls. During rainy, snowy, or icy weather, this system automatically prevents large icicles from forming under the eaves around the clock. Unlike existing technologies, it abandons traditional manual icing removal methods, relying on intelligent operation to achieve unattended, automatic icing removal. This significantly reduces the risk of icicle formation and falling, or large-scale snowfall from the eaves that could cause injury or property damage. This invention is simple in principle, intelligently controlled, safe, labor-saving, and energy-efficient. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the cylindrical rainwater trough of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the cylindrical rainwater trough of the device of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram showing the installation relationship between the device of the present invention and the eaves edge structure;

[0022] Figure 4 This is an enlarged, drip line cross-sectional structural diagram of the device of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 5 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the groove edge support assembly and the I-shaped support of the device of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional enlarged schematic diagram of the C-shaped opening structure of the device of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 7 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the baffle plate of the device of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the working process and logical control relationship structure of the device provided by the present invention;

[0027] Figure label:

[0028] 1-Rainwater trough, 11-Cavity 1, 12-Cavity 2, 13-Polyurethane insulation material, 14-Heat-conducting mud, 15-Open structure, 16-End cap, 17-Horizontal axis, 18-Vertical axis, 2-Drip line, 20-Cube, 21-Cylinder, 22-Cone, 24-Drip line centerline, 3-Trough edge support assembly, 31-First trunk edge support, 32-Second trunk edge support, 33-Cylinder hoop, 4-Baffle plate, 41-Horizontal support plate, 42-Perforated vertical plate, 5-Snow melting louver assembly, 51-Self-heating louver blade, 52-I-shaped support, 6-Rainwater pipe, 7-Ice and snow monitoring assembly, 71-Camera monitoring module, 72-Protective housing; 73-Sensor module; 8-Self-limiting electric heating tape, 9-Sealant, 10-Edge structure, 101-Metal roof panel, 102-Steel purlin. Detailed Implementation

[0029] The present invention will be further described and illustrated below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. The technical features of each embodiment of the present invention can be combined accordingly, provided that there is no mutual conflict.

[0030] To make the above-mentioned objects, features, and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, the present invention can be practiced in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0031] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that when an element is considered to be "connected" to another element, it can be a direct connection to the other element or an indirect connection, i.e., there is an intermediate element. Conversely, when an element is said to be "directly" connected to another element, there is no intermediate element.

[0032] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "first" and "second" are used only for descriptive purposes and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features.

[0033] Example

[0034] Reference Figures 1-7 As shown, this embodiment provides a device for preventing icicles from forming on the eaves of a reservoir shed in a cold region hydropower project. It includes a rainwater trough 1, a drip line 2, a trough edge support assembly 3, a baffle plate 4, a snow-melting louver assembly 5, and a rainwater pipe 6. The drip line 2 is located at the lowest point of the outer perimeter of the rainwater trough 1. The trough edge support assembly 3, the baffle plate 4, and the snow-melting louver assembly 5 are all located at the opening of the rainwater trough 1. For single-slope roof eaves, both the rainwater trough 1 and the drip line 2 have sealed end caps. A rainwater pipe 6 can be installed at the seal. Specifically, the seal can be an end cap 16 or a plug, serving to... To prevent snowmelt overflow and protect the insulation core, the end cap 16 or plug can be removed for easy cleaning of silt and debris from the cylinder. The end cap 16 has a water outlet, which is matched and connected to the antifreeze rainwater pipe 6. The groove edge support assembly 3 includes a first groove edge support 31 and a second groove edge support 32. The antifreeze rainwater pipe 6 has the same cavity structure as the rainwater groove 1, and the outer diameter of the pipe is not less than 150mm, preferably 150-200mm. The pipe body is heated by the self-regulating electric heating cable 8, so there is no freezing or retention of snowmelt during the discharge process. In rainy, snowy, and freezing weather, this device is installed at the edge of the eaves of the metal roof of the warehouse. Its interior can be automatically electrically heated, preventing large-volume icicles from forming under the eaves all day long. It has a significant effect on preventing icicle formation and falling, or large-scale snow sliding off the eaves, which could cause injury or property damage.

[0035] Preferred, refer to Figure 1 As shown, the rainwater trough 1 can be configured as a cylindrical structure, which is installed at the edge structure 10 of the eaves of the building roof. When the total thickness D of the edge structure 10 is less than or equal to 150 mm, the cross-section of the rainwater trough 1 is circular and has a C-shaped opening structure 15. That is, the cross-section is a hollow cylindrical structure with a three-quarter arc segment of the outer contour closed. Specifically, the outer contour radius R = 200 mm. The two radii R in the first and fourth quadrants of the circular cross-section, which form an angle of 45 degrees with the horizontal axis 17, form an opening structure 15 with a quarter arc segment of the outer contour. The baffle plate 4 and the snow melting louver assembly 5 are installed in the space above the horizontal axis 17 in the first quadrant of the opening structure 15. The space below the horizontal axis 17 is engaged with the edge structure 10.

[0036] When the total thickness D of the edge structure 10 is greater than 150mm, the outer radius R of the rainwater trough 1 must be greater than 200mm to meet the installation requirements. Its cross-section can be designed as an elliptical shape with a major axis greater than 200mm and a minor axis of 150mm, or a rectangular shape with a long side ≥ 300mm and a short side of 200mm. This can coordinate and look good with the large-scale eaves. During installation, the major axis is perpendicular to the roof slope direction. It should be noted that when it is a rectangular shape, the drip line at the lowest point of the rectangular outline can be changed to an eagle beak shape or it can be omitted.

[0037] Furthermore, the wall of the rainwater trough 1 is a "sandwich" type double-layer profiled aluminum alloy plate insulation core composite structure. The outer wall is flat, and the inner wall is concave and convex. Only the arc segment where the opening edge matches the trough edge support assembly 3 is flat. The convex structure of its inner wall forms uniform longitudinal structural ribs, which significantly increases the structural strength of the wall. Each convexity of the inner wall forms a cavity 11. Self-regulating electric heating tape 8 is placed in the cavity longitudinally at intervals. The cavities 11 without self-regulating electric heating tape 8 are filled with polyurethane insulation material 13. The relevant parameters of the cavity 11 can be conventionally set as follows: height 8mm. The wall is 20mm wide, with protrusions spaced 80mm apart, and the total thickness of the double-layer composite cylinder wall is 28mm, including the height of the inner wall protrusions. The space enclosed by the inner and outer walls is cavity two 12, which is filled with polyurethane insulation material 13. The space enclosed by the outer wall of the drip line 2 and the outer wall of the rainwater trough 1 is cavity three, which contains a self-regulating electric heating cable 8. Preferably, the rainwater pipe 6 is circular or rectangular in shape, and the pipe wall structure of the rainwater pipe 6 is the same as that of the rainwater trough 1 and contains a self-regulating electric heating cable 8. The sandwich composite structure of the rainwater trough 1 gives its cylinder cavity the characteristics of heat preservation and constant temperature environment, and significant energy saving effect.

[0038] Specifically, the rainwater gutter 1 is manufactured in sections, with each section being a standard unit with a 1-meter module or cut and assembled according to the installation spacing of the I-beam bracket 52 for ease of installation on the construction site. During installation, the edge structure 10 is inserted into the opening structure 15 in an interlocking state. The longitudinal axis 18 of the cross-section of the rainwater gutter 1 is perpendicular to the eaves of the roof, and the transverse axis 17 is parallel to the roof slope direction. After determining the installation positioning, conical drip lines 2 are welded in sections below the vertical line on its outer wall. For easier construction, the section length of the drip line 2 can be the same as that of the rainwater gutter 1, preferably 3 meters. The two identical first gutter edge brackets 31 and second gutter edge brackets 3 are then connected. 2. The first groove edge bracket 31 is symmetrically installed on the upper and lower edges of the opening structure 15 and matches its inner arc shape. It is used to fix and support the opening edge contour to prevent deformation when subjected to force. Then, the same number of cylindrical hoops 33 as the groove edge bracket assembly 3 are used to surround the outer surface of the rainwater gutter 1. The first groove edge bracket 31 is connected to the I-shaped bracket 52 of the snow melting louver assembly 5 and is fixed together on the upper surface of the edge structure 10. The second groove edge bracket 32 ​​is fixed on the lower surface of the edge structure 10. After installation, the upper edge of the opening structure 15 is 100mm higher than the upper surface of the roof metal tile, which can effectively intercept the situation where the drainage of the sloping roof overflows the eaves gutter during heavy rain in summer. It has advantages over the existing commercially available finished metal eaves gutter.

[0039] Further preferably, the drip line 2 can be configured as a conical structure, specifically a combination of a 1 / 2 cube 20, a 1 / 2 cylinder 21, and an equilateral triangular cone 22 welded from top to bottom; wherein, the outer wall of the drip line 2 is a flat single-layer aluminum alloy, which surrounds the outer wall of the rainwater trough 1, and is densely welded with aluminum welding wire using argon arc welding process to form a cavity 3, and a self-regulating heating cable 8 is built in the longitudinal direction of the cavity; the outer wall of the drip line 2 is a flat aluminum alloy, and the outer surface is anodized to a smooth non-stick coating to avoid the formation of dirt, which, together with the cone shape of the drip line 2 2, effectively prevents further accumulation into ice crystals;

[0040] In a further preferred embodiment, the self-regulating heating cable 8 is first fixed with pressure-sensitive adhesive tape. After fixing, the corresponding gaps in the cavity are then filled with thermally conductive putty 14 for fixation. This thermally conductive putty 14 also increases the heat-receiving area of ​​the convex cavity. The convex contour increases the effective heat transfer area inside the rainwater trough 1 (i.e., its surface area is larger than that of a flat plate), thus increasing the heat conduction effect. After the cavity 11 where the self-regulating heating cable 8 is placed is filled with thermally conductive putty 14, the cavity 12 is then filled with foamed rigid polyurethane insulation material 13. This manufacturing sequence ensures that the self-regulating heating cable 8 is not surrounded by polyurethane insulation material 13, thus not affecting heat dissipation. It should be noted that the polyurethane insulation material 13 has good thermal insulation, waterproofing, and adhesion properties, effectively preventing the heat inside the rainwater trough 1 from being lost to the outside through the outer wall structure, achieving a thermal insulation and energy-saving effect.

[0041] It should be further noted that the metal structure of the device is made of high-strength, high-pressure aluminum alloy plates with a wall thickness of not less than 1.2mm. The aluminum plates are weather resistant to -50℃ environments and have good plasticity, ductility and weldability, making them suitable for shaping complex structures such as curved surfaces.

[0042] In this embodiment, the snow melting louver assembly 5 includes self-heating louver blades 51 and I-beam brackets 52. The I-beam brackets 52 are arranged at intervals of 1.5 meters or with the effective width of the profiled steel sheet (external building material) as the basic module, and are installed in the trough space of the metal roof panel 101. Each I-beam bracket 52 has a first groove edge bracket 31 fixed to its upper wing plate, and several self-heating louver blades 51 are installed horizontally between every two I-beam brackets 52. The self-heating louver blades 51 are aluminum alloy hollow structures, with a self-limiting electric heating cable 8 built in the longitudinal direction of the cavity. When automatically heated, there is no phenomenon of snow water freezing and stagnating at the opening structure 15. Adjusting the reasonable angle of the self-heating louver blades 51 can also effectively prevent the heat inside the rainwater trough 1 from dissipating to the outside, resulting in good energy-saving effect.

[0043] Specifically, the self-heating louver 51 is installed above the crest of the metal roof panel 101, and continuous baffles 4 are installed in the trough space below it to cover the gap of the opening structure 15 of the rainwater gutter 1, so as to prevent roof leaves and other debris from entering the cavity and causing blockage of the rainwater pipe 6; when the metal roof panel 101 is designed as a low-wave plate and the crest height is ≤35mm, the trough gap is limited, and there is no need to install baffles 4.

[0044] In this embodiment, the baffle plate 4 includes a horizontal support plate 41 and a perforated vertical plate 42. The horizontal support plate 41 can be manufactured in sections, and its material is a 2.0mm thick high-strength channel aluminum alloy with a bending strength ≥10MPa. The standard unit width of the horizontal support plate 41 is Cw=40mm and Ch=thickness is 20mm. The segment length can be 1.5 meters as the basic length unit or matched with the effective width modulus of the profiled steel sheet. The shape of the perforated vertical plate 42 forms a shape that complements the trough section profile of the profiled steel sheet. To compensate for the inverted relationship, the vertical plates are uniformly perforated, with round holes preferred, a hole diameter of 5mm, and a perforation rate of ≥30%. During installation, the horizontal support plate 41 is fixed on the upper surface of the corrugated steel sheet crests, and the continuous perforated vertical plates 42 only need to match the profile of the corrugated steel sheet troughs, without needing to be connected. Specifically, during manufacturing, the perforated vertical plates 42 are uniformly welded to the aluminum groove side of the horizontal support plate 41 according to the trough spacing. During installation, the groove opening of the horizontal support plate 41 is placed on the upper surface of the corrugated steel sheet crests with the groove facing down, and is fastened with self-tapping screws.

[0045] In this embodiment, the first groove edge bracket 31 and the second groove edge bracket 32 ​​have the same structure. Their cross-section is similar to a right triangle, but the hypotenuse of the triangle is adjusted to be arc-shaped to match the arc of the edge contour of the opening structure 15. The arrangement spacing of the first groove edge bracket 31 and the second groove edge bracket 32 ​​is equal to that of the I-shaped bracket 52. The materials of the I-shaped bracket 52 and the groove edge bracket assembly 3 are both high-strength high-pressure aluminum alloy with a thickness of 2mm. The long right-angle side of the first groove edge bracket 31 is overlapped with the upper wing plate of the I-shaped bracket 52 and connected together with self-tapping screws. The lower wing plate of the I-shaped bracket 52 is fixed to the upper surface of the steel plate of the edge structure 10 with stainless steel expansion bolts. EPDM rubber pads are pre-laid at the bolt fixing points.

[0046] Furthermore, the lower edge of the opening structure 15 is fixed to the arc segment of the second groove edge bracket 32 ​​with self-tapping screws. The long right-angle side of the second groove edge bracket 32 ​​is fixed to the lower surface of the steel beam or steel purlin 102 of the edge structure 10, and their interface is filled with sealant 9 to prevent water from accumulating inside the tube and overflowing along the interface. Finally, the same number of hoops 33 are used to surround the outer surface of the rainwater gutter 1. Preferably, the hoops 33 are commercially available products or custom-made products made of aluminum alloy with a width of 25mm and a thickness of 1.2mm, which match the corresponding groove edge bracket structure size. This will not be described in detail here. It should be noted that after installation, the upper edge of the opening structure 15 is 100mm higher than the upper surface of the roof metal tile, which can effectively intercept the situation where the drainage of the sloping roof overflows the eaves gutter during heavy rain in summer, which is superior to the existing commercially available finished metal eaves gutter.

[0047] In this embodiment, the device further includes an ice and snow monitoring component 7, which includes a pole support, a protective housing 72, a sensor module 73, and a camera monitoring module 71. The ice and snow monitoring component 7 is powered by a solar panel. The protective housing 72, the sensor module 73, and the camera monitoring module 71 are mounted on the pole support.

[0048] Specifically, the pole support is the supporting frame for installing the ice and snow monitoring component 7. The installation location should be selected based on the line layout, working conditions, etc., preferably in a location that is easy to maintain and observe, such as the roof ridge.

[0049] The protective housing 72 has a built-in central control module and communication module, which support local decision-making and remote communication. It can analyze the weather conditions that require the self-limiting heating cable 8 to work automatically, and control the automatic power supply and heating in rain, snow and freezing conditions to prevent water droplets from accumulating into icicles under the eaves all day long, and to keep the melting snow flowing smoothly through the rainwater trough 1 and rainwater pipe 6. When the severe weather disappears, it automatically cuts off the power and stops the heating, which is safe and energy-saving.

[0050] The sensor module 73 includes at least intelligent devices such as temperature and humidity sensors and snow sensors. It has the ability to withstand cold, moisture and interference, and ensures the stability of data. It can automatically and continuously monitor and collect key parameters such as ambient temperature, humidity, wind speed and snow depth. The data collected by the sensor module 73 and the camera monitoring module 71 are transmitted to the central control module built into the protective box 72 through a wireless network to ensure real-time updates of information.

[0051] The equipment components and structures of the above-mentioned ice and snow monitoring components 7 are preferably mature commercially available products or modular products designed and manufactured by professional equipment manufacturers. No specific descriptions or limitations are made here regarding models, specifications, etc.

[0052] The working principle of this device is as follows:

[0053] Reference Figure 8 As shown, during periods of heavy snow and low temperatures, the snow and ice monitoring component 7 automatically controls the self-regulating heating cable 8 built into the rainwater trough 1, drip line 2, and snow melting louver component 5 according to the program design of the information module. This allows the snow around the opening structure 15 to be heated and form a mixed state of snow and water. At the same time, factors such as the smooth arc-shaped outer wall of the rainwater trough 1 and the constant temperature of the cylinder reduce the friction of the outer wall, which facilitates the timely sliding of snow at the edge of the eaves along the outer wall of the rainwater trough 1. Even if there is attached snow meltwater, it will not linger for a long time and accumulate into icicles when it encounters the pointed cone-shaped drip line 2 at the bottom of the cylinder. When the temperature rises, the snow meltwater from the entire roof flows into the rainwater trough 1 and then flows smoothly to the ground through the antifreeze rainwater pipe 6, which is in a state of temperature and non-freezing. The snow meltwater on the roof can be discharged in an organized and timely manner without forming icicles under the eaves.

[0054] Furthermore, the rainwater trough 1, drip line 2, blade baffle 4, snow melting louver assembly 5, rainwater pipe 6, and self-regulating heating cable 8 can all be manufactured in sections or cut and connected on-site along their length. The section length is a standard unit with a 1-meter module or can be cut and assembled according to the site conditions, especially taking the installation spacing of the I-beam bracket 52 as a reference. This device features standardized processing and prefabricated installation; its structure or components can be disassembled and reinstalled, facilitating reuse in hydropower engineering shed projects, saving materials and energy. The self-regulating heating cable 8 is a low-temperature protective heating cable structure that can automatically limit the heating temperature and automatically adjust the output power according to the temperature of the heated body; it can be cut arbitrarily or extended within a certain length range; it allows multiple overlapping without overheating and burning; it is easy to maintain and saves energy, facilitating the splicing and assembly of multiple rainwater troughs 1, drip line 2, snow melting louver assembly 5, and rainwater pipe 6. Among them, the self-regulating heating cable 8 has an automatic adjustment function, which does not require additional temperature control equipment, simplifying the installation and maintenance process; and the heating cable is a commercially available and mature electric heating product, and the specifications and installation are common knowledge, so they will not be elaborated further.

[0055] The following example, using the application of this invention on the eaves of a reservoir shed in a hydropower project in the frigid Northeast region, further illustrates the implementation concept of this invention in conjunction with a structural diagram:

[0056] The warehouse building has a floor plan of 30×60 meters and an eaves height of 10 meters. It is a free-falling, four-sloped, single-layer profiled steel sheet roof with a 30-degree slope. The selected profiled steel sheet is a low-wave plate of type XY35-125-750 (V125), with an effective width of 750mm, a wave height D1=35mm, a wave spacing of 125mm, a wave top width and a wave trough bottom width of 29mm, a steel beam or purlin height D2=115mm, and a total thickness D=150mm for the eaves edge structure. After heavy snow in winter, when temperatures rise, melting snow often forms strings of icicles under the eaves of the original warehouse. During the day, strong winds cause these icicles to fall continuously, potentially damaging workers or vehicles entering and exiting the warehouse and causing economic losses. In freezing weather, icicles will continuously form under the eaves as long as the snow on the roof doesn't completely melt. Relying solely on intermittent manual knocking to remove them is insufficient and carries the risk of accidental injury. Using cranes or ladder trucks to remove snow from the roof is costly. This embodiment provides a device for preventing icicle formation on the eaves of sheds in cold-region hydropower projects, effectively solving the aforementioned technical deficiencies and providing a safe, labor-saving, and efficient method to continuously eliminate icicles under the eaves.

[0057] In some other embodiments, based on the above-mentioned device, the corresponding method for preventing the formation of icicles includes the following steps: installing the device at the eaves of a building; when it is in rainy, snowy, or freezing weather, the matching electric heating cable inside the device is automatically energized and heated, thereby accelerating the drainage of snow water under the eaves and reducing the thickness of snow accumulation on the eaves, thereby preventing the formation of icicles at the eaves of the reservoir shed of a hydropower project in a cold region.

[0058] Specifically, the installation steps for the corresponding device are as follows:

[0059] Step 1: Install the cylindrical rainwater gutter 1, the gutter edge support assembly 3, and the snow melting louver assembly 5:

[0060] In this embodiment, a rainwater trough 1 with a circular cross-section is selected. The outer wall radius of the cylinder is R=200mm. The preferred processing length of the cylinder segment is 3 meters. When splicing on site, butyl rubber sealing tape should be installed between the joints, and a pipe clamp should be installed on the outer wall of the joint to strengthen the stability. The self-tapping screws are all made of stainless steel.

[0061] like Figure 1 , 3As shown in Figure 6, during installation, the longitudinal axis 18 of the cross section of the rainwater trough 1 is perpendicular to the eaves of the roof, and the transverse axis 17 is parallel to the roof slope direction and coincides with the upper surface of the steel beam or purlin 102. That is, the opening structure 15 faces the eaves edge structure 10 at a 30-degree angle upward and is in an interlocking state. The distance D3 between the outer wall of the purlin 102 and the center of the cross section is 50mm. Multiple groove edge brackets are symmetrically fixed with self-tapping screws along the inner wall of the upper and lower edges of the opening structure 15. The bracket spacing is 1.5 meters, which is equal to the sum of the effective widths of two profiled steel sheets.

[0062] like Figure 5 , 6 As shown, the width of the groove edge support assembly 3 is Zw=25mm, the long right-angle side Zh1=100mm, and the short right-angle side Zh2=50mm. The width of the wing plate of the I-shaped support 52 is Bw=25mm. The upper and lower wing plates are of unequal length. The upper wing plate is Bb1=100mm long, and the lower wing plate is Bb=150mm long, which extends Bb2=50mm beyond the web plate. The width of the web plate is the same as Bb1=100mm, and the height is Bh=150mm. The lower wing plates on both sides of the web plate are fixed to the steel beam or steel purlin 102 with self-tapping screws. The extended section of the lower wing plate is fixed to the steel beam or steel purlin 102 with M12 stainless steel bolts. The self-heating louver 51 occupies a height of Bh1=115mm, and the bottom gap height Bh2=35mm is the same as the corrugation height D1=35mm of the profiled steel sheet. Due to the limited space, the baffle plate 4 is not installed. If a high-corrugated plate or a profiled steel sheet with a corrugation height D1>35mm is selected, the baffle plate 4 can be installed to block fallen leaves and other debris. The long right-angle side of the first groove edge bracket 31 is fixed to the upper wing plate of the I-shaped bracket 52, and self-tapping screws are fastened to the lower surface of the upper wing plate. The lower wing plate is fixed at the trough position. The second groove edge bracket 32 ​​is directly connected to the lower surface of the steel beam or steel purlin 102 with stainless steel bolts. All bolt fixing points are padded with EPDM rubber pads beforehand. The same number of aluminum alloy hoops 33 are positioned to enclose the outer surface of the rainwater trough 1, corresponding to the positions of the trough edge support assembly 3. The two ends of the hoops are fixed to the trough of the profiled steel sheet and the lower surface of the steel beam or purlin 102 with self-tapping screws. All self-tapping screws should be fitted with EPDM rubber pads. The longitudinal gap at the connection between the lower edge of the opening structure 15 and the steel purlin 102 should be filled with sealant 9 to prevent water from accumulating and overflowing in the rainwater trough 1.

[0063] like Figure 7As shown, the horizontal support plate 41 and the perforated vertical plate 42 of the baffle plate 4 are both high-strength channel aluminum alloy with a thickness of 2.0mm. The horizontal support plate 41 is manufactured with a standard unit width Cw=40mm and a length of 1500mm, or matches the effective width module of the profiled steel sheet. The perforated vertical plate 42 is an inverted isosceles trapezoid with the short base at the bottom and the long base at the top, with a height of 35mm and a short base length of 29mm. It complements the profile of the corrugated steel sheet. Multiple perforated vertical plates 42 are evenly welded to the side of the horizontal support plate 41 with a center spacing of 125mm. During installation, the horizontal support plate 41 rests on the upper surface of the corrugated steel sheet and is fastened together with self-tapping screws.

[0064] Step 2: Install the tapered drip line 2:

[0065] like Figure 4 As shown, the drip line 2 is a combination of a half-cube 20, a half-cylinder 21, and an equilateral triangular pyramid 22 welded from top to bottom. Its total cross-sectional width Aw = 20mm, total height Ah = 25mm, and the length of each segment is 3 meters or matches the segment length of the rainwater trough 1. The cross-sectional width of the cube 20 is Aw = 20mm, and its height 2Ah1 = 20mm. The cross-sectional radius of the cylinder 21 is Ar = 10mm, and the half-circle arc is tangentially connected to the two shorter sides of the cross-section of the half-cube 20. The cross-sectional side length of the equilateral triangular pyramid 22 is Aw1 = 15mm, and its height Ah2 = 8mm. The two sides of the equilateral triangle are tangentially connected to the arc segment formed by the two radii at a 90-degree angle directly below the cross-section of the cylinder 21. The splicing and processing of the outer contour of the drip line 2 and its connection with the outer wall of the rainwater gutter 1 are carried out by aluminum welding wire using argon arc welding. In this embodiment, the roof slope is 30 degrees, so the angle between the center line 24 of the drip line and the direction of the roof slope is 120 degrees.

[0066] Step 3: Install antifreeze rainwater pipes 6:

[0067] In this embodiment, 10 rainwater troughs 1, each 3 meters long, are assembled along the short side of the eaves of the storage shed, and 20 are assembled along the long side, for a total of 60 troughs installed around the perimeter. Rainwater pipes 6 are evenly spaced at 15-meter intervals to meet the design requirements for drainage area.

[0068] If the warehouse shed has a two-sloped roof, such as Figure 2 As shown, sealed end caps 16 are installed at the ends of the rainwater trough 1 to seal it. The end caps 16 are provided with the outlet of the rainwater trough 1 and are connected to the antifreeze rainwater pipe 6 to discharge snow water to the ground in an organized manner.

[0069] Step 4: Install the ice and snow monitoring component 7:

[0070] The ice and snow monitoring component 7 is a mature, modular product designed and manufactured by a professional equipment manufacturer. This embodiment does not provide specific descriptions or limitations on its structural composition and circuit wiring, such as model or specifications. The ice and snow monitoring component 7 is installed in a suitable location on the roof by a professional manufacturer and engineering design unit after on-site inspection and in accordance with wiring planning requirements to ensure the timeliness and efficiency of 24 / 7 servo operation. This embodiment also does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0071] The manufacturer of the self-regulating electric heating cable 8 designs a matching electric heating cable layout scheme based on the geographical location, climate conditions, and site environment of the project, in conjunction with the snow and ice monitoring component 7. This arrangement is then processed and manufactured by the manufacturer and pre-installed in the cavities of the rainwater trough 1, drip line 2, antifreeze rainwater pipe 6, and self-heating louvers 51 to ensure that the requirements for snow melting and ice removal, as well as electrical safety and durability, are met.

[0072] The beneficial effects are as follows: By arranging rainwater troughs (1) along the eaves of the metal roof of the warehouse, which can be integrated with electric heating, insulation sandwich panels, and double-layered cylindrical walls, large volumes of icicles are prevented from forming under the eaves all day long. Unlike existing technologies, this invention abandons traditional manual icing removal methods and relies on intelligent operation to achieve unattended automatic icing removal. This significantly improves the prevention of icicle formation and falling, or large-scale snow sliding off the eaves, which could lead to injuries or property damage. The invention is simple in principle, intelligently controlled, safe, labor-saving, and energy-efficient. The device also has positive implications for the promotion of icing removal on the eaves of public facilities such as steel structure factories, pedestrian bridges, and municipal bridges.

[0073] Finally, it should be noted that the above content is only used to illustrate the technical solution of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Simple modifications or equivalent substitutions made by those skilled in the art to the technical solution of the present invention do not depart from the essence and scope of the technical solution of the present invention.

Claims

1. A device for preventing icicles from forming on the eaves of reservoir sheds in cold-region hydropower projects, characterized in that, It includes a rain gutter, drip line, gutter edge support assembly, blade baffle, snow melting louver assembly, and rainwater pipe. The drip line is located at the lowest point of the outer perimeter of the rain gutter. The gutter edge support assembly, blade baffle, and snow melting louver assembly are all located at the opening of the rain gutter. The rain gutter is matched and connected to the rainwater pipe. The rainwater trough is designed as a cylindrical structure with a C-shaped opening, and is installed at the edge of the building's roof eaves. A baffle plate and snow-melting louver assembly are installed in the space above the horizontal axis of the opening, while the space below the horizontal axis is fitted with the edge structure. The outer wall of the rainwater trough is flat, and the inner wall is convex and concave. Each protrusion on the inner wall forms a cavity one, which contains a self-regulating heating cable or is filled with polyurethane insulation material. The space enclosed by the inner and outer walls serves as a second cavity, which is filled with polyurethane insulation material. The space enclosed by the outer wall of the drip line and the outer wall of the rainwater trough is cavity three, and cavity three contains a self-regulating heating cable; the drip line is set as a conical structure, which is a combination of a cube, a cylinder and a cone welded from top to bottom; the snow melting louver assembly includes self-heating louver blades and I-shaped brackets, each I-shaped bracket has a first groove edge bracket fixed to its upper wing plate, and several self-heating louver blades are installed horizontally between every two I-shaped brackets, and the self-heating louver blades are aluminum alloy cavity structures with self-regulating heating cables built in.

2. The device for preventing icicle formation on the eaves of reservoir sheds in cold-region hydropower projects according to claim 1, characterized in that, The groove edge support assembly includes a first groove edge support and a second groove edge support, which are symmetrically installed on the upper and lower edges of the opening structure, respectively.

3. The device for preventing icicle formation on the eaves of reservoir sheds in cold-region hydropower projects according to claim 1, characterized in that, The baffle plate includes a horizontal support plate and a perforated vertical plate. The horizontal support plate is fixed on the upper surface of the corrugated steel sheet, and the perforated vertical plate matches the cross-sectional profile of the corrugated steel sheet.

4. The device for preventing icicle formation on the eaves of reservoir sheds in cold-region hydropower projects according to claim 1, characterized in that, The device also includes an ice and snow monitoring component, which includes a pole support, a protective housing, a sensor module, and a camera monitoring module. The ice and snow monitoring component is powered by a solar panel. The protective housing, sensor module, and camera monitoring module are mounted on the pole support. The data collected by the sensor module and the camera monitoring module are transmitted to the protective housing via a wireless network.

5. A method for preventing icicles from forming on the eaves of reservoir sheds in cold-region hydropower projects, characterized in that, The device for preventing icicle formation on the eaves of reservoir sheds in cold-region hydropower projects, as described in any one of claims 1-4, comprises the following steps: When a device is installed on the eaves of a building, the matching electric heating cable inside the device will automatically turn on and heat up when it is raining, snowing or freezing. This will speed up the drainage of snow water under the eaves and reduce the thickness of snow accumulation on the eaves, thereby automatically preventing the formation of icicles on the eaves of cold-region projects. The installation process of the device is as follows: 1) Install the cylindrical rainwater gutters, gutter edge support assemblies, and snow melting louver assemblies; 2) Install a tapered drip line; 3) Install antifreeze rainwater pipes; 4) Install ice and snow monitoring components.

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