Mobile Ice Melting Device with Height-Adjustable Nozzles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for snow and ice removal are inefficient, causing environmental damage, resource wastage, and safety hazards due to the use of salt and mechanical scraping, which fail to effectively address varying snow accumulation heights and leave behind harmful residues.
Innovation Solution
A mobile ice and snow utilization device with a height-adjustable melting section featuring a clean-melting enclosure and a dirt-melting gap, utilizing pressurized melting nozzles to melt snow and ice in situ, separating clean and dirty melts for recycling, and using a system of unloading tanks for continuous operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If salt is used to melt snow, then snow melting effectiveness is improved, but environmental contamination worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces chemical melting methods (salt) with a mechanical/thermal system consisting of heating elements and melting nozzles that deliver hot liquid directly to snow accumulations, eliminating salt contamination while maintaining melting effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and removes the harmful salt component from the snow melting process, using only water-based heating and melting systems that do not introduce contaminants to the environment
2Productivity
If mechanical plows and screw conveyors are used to remove snow, then snow removal capability is improved, but road surface damage worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical scraping systems (plows and conveyors) with a thermal melting system using heating elements and pressurized hot liquid nozzles, eliminating mechanical contact with the road surface while maintaining snow removal capability
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical state of snow from solid to liquid through controlled heating and temperature parameter adjustments, allowing snow to be melted in place without mechanical removal that would damage the road
3Device complexity
If plow height is fixed, then device simplicity is improved, but adaptability to varying snow heights worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements height-adjustable melting nozzles that can be positioned at different vertical levels to accommodate varying snow accumulation heights, transforming a static system into a dynamic, adaptable one without excessive complexity
4Quantity of substance
If salt is used at low temperatures, then resource consumption is reduced, but snow characteristics worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the temperature parameter of the melting system, using controlled heating elements and hot liquid delivery to effectively melt snow at low ambient temperatures, eliminating the need for salt while maintaining or improving snow surface characteristics
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device efficiently melts and removes snow and ice without damaging surfaces, recycles resources, minimizes environmental impact, and maintains continuous operation by separating and recycling melting fluids, ensuring surfaces are free of ice and harmful residues.
Implementation Method 1
a heating element, configured for heating the melting liquid in the pipelines
Implementation Method 2
a plurality of melting nozzles...configured to release pressurized streams of the melting liquid...to melt the snow and ice in situ
Implementation Method 3
a vacuum collector tank...configured to collect and recycle the melt
Data Source
AI summary
A device for ice and snow utilization comprises a mobile platform with adjustably-expandable melting section. The melting section comprises a clean-melting enclosure and a dirt-melting gap. The clean-melting enclosure comprises a plurality of telescopically-movable sections. The dirt-melting gap is positioned below the clean-melting enclosure and is separated from the clean-melting enclosure by the floor. The melting section comprises a plurality of melting nozzles, configured to release a pressurized stream of melting liquid. Some of the melting nozzles are positioned in clean-melting enclosure and some are positioned below the floor, in the dirt-melting gap. At least some of the melting nozzles are movably and adjustably positioned by being connected to at least one of telescopically movable sections. The device further comprises a plurality of pipelines, valves, pumps, at least one heating element, a vacuum collector tank, and melting-liquid unloading tanks, configured for sequential unloading.