Thermal Characterization of an Electroconductive Paint for Road Deicing

Traditional deicing methods such as chemical and mechanical deicing can have high environmental/economic impacts and lack efficiency. To provide an alternative, a new material has been developed that can quickly deice road surfaces through electrical resistance heating. This heating paint contains 20% carbon black, 20% resin, and 60% water, which generates Joule heating and can efficiently deice road surfaces when electrified due to the presence of carbon black. This study aims to investigate the heat transfer behavior of this new material by conducting an experiment on a sandwiched structure (granite-heating paint-granite) using power densities of 250, 350, and 450 W/m2. A two-dimensional numerical model was also developed to simulate the experimental results. Using the finite element model, the amount of energy and time required to raise the road surface temperature from −20 to 0 °C were calculated. The results of the numerical simulation and experimentation are consistent, and the power density of 450 W/m2 is the most effective option, with 350 W/m2 being the second-best choice based on energy and time considerations. Data from an actual demonstrator of this technology are also consistent with the numerical model and the laboratory experiment.