Page 7 - Mar-Apr2022 Vol39 No7

through the whole West Knox side national lab, ORNL Director Thomas potential but needed some work in
towards Choto and Harvey Roads. It was Zacharia said those awards are “a market development.
effortless and worked well on the roads.” testament to our staff’s commitment to After Cadotte challenged his UT
Northshore Drive Route Yields Results developing truly innovative technologies. students to assist in shaping the
The Northshore Drive route was ideal I am extremely proud of their creativity scientists’ initial deicer research into
because typically, icing risks occur along and dedication.” a marketable product, the students
stretches of road that are shady in the Funding for the project was provided thoroughly interviewed local public
winter, or where changes in topography by ORNL Seed Money-Intelligent Spatial service officials to determine the greatest
occur. These types of stretches usually Modeling Approach for Deicing Urban needs and challenges in snow prevention
need an increased amount of brine on Roads. ORNL’s Olufemi Omitaomu led methods. They also evaluated LiDAR
the development. ORNL’s Budhendra
data, combining this with GPS data
the road. Since LiDAR surveying relies
on ultraviolet, near visible, or infrared Bhaduri, Don Koch, Christi Johnson, and the device’s software to drive the
light to image objects such as rocks via Frederick Kyle Red and Matthew Garrett equipment.
satellite, it can depict which streets can contributed to the development, along “As my teammates and I learned
be most or least susceptible to snow and with Homan and the University of from our interviews, safety is priority
Tennessee’s Dr. Ernest Cadotte of the
number one,” said one of the UT
ice.
The technology improves efficiency Haslam School of Business. Haslam marketing students. “Given
by adjusting brine flow, based on risk Assisting Smaller/Rural Counties’ that requirement, we still found ways
factors along the roadway and speed of Budgets, Aiding Wildlife to improve efficiency by adjusting brine
the brine truck. And when snow trucks The researchers’ estimates have shown flow based upon speed and the risk
factors along the roadway. We succeeded
travel slower than the optimal brine that across the United States, while cities
distribution speed, which is around 30 collectively are spending around $1.5 because we shared, challenged and
mph, the device calculates and reduces billion on winter road maintenance, brainstormed until we found the right
the amount of brine to avoid excessive certain methodologies can damage our solution. It was awesome.”
treatment. ecological balance. Bhaduri said that City of Knoxville Anticipates
Homan was pleased with Knox brine “is one of the deadliest things that Further Testing
County’s Northshore Drive test run, we put out into the environment that not Omitaomu said ORNL is pleased with
saying “if my math is correct, this can only corrodes our infrastructure but also the collaboration’s ability “in scaling up
be more than 20 percent more efficient harms wildlife.” and applying this novel approach in a real-
than the current system (they have) in He added that saline runoff from the world scenario,” giving cities and counties
place, and using the ORNL technology treated streets can negatively impact the “an intelligent approach to managing their
puts more brine down where it’s aquatic population and water quality, resources effectively.” Chad Weth, City of
needed. It is not only more efficient, affecting not only the water we drink, Knoxville Public Service Director, said he
but it creates safer and less corrosive but also local animals living in area met a few years ago with Omitaomu about
roadways as well.” He said he is working waterways. For example, salty roads have the project. Both men felt the Knoxville
to make the technology available to the been known to attract deer, who cause area might be a good testing ground for
industry “and in particular, Public Works driving hazards by attempting to lick salt the deicer procedure, given the city’s
organizations.” on the roads. strategic snow plan (which designates
“I participated in a recent Snow and Bhaduri said the Precision Deicer streets in priority levels).
Ice Management Association show system may save municipalities money Ironically, in early 2022, the City
in Cleveland, Ohio, and believe we that they could spend on other projects, of Knoxville truck designated for the
have the first solution to incorporate which “could make a huge impact on deicer test was undergoing an equipment
geo-fencing (geographic driven),” he local communities, especially the small change and was unable to participate in
said, adding that “it promises to be an ones.” He said around 90% of the U.S. the January trial runs, but Weth remains
important contribution to snow and ice counties that receive heavy snow events optimistic the city will get its chance.
management.” “are breaking their budget backbone” “It’s really ideal to be neighbors with
Winner of Prestigious R&D Award in dealing with these weather disasters, think-tank entities like ORNL and UT
in late 2021 adding that while not many people die because our community benefits from
The deicer system was significant from snow and ice events, the counties’ forward-thinking projects like this one,”
enough to be awarded one of the seven budgets can be stretched thin by trying Weth said. “Though I expect us to benefit
from this device in Knoxville’s moderate
to prevent accidents on the roads.
R&D 100 Awards won by the national
laboratory a few months ago. The awards University of Tennessee Students winters, I can really see it supporting
annually recognize 100 accomplishments Gain Real-World Experience areas up north or in the mountains,
in research leading to new commercial Over the past few years, Cadotte, where they receive ongoing snowfall.”
“We’ve been really pleased with our
products, technologies and materials has incorporated aspects of the project snow response over recent years, but
from around the world notable for into his innovation and creativity class.
their technological significance. In He had asked Bhaduri to help identify there’s always room for improvement,”
a congratulatory statement from the technology that had commercial said Weth.

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