A METHOD FOR DISSOLVING FOG AND/OR FOR MELTING ICE OR SNOW IN A LIMITED AREA

Abstract: A method for dissolving fog and/or for melting ice or snow in a limited area (1) wherein emitters (6, 7) of heating radiations sent in a plane (4, 5) are provided. The area (1) is preferably defined by two lateral vertical planes (4) and an horizontal upper plane (5). The emitters (6, 7) are capable of sending heating radiations such as either infrared or microwave radiations in substantially vertical planes (4) or a substantially horizontal plane (5). The air which is present in space (3) of area (1) is continuously heated by the radiations and wet air (10) is prevented from condensing and rises upwards. On the other hand, fog (11) which is present outside area (1), is prevented from entering in space (3) because the heat radiations sent along planes (4, 5) and the air (10) continuously exiting from it form a barrier.

Description: 1 - A METHOD FOR DISSOLVING FOG AND/OR FOR MELTING ICE OR SNOW IN A LIMITED AREA. DESCRIPTION Field of the inven "ion The present invention relates to a method for dissolving fog and/or for melting ice or snow in a limited area such as a chosen area near a road or a runway of an airport . Description of the prior art The problem of the dissolution of fog is strongly felt. In particular fog is very dangerous when it is thick and concentrated in fog-banks that often are not higher than a few meters . Another problem is the formation of ice or the falling of snow on roads, railways, runways of airports. Whilst the problem of fog dissolution is still unsolved, ice or snow present on the ground are sometimes melted by heating means embedded under the surface using resistors or circulation of hot liquids. However, an existing road or runway must be heavily destroyed in order to embed the heating means under its surface. Summary of the invention It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for dissolving fog in a limited area so that the visibility in that area is improved for the vehicles running in it . It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for melting ice or snow in a limited area, in particular on it's ground, without the need of embedding heating means underground. The above objects are accomplished by the method according to the present invention whose characteristic is that emitters of heating radiations sent substantially in a plane are provided for. The plane limits at least one O 96/10115 PCMT95/00154 - 2 - side of the area in which fog shall be dissolved and preferably the emitters send the radiations in planes circumscribing the area. The heating radiations can be either infrared or microwave radiations. Brief description of the drawings Other characteristics and advantages of the method according to the present invention will be made more apparent in the following description of two of its possible embodiments, given as examples, but not limitative, with reference to the above mentioned drawings in which: - Figure 1 shows a method according to the invention applied to dissolve fog in a tubular area above a road; - Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the method of figure 1; Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a method according to the invention applied in an area near a runway of an airport . Description of the preferred embodiment With reference to figure 1, a method according to the invention is applied to a tubular area 1 of substantially rectangular cross section, comprising a ground or road 2 and a space 3 above it . The area 1 is defined by two lateral vertical planes 4 and an horizontal upper plane 5. According to the invention, emitters 6 and 7 are provided for to send heating radiations 4a, 5a, such as infrared radiations or microwave radiations respectively in substantially vertical planes 4 and a substantially horizontal plane 5. The emitters 6 are placed on a vertical line and are directed so that the heating radiations are sent in a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis 9 of the road 2. The air which is present in space 3 of area 1 is continuously heated by the radiations and the wet air 10 is prevented from further condensing and rises upwards as shown in figure 1. In fact, the wet air passing through planes 4 and 5 is heated by the heating radiations 4a, 5a sent by emitters 6 and 7. On the other hand, fog 11 which is present outside area 1, is prevented from entering in space 3 because the heat radiations sent along planes 4 and 5 form a barrier. In fact, fog 11 is prevented from entering the space 3 because of the air 10 continuously exiting from it. The presence of heated air in space 3 of area 1 also causes snow falling into it to melt rapidly and prevents the formation of ice on the ground. Both the emitters 6 and 7 can be of different types depending on the fact that the heating radiations are either infrared or microwave radiations . A first type comprises an antenna or a plurality of antennas capable of sending microwaves in a selected plane. A preferred, but not exclusive, frequency of the microwave radiations is about 2.5 Ghz . A second type comprises IR lamps capable of sending Infra Red radiations in a selected plane. These emitters are not described in further details as they can be available on the market for other purposes such as telecommunications or heating purposes. The skilled man would not have difficulty to adapt them for the new use according to the claimed method. The emitters 6 and 7, and in particular emitters 7, are preferably able to send a bundle of heating radiations 4a, 5a covering only an angle of planes 4 and 5, said bundle being able to rotate in a chosen time of 180° or 360°, according to the extension of the area to be covered. In figure 2, for example, the emitters 7 in the - 4 middle may send a rotating bundle covering all 360°, whereas the emitters 7 at the sides of the road 2 may send a rotating bundle covering only 180°. A sensor 15 for detecting the presence of fog or for taking the air temperature is preferably provided for and connected to a control unit 16 which activates emitters 6 and 7 when necessary. As shown in figures 1 and 2, the emitters 7 of heating radiations 5a along an horizontal plane 5 are placed at an height 12 which is higher than the height of the vehicles running on the road. In this way, it is not possible for people or objects to be hit by the radiations . With reference to figure 3, the method according to the present invention can be used also to prevent ice or layers of snow from forming on the runways of airports. In fact, horizontal emitters 7 can be placed at a lower height from the ground so that the heating radiations 5a melt ice or snow and keep the runway free for an aeroplane . The emitters can be mounted on a telescopically retractable shaft 8 so that the space occupied by them is available during the taking off or landing of the aeroplane. Also in the case of figure 3 the emitters may be of the type capable of sending a bundle of radiations 5a which rotates in a plane of a preferred angle, such as 180° or 360° . Means can be provided for to turn off the energy supplied to the emitters by the control unit 16 in case a person or an object passes through a vertical plane near the vertical planes 4 along which the heating radiations are sent. These means could be for example optical sensors known to a person skilled in the art and for this reason are not described in detail.

Claims: CiAI S 1. A method for dissolving fog and/or for melting ice or snow in a limited area, said limited area comprising a ground such as a road or a runway and a limited space above it, characterised in that emitters of heating radiations sent substantially in a plane are provided, said plane limiting at least one side of said limited area. 2. A method according to to claim 1, wherein said emitters send said heating radiations in a substantially vertical plane . 3. A method according to claims 1 and 2, wherein said emitters send said heating radiations in an horizontal plane. 4. A method according to the previous claims, wherein said emitters send said heating radiations along two vertical and one horizontal planes circumscribing said limited area. 5. A method according to the previous claims, wherein said heating radiations are infrared radiations. 6. A method according to claim 5, wherein said emitters comprise IR lamps capable of sending Infra Red radiations in a selected plane. 7. A method according to claims 1 to 4, wherein said heating radiations are microwave radiations. 8. A method according to claim 7, wherein said emitters, comprise a plurality of antennas capable of sending microwaves in a selected plane. 9. A method according to claims 7 and 8, wherein said emitters send microwave radiations at a frequency of about 2.5 GHz . 10. A method according to the previous claims, wherein said emitters send a bundle of radiations which rotates in said plane . 11. A method according to the previous claims, wherein the temperature and humidity of said limited area is detected and communicated to a control unit turning on or off the supply of energy to said emitters. 12. A method according to the previous claims, wherein said emitters are mounted on a vertical shaft that can be lowered.

Inventors: MOULIANITAKIS DIMITRIS, MOULIANITAKIS, DIMITRIS
Applicants: MOULIANITAKIS DIMITRIS, MOULIANITAKIS, DIMITRIS
Application year: 1995
Main classification: E01H13
IPC codes: E01H5, E01H13