Sand and salt mixture - preparation, application, characteristics

Ice on the roads is the most unpleasant and dangerous manifestation of winter, which contributes to the increase in the number of accidents and injuries. To combat it, road maintenance services use a variety of anti-ice means. One of the most popular and effective methods is the sand and salt mix, which has been used in our country for several decades now.

What is Peskosol?

Peskosol is a mixture of sand (river or quarry) and technical salt in certain proportions. Sand contributes to a reliable grip of the car's wheels with the road surface. Salt provides rapid melting of snow or ice. Due to the properties of these components and their combined effect on the surface, the mixture not only effectively cleans the road of precipitation, but also yields economic benefits.

Specifications

As you know, the most effective tool used to fight ice is sand and salt mixture. Its technical characteristics contribute not only to the melting of the icy coating, but also to the creation of an anti-slip surface. This anti-icing agent is made from pure, free of clay sand, having a moisture content of not more than 5% and a particle size of up to 5 mm. The ground salt must contain grains not less than 90%, 1.2 - 2.5 mm in size, or 85% - 4.5 mm.

Properly calculated proportions of sodium chloride and sand can reduce the negative impact of salt on the environment, rubber and metal surfaces. The sand and salt mixture has a high melting rate, a moderate consumption per 1 m2 ^of area. It is resistant to low temperatures and can be used up to -35C °.

Application

Sand and salt mixture is one of the cheapest ways to fight ice. It has distinctive features, thanks to which it is successfully applied on the streets and highways. This tool is designed to reduce the risks of accidents on slippery roads, as well as pedestrian injuries. It is used to prevent the appearance of the ice edge on the road surface, as well as the removal of snow and ice that has already formed.

Spill the mixture best before the beginning of the snowfall. This contributes to the higher effect of removing ice cover on the roads. The sprinkling of roads can be done by a specially equipped car or by hand. In the period of severe frost, the mixture can be frozen into blocks, which makes it difficult to disperse. To ensure the loose qualities of sand and salt at any air temperatures, some manufacturers use dried sand during manufacturing.

The use of sand sap is limited in the territory of schools and children's preschool institutions, children's playgrounds, sidewalks, reinforced concrete bridges, overpasses, since salt adversely affects pedestrian shoes and metal. In this regard, despite the low cost, recently it has been used little to combat icing on the sidewalks and pedestrian crossings. If the norms of consumption are not observed, the mixture harms green plantations and lawns.

Advantages and disadvantages

Such an anti-ice reagent, like sand and salt, has a mass of positive qualities :

• Ecological compatibility;
• reliability;
• efficiency;
• Low price;
• Fire safety.

In addition, the product is easy to prepare and use, does not need special storage conditions and has an unlimited shelf life. It is quite economical, besides it is permissible to change the proportions of the components depending on the air temperature.

Sand and salt mixture has some drawbacks.

1. Unrefined sand contributes to the appearance of a mash on the roads.
2. At a temperature of -20 ° C, clumps of the mixture may occur, making it more difficult to distribute it evenly.
3. Sand when falling into storm water drains them.
4. The mixture adversely affects the paws of animals, leather shoes, green plantations, lawns.

Preparation of peskosoli

Preparation of sand and salt mixture is carried out in dry and warm rooms by mechanical mixing of two components. Their ratio is usually: sand 70%, sodium chloride 30%. The following relationships are also permissible: 50:50 or 75:25. It is worth noting that adding more salt to the product increases the melting power, but increases the cost of production. The following factors influence the ratio of sand-salt mixture components:

• Ambient temperature;
• Thickness of ice;
• Consumption of sand and salt;
• humidity.

The consumption of sand and salt mixture depends on the air temperature, as well as the amount of snow and ice. At 1m ² should not consume more than 2 kg of salt per season, which is about 15-25 g per square meter at a time processing.

Storage

Sand and salt mixture has an unlimited shelf life. If all the storage standards are observed, it can retain its properties for a long period of time. Since the salt has an increased ability to absorb moisture, it must provide a dry room. Sand does not require special conditions and can be stored indefinitely. All anti-icing fluids should have certain characteristics, including sand and salt mixture. GOST regulates its quality indicators, rules of use and storage.

Economical, high efficiency, low price and convenience in use are the main qualities that allow the sand and salt mixture to lead the market of anti-ice reagents for many decades.