It will save us money, and using less chemicals is better for the environment, too.” According to its winter operations director, the London facility saved about $400,000 by applying less deicer in two storms alone.Ĭarlson explains the potential savings for DEN this way: “If we know the surface won’t freeze until it reaches a lower temperature, then we won’t put down an additional layer of pavement chemicals when we go out to remove snow from a runway. Lindberg points to Heathrow Airport as a specific example. “So if an airport spends millions of dollars on deicer every year, that 30% reduction is definitely significant.” “Airports using this system in 15 countries around the world have reduced pavement deicer use by up to 30%,” reports Lindberg. distributor, notes that ASFT developed the sensors to help airfield crews spread less deicer, but still maintain extremely safe conditions.

Jeanne Lindberg, business development director for the system’s Canadian and U.S. We can let the runway be until the surface temperature (of the runway) and the freezing point get close enough that we actually have to get out there and do some remediation.” “In the long run, it saves airlines money, too, and helps them maintain their on-time performance as much as possible during a snow event. “If we don’t have to get out on the runway to conduct a pavement friction assessment, we stay out of the way and are able to land that many more aircraft,” Carlson explains. Safety and airfield efficiency were also key considerations. Our plan is to base our tactical decisions regarding liquid/chemical applications on information this system provides us.” So this is definitely a better way to go.

“At $4 to $5 a gallon for deicer, those numbers add up quickly. “Based on discussions I’ve had at winter ops conferences with colleagues from other airports, they’re seeing significant savings,” Carlson reports. As such, it’s still too soon to determine how much the airport will save by reducing unnecessary applications of potassium acetate deicing solution. By providing more accurate warnings about when icy conditions will develop, the system is expected to reduce airfield maintenance expenditures and minimize the number of runway closures required for pavement deicing.Īirport Surface Friction Tester (ASFT), a company based in icy Sweden, designed and manufactures the equipment.ĭEN’s new system came online in October, just as the local snow season began. The new system, which cost about $274,000, will help personnel monitor icing conditions more effectively and allow them to better manage the deicing agents they use on airfield pavements, explains Mike Carlson, DEN’s assistant director of airside operations. Key Benefit: System is designed to reduce unnecessary application of deicing agents simply the surface temperature of pavements) Of Note: Active sensors determine the freezing point of runway precipitation (vs. Spent on Deicing Chemicals: $2.72 million/yr (during last 4 yrs) Liquid Deicer Used: 616,452 gallons of potassium acetate during 2014-2015 winterĪvg. System Manufacturer: Airport Surface Friction Testerĭistributor: American Safety TechnologiesĮlectrical & Mechanical Component Installation: Sturgeon Electric Timeline: Installed during $46.5 million runway reconstructionįunding: Airport Improvement Program grants airport fundsĪpprox. The in-pavement sensors were installed as part of a $46.5 million runway resurfacing project. The system includes five clusters of sensors embedded in Runway 17L-35R, one of DEN’s four north/south runways, and three more clusters in adjacent high-speed taxiways. Denver International Airport (DEN) has a new tool at its disposal for managing winter operations: in-pavement sensors that help predict when ice will form on runway and other airfield surfaces.

Denver airport runway