PROSPECTS OF SNOW MELTING SYSTEMS (SMS) USING

UNDERGROUND THERMAL ENERGY STORAGE (UTES) IN JAPAN

Kinya Iwamoto, Shigeyuki Nagasaka, Yasuhiro Hamada,

Makoto Nakamura, Kiyoshi Ochifuji, and Katsunori Nagano

Hokkaido University
N13W8, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060 Japan
TEL +(81)11-706-6286
FAX +(81)11-706-7890

ABSTRACT

In this paper, practical snow treatment methods generally used in Japan and the popularity of Snow
Melting Systems (SMS) using Underground Thermal Energy Storage (UTES) are explained. In
particular, an increasing number of systems without water heating equipment using primary energy
have been installed. This type of system circulates hot water in pavement at the soil temperature level
and uses power supplied only from a circulating pump.

As an example of SMS using UTES, the case of snow melting/de-icing operations on a bridge
roadway at the foot of a mountain in Hiroshima is introduced. The system was composed of a vertical
ground heat exchanger, heat dissipation pipes in the concrete pavement and a heating carrier
circulating pump. Solar heat collected on the pavement and stored in the soil during the summer was
extracted and dissipated into the pavement in winter.

In addition, an experiment conducted at Hokkaido University is introduced, and the obtained results
compared with those for the system in Hiroshima. The system at Hokkaido University also used
UTES (vertical ground heat exchanger type) and solar heat was stored during summer and extracted in
winter. The heating carrier temperature after extracting heat from the soil was approximately 6 to 10
(almost the same as in Hiroshima), and the depth of the ground heat exchanger required for a snow
melting area of 1 m2 is calculated for both cases. In Hokkaido, 3~5 m was required, in Hiroshima 2~3
m. The difference depended on climate, because Hokkaido is located north of Hiroshima.

In the conclusions of this paper, the prospects of SMS using UTES is described and the keys to its
popularity in Japan are discussed.
1. INTRODUCTION

The most popular and commonly practiced method of snow treatment is removal from roads, and
transportation to public snow storage sites. But in Japan, the use of studded tires has been prohibited in
recent years, and to ensure winter road safety, especially on steep slopes or sharp curves, SMS (hot
water circulation or electric cable types) have been installed. In regions south of Hokkaido Prefecture,
the method of directly sprinkling ground water on roads is possible because the average air
temperature in winter is above 0. Recently, however, a lack of ground water has caused ground
subsidence, therefore non-sprinkling systems such as hot water circulation types have become
popular. Figure 1 shows the ratio of practical snow treatment methods on roads in Sapporo, and Fig. 2
shows the ratio of snow treated by each snow melting method installed in Sapporo.

In this report, the popularity of the UTES system in Japan will be explained and snow melting systems
using ground heat sources will be introduced and discussed in regard to performance, cost and global
environmental concerns.

Transportation Road
(to Snow Melting Tank) Heating
0.1% Other Residential Roof
0.4%
0.3% Heating
6%
Transportation
(to Open Space) 19% Residential Snow
Public Road
Meting Tank
Heating
Snow Removal 16%
Total 31 %
(Sidewalk) Total 3
0.4% 3 378,8 thousand m
30.2 million m
(1998)
19.4TJ (1998)
Public Snow
Residential Melting Tank
Road Heating 11%
Snow Removal (Road)
77% 36%

Fig.2 Snow melting in

Fig.1 Snow treatment
on roads in Sapporo Sapporo

2. POPULARITY OF SMS USING UTES IN JAPAN

Table 1 shows examples of SMS using UTES in Japan which have been presented to the public
through research papers and reports. It is believed that at least 19 examples are currently in existence.
These systems have become popular in the 1990s. This type of system circulates hot water in
pavement at the soil temperature level and uses power supplied only from a circulating pump. Before
the 1990s, SMS directly using ground water circulation without heat exchangers were popular,
because method involving the directly sprinkling of ground water on roads caused ground subsidence.
The need for the retention of used ground water after dissipating on road has gradually increased and
heat collection from solar energy through dissipation pipes in road is now have been utilized in
summer.

SMS using UTES are used for parking lots, bridges, entrances and exits of road tunnels and slopes,
and sometimes for entrances and parking spaces of houses. This is a year-round system and is
operated for storage of solar heat in summer and snow melting and de-icing in winter. Horizontal heat
exchangers were used at the beginning of 1990s, but vertical heat exchangers have become popular.

Table 1 SMS using UTES in Japan (Practical)

No. Location Construc- Snow Melting Earth Heat Exchanger/
tion Year Area/Applications Heat Storage
Prefecture Town
1 Niigata Nagaoka 1989 (Sidewalks)
2 Akita Kyowa 1990 200 m2 (Roads) (Horizontal heat exchanger)
Heat pipe type Storage in soil (3000 m3)
3 Okayama Kawakami 1991 300 m2 (Sidewalks (Horizontal heat exchanger)
in parking areas) Storage in soil
Heat pipe type
4 Niigata Kochidani 1991 400 m2 (Parking) (Horizontal heat exchanger)
5 Fukui Fukui 1992 400 m2 (Parking) (Vertical heat exchanger)
35 m depth48(D=400 mm)
6 Aomori Aomori 1992 118 m2 (Parking) (Vertical heat exchanger)
30 m depth 3 pipes
7 Aomori Aomori 1992 Parking for 80
houses

8 Tottori Yonago 1992 150 m2 (Parking) (Horizontal heat exchanger)

Heat pipe type Storage in soil (4.5 m depth)
9 Torrori Tottrori 1993 Pedestrian bridges (Vertical heat exchanger)
10 Niigata Kasiwazaki 1994 900 m2 (Parking) (Horizontal heat exchanger)
11 Hiroshima Saijoh 1994 (Parking) (Vertical heat exchanger)
12 Hiroshima Tokawanai 1994 (Roads) (Vertical heat exchanger)
13 Hokkaido Kitami 1994 100m2 (Roads) (Vertical heat exchanger)
8 m depth 27 pipes(D=80)
Storage tank (1320 m3)
14 Iwate Ninohe 1995 266m2 (Roads) (Vertical heat exchanger)
150 m depth3 pipes(D=89)
15 Hyogo Haga 1995 (Road tunnels) (Vertical heat exchanger)

16 Hiroshima Yokotani 1995 44 m2 (Roads) (Vertical heat exchanger)

100 m depth (D=150)
17 Hyogo Muraoka 1996 310 m2 (Parking) (Vertical heat exchanger)
18 Fukui Kanatsu 1996 (Roads) (Vertical heat exchanger)
19 Shiga Imatsu 1996 (Base camps) (Vertical heat exchanger)

As an example of SMS using UTES, the case of snow-melting/de-icing operations on a bridge

roadway at the foot of a mountain in Hiroshima will be explained. Figure 3 shows an outline of this
system. The system is composed of a vertical ground heat exchanger, heat dissipation pipes in the
concrete pavement and a heating carrier circulating pump. The only energy consumed in operation is
the electric power for the pump. The inlet temperature of the heat dissipation pipes is approximately
5~6, which is the level of soil temperature. The integrated amount of heat collection was 27.8GJ and
the integrated amount of heat dissipation was 31.8GJ. The heat stored in summer was efficiently used
in winter.
3. EXPERIMENT OF SMS USING UTES AT HOKKAIDO UNIVERSITY

As another example of SMS using UTES, an experiment of snow-melting at Hokkaido University will
be explained. Figure 5 shows an outline of this system. The system was composed of a vertical ground
heat exchanger, heat dissipation pipes in the pavement (iron board and high-conductive concrete types
were tried), and a heating carrier circulating pump. The system was the same as that in Hiroshima,
except for, the structure of the pavement and the vertical ground heat exchanger. The depth of the
vertical ground heat exchangers for both systems was also 100 m, but at Hokkaido University, a set of
double pipes was used. The snow melting area was 26 m2, and the calculated depth of the ground heat
exchanger required for a snow melting area of 1 m2 was 3~5 m (2~3 m in Hiroshima). The difference
depended on climate, because Hokkaido is north of Hiroshima.

The integrated amount of solar energy measured by the solar energy sensor was 970.5MJ/ m2 (25.2 GJ
for the total area), and the integrated amount of heat collection was 346.4 MJ/ m2 (9.0GJ for the total
area). Collection efficiency was 36%. Figure 4 shows the movement of total amount of solar energy
and heat collection from solar energy in summer. On the other hand, snow melting energy was
extracted from soil in winter, and sometimes solar heat was even stored in soil in winter, especially in
March. Figure 6 shows the movement of total amount of snow melting energy from soil and heat
storage in soil. The integrated amount of snow melting energy extracted from soil was 197.0MJ/
m2(5.1GJ), and the integrated amount of heat storage in soil was 17.0 MJ/ m2(0.4GJ) in winter
(February and March). Considering that the period of measurement in summer was 74 days, and the
period in winter was 60 days, there was a balance between output and input as a yearly cycle.

In this experiment, the snow melting performance using no primary energy was evaluated, because it
is important to maintain traffic safety, on public roads in Sapporo, on which 5 m snow falls. Figure 7
shows the frequency of appearance of non-melted areas. The ratio of non-melted days during which
the ratio of non-melted areas was less than 0.2 was less than 20% of the whole term of the experiment.
This meant that non-melted snow remained on the road 14 days per one winter season, but the depth
was almost less than 2 cm and there was no freezing zone on the surface. During the experiment
period, the average air temperature was -1.5 (-3.4 in February, 0.5 in March), and the depth of
snowfall was 145.5 mm as water (1.455 m as snow). There were 31 snowfall days. This system
showed potential for practical use for residential or traffic (parking, walking, etc.) convenience.
Energy(MJ/mday)

35
Solar Energy
2

30
Heat Collection
25
20

15

10
5

0
7/13

7/20

7/27

8/10

8/17

8/24

8/31
7/6

8/3

9/7

Daily Energy Movement 1995 7/6~9/12

Fig. 4 Solar energy and heat collection in summer

(Experiment at Hokkaido University)
Energy(MJ/mday)

10
2

Heat Extraction from Soil

Heat Storage in Soil

0
2/15

2/22

2/29

3/14

3/21

3/28
2/1

2/8

3/7
Daily Energy Movement 2/1~3/31

Fig. 6 Snow melting energy from soil

and heat storage in soil in winter
(Experiment at Hokkaido University)

100
90
(%) Iron bord
80
Concrete (High conductivity)
70
Frequency

60
50
40
30
20
10
0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
Ratio of non-melted areas

Fig.7 Frequency of appearance of non-melted areas

4. DISCUSSION OF PROSPECTS OF SMS USING UTES

The initial costs of SMS using UTES present economic disadvantages compared with SMS using
primary energy, because construction costs, mainly due to digging vertical boreholes, are generally
expensive. In Japan, the cost of digging a vertical borehole 1 m deep is approximately \10,000 ~
\15,000 ($80~$120). In the case in Hiroshima, the initial cost per 1 m2 was approximately twice that
of a conventional system using primary energy, but the running cost was approximately 1/8 to 1/20
that of a conventional system. Consequently, it was thought that the required years for cost recovery
are 10 to 20 years.

In view of energy saving or environmental conservation, it is necessary to discuss increasing the

energy efficiency of the system, and utilizing natural energy sources. Considering that temperatures
over 1 are sufficient to melt snow, the utilization of low-temperature energies such as the ground heat
sources should become popular in the near future.

Figure 8 shows a typical flow diagram for the design of SMS using UTES. According to the required
snow melting rate, the required depth of the ground heat exchanger and snow melting energy are
calculated, and an optimum system is determined. In the case of conventional systems (in Japan),
supplied snow melting energy was approximately 150~250W/m2. In the case of the SMS using
UTES, this was approximately 50~100W/m2. Supplemental operations such as storage tanks or heat
pumps are therefore sometimes available to maintain safety of public roads.

5. CONCLUSIONS

(1) The most popular snow treatment method is removal and transportation, but snow melting
methods such as road heating systems (hot water circulation type) have recently become popular
in Japan. Also SMS using UTES without water heating equipment using primary energy have
been installed.
(2) Examples of SMS using UTES include at least 19 systems currently in existence in Japan. These
systems have become popular in the 1990s. Before the 1990s, SMS directly using ground water
were popular.
(3) As an example of SMS using UTES, the case of snow-melting/de-icing operation on a bridge
roadway in Hiroshima was briefly introduced.
(4) As another example of SMS using UTES, an experiment at Hokkaido University was introduced.
This system can be applied for practical use.
(5) SMS using UTES present economic disadvantages because of the high costs of digging vertical
boreholes, but from a viewpoint of energy saving or environmental conservation, its necessity is
increasing.

REFERENCES

K.Moriyama, H.Baba and T. Hayashi, Misawa Architectural Technology Co., Ltd.(1997) Using the
Deep Layer Underground Heat, and the Rocks with Heat Storage Proceedings of MEGASTOCK’97.

Shigeyuki Nagasaka, Kiyoshi Ochifuji, et. al.(1996) Study on Snow Melting System Utilizing
Natural Energy Sources - Part 3 Experiment on Collecting Solar Heat by Using Snow Melting Panels
in Summer Proceedings of Annual Conference of The Society of Heating, Air-Conditioning and
Sanitary Engineers of Japan.