ADVANCED SYNERGISTIC DE/ANTI-ICER FORMULATIONS (701DB009)

Mainstream has identified potential replacements for current de-icing and anti-icing chemicals comprised of alcohols and high-oxygen content organics, and salts. Compared to currently used compounds, these replacements can be optimized in formulations for a rapid and potentially lower BOD, similar or better freezing point depression, reduced eutrophication and toxification, and range of fluid properties (e.g., viscosity, surface tension). Current de-icing and anti-icing chemicals for aircraft rely on compounds such as glycols, urea, calcium magnesium acetate (CMA), sodium formate, and urea. Many of these compounds stress the environment by resulting in oxygen uptake, eutrophication (algal blooms), salinating, and toxification of local waterways, and physical properties are note easily varied for different applications and climates. These new de-icing/anti-icing formulation will consist of biodegradable organic compounds to reduce and expedite the overall biological oxygen demand (BOD), and the inorganic compounds will degrade to harmless solids. The Phase I effort will evaluate the synergism between these components, and optimize the de-icing capability and BOD to arrive at the optimum replacement. Phase II will develop pilot and production scale processes for these de-icing compounds and perform large scale de-icing tests.