Lock Wall Deicing with Water Jets:Field Tests at Ship Locks in Montreal,Canada,and Sault Ste. Marie,Michigan.

摘要

Tests were made to evaluate a proposed technique for removing ice from lock walls during winter navigation. The technique involves use of a high-pressure water jet to slice through ice collars that adhere to vertical walls. The test equipment consisted of: (1) A jet lance tipped with a nozzle designed to produce a long coherent jet; (2) A small tractor (hydraulically driven) to carry the lance; and (3) A high-pressure pump unit to supply water to the lance. Tests were made with operating pressures from 3,000 to 14,000 lbf/sq in. and nozzle diameters from 0.063 to 0.152 in. Most of the work involved pressures around 9,000 lbf/sq in. and nozzle diameters of approximately 0.09 in. Traverse speeds were in the range 3 to 17 ft/min. Jet penetrations of up to 4 ft. were achieved in a single pass, and the equipment proved capable of cleaning the lock wall under the prevailing conditions. However, performance was somewhat less favorable than had been predicted, and a revised scheme involving changes in lock operating procedures was proposed. (Author)