China's advanced snow and ice removal technology

The process of clearing ice and snow from roads and power lines has become easier and faster thanks to the application of smart sensors, laser guns, robots, and drones.

Snow blowers clear snow in Changchun city. Photo: CFP — Snow blowers clear snow in Changchun city. Photo: *CFP*

China has recently faced a harsh winter in many regions. Heavy snowfall can paralyze transportation, disrupt daily life, and pose numerous economic challenges. To deal with the snow and ice, China has adopted many advanced measures, transforming the snow removal process from a laborious task into a technological achievement, CGTN reported on January 4th.

Automatic snow melting technology uses smart sensors.

No longer dependent on weather forecasts, highways in China are now equipped with a network of intelligent sensors. These sensors collect real-time data on temperature, humidity, rainfall, and road conditions. This information is then transmitted to a central system that predicts snowfall and prioritizes snow removal. The intelligent system significantly reduces response times and minimizes traffic disruptions by optimizing resource allocation and deployment.

In Dongyang City, Zhejiang Province, eastern China, smart active sensors on highways, along with a snow and ice melting system, are being used for the first time to monitor weather conditions via specialized equipment. When snow and ice are predicted, the system sprays anti-icing chemicals in advance to protect the road surface. This allows for automatic snow and ice melting on the roads.

Special heating devices are installed beneath the road shoulders, powered by renewable energy sources such as photovoltaic cells. They generate heat that melts and carries away the snow. This measure reduces the need for manual snow removal while improving safety by preventing slippery roads.

In Changchun city, Jilin province, northeastern China, two lanes on the same road presented completely different scenes after a snowfall. While one lane was covered in snow, the other remained pristine. Automatic snowmelt technology on the road surface caused the snow to disappear quickly without affecting the quality of the asphalt.

High-tech laser gun

China is testing powerful laser guns that can pulverize snow into fine particles. The high-tech device emits a focused beam of light that vaporizes snow upon contact. While still in its early stages of development, the laser gun has the potential to clear snow quickly and efficiently, especially in remote mountainous areas. Jiang Qingliang, a professor at Chongqing University, said that ice buildup on power lines is a complex challenge. Currently, de-icing using direct current is a common method for addressing widespread freezing on power grids.

At a substation in Chenzhou City, Hunan Province, in central China, technicians say the station operates unmanned and only requires periodic inspections. However, due to the prolonged cold weather in the region, staff have to stay at the station for several days to carry out de-icing operations using DC-powered de-icing equipment. According to the technicians, when a current of over 1,000 amperes passes through the conductors, the temperature soars, effectively melting the ice.

"Every year, before ice covers the power lines, we usually use this device beforehand at substations prone to freezing. The device can melt ice on power lines 30-40 kilometers long within an hour," said Zhu Yuan, an officer at the disaster prevention research institute of the Hunan branch of China National Grid Corporation.

In Jilin Province, snow removal has become a highly mechanized activity. Thanks to icebreakers, snow blowers, and biodegradable snowmelt, humans only play a supporting role. Tian Pengxin, director of the quality management department of Xugong Machinery Company, shared that snow blowers can clear snow extremely quickly on roads. According to him, the electric current from the snow blower instantly blasts half a meter of snow 30 meters away, turning it into small ice fragments. Tian's company is developing a more powerful generation of snow blowers that can clear 4,000 tons of snow per hour over a distance of more than 60 meters.

Robots and drones

Ice-breaking robots also play a crucial role in protecting the power grid. With their mechanical arms, intelligent mobile robots clear ice covering power lines under the control of engineers in Shaoyang City, Hunan Province.

China has also deployed fleets of high-speed drones equipped with thermal imaging cameras and snow-dispersing nozzles. These airborne "warriors" can quickly survey large areas, identify areas with heavy snow accumulation, and accurately target them with bursts of de-icing chemicals or hot air. Drones provide an effective tool for snow and ice management and emergency response.

In addition, drones also aid in inspections in the rugged terrain of the Dabie Mountains. During the recent cold spell, Yuexi County in Anqing City, Anhui Province, eastern China, located deep in the mountains, recorded heavy snowfall. The potential for ice to build up on power lines threatened the county's power supply. Fixed-wing unmanned vehicles, capable of operating at high altitudes and speeds and flying long distances, helped complete inspections in less than an hour, according to Chu Zhugang, an official at the Anqing branch of the National Grid Corporation.

An Khang (According to CGTN )

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