Description

Airports may use a variety of methods to maintain the surface friction, and therefore the braking action and directional control, on runways, taxiways, and aprons if they are contaminated by snow and/or ice.

Most airports aim to clear frozen deposits completely but where this is impractical because of low temperature and persistent snow conditions, treatment of a frozen surface to achieve adequate braking action may be undertaken. In the more usual case, mechanical methods are used to clear snow and ice, and when necessary, de/anti icing chemicals applied in solid or liquid form are used, too. The purpose of these products, often referred to as Pavement De-icing Products (PDP) or Runway De-icing Fluids (RDF), is to melt frozen deposits or to prevent freezing or re-freezing of liquid on the surface by lowering its freezing point.

Types of Runway De-icing Product

The products most commonly used for this purpose are: