Electric Heating Temperature

Hhan

Hello,

I am new to this forum and looking for some answers for an upcoming project. I am located in upstate NY and was looking to install an electric heat pump that runs glycerol over the surface of an outdoor turf. I was looking at 5/8 inch tubing and was wondering, what would be a good temp to run the glycerol through the system? And what is the correlation between temperature and amount of tubing needed? As well as how much power it would draw at certain temps.

I don't need it to melt snow fast, something around 0.5 to 1 inch per hour. I would appreciate any and all replies.

I am completely new to this, and some insight would really help.

hot_rod

how large of an area are you considering?

The low end if snowmelt would be 100 btu/ sq ft, and critical SIM helipads could run 300 btu or more : sq ft

SIM systems are divided into categories based on the melt rate required. How much snow and how quickly

hot_rod

from an article in PHC Pros by Kolyn Marshall

Hhan

I am looking to melt an area of over 100,000 square feet, at a possible rate of 3/4 per hour. Although the rate of snow is greater, time isn't super important.

Jamie Hall

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1844975#Comment_1844975

You have got to be kidding. Well, as noted above the customary power requirement is 100 BTUh per square foot. So for your 100,000 square feet, you will need to supply 10,000,000 BTUh for your snowmelt system.

5/8 inch oxygen barrier PEX will probably work. Spacing will depend somewhat on depth of burial, but 8 inch to 1 inch spacing would be the maximum, Presumably, since this is to be artifical turf rather than pavement, you will need considerably more power, since you will be heating the ground beneath as well as the surface.

As to temperature, the you can probably get by at around 100 F feed temperature. The required temperature does not vary with air temperature — the temperature at which snow melts is constant, 32 F.

As to power requirement, you will need at least 1,000 KW, even with a high performance heat pump.

hot_rod

Typically 3/4" loops to move the most amount energy. I think most all the radiant tube manufacturers have design experience with all types of turf warming applications.

Temperature and flow rate are determined by the rate of melt you want or need. You can melt snow with 40° fluid, around 100° is a more typical SWT.

If you go for somthing this large, you really need a professional design. I'll bet any of the pex companies would be glad to help for that tubing sale!

That's not going to be a cheap date. Both for installation and operation.

jumper

I was involved once with a project of rejecting heat from A/C under a parking lot of about 100,000 sq ft. Estimated 60 thousand ton hours per season. Some winters snow rarely accumulated. Other winters plowing was necessary.

Hhan

Thank you all for your help. I have found professional help, I was just looking for a baseline of what was conceivable and found that a ground cover tarp with an imbedded heating system would be our cheapest option.

Thank you.