What is Liquid Calcium Chloride?
- Snow and Ice Control
- Base Stabilization
- Dust Control
- Concrete Acceleration
- Tire Ballast
- Waste Water Treatment
Storage of Liquid Calcium Chloride
LIQUIDOW™ is hygroscopic which means that it tends to absorb the moisture from the air. But, if you keep it stored in a closed tank that has minimal exposure to humidity in the air, the concentration should not require additional mixing. In order to avoid your equipment from becoming clogged, make sure that the temperature where your calcium chloride is being stored is not lower than the freezing point. Otherwise, you will run the potential of the product crystallizing and becoming an issue for your equipment.
CaCl2 Applications
- Dust Control
- Food Applications
- Snow and Ice Control
- Base Stabilization
- Concrete Acceleration
- Tire Ballast
- Waste Water Treatment
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BENEFITS OF CALCIUM CHLORIDE
Calcium chloride is used in prewetting, anti-icing and solid blend applications to maintain safe, ice-free driving conditions.
Prewetting
Prewetting rock salt with calcium chloride enhances salt’s performance at any temperature. Liquid calcium chloride provides salt with the moisture it needs to form liquid brine and initiate melting action. Once melting begins, the bond between ice and pavement can be broken, which enables mechanical removal.For more than four decades, prewetting rock salt and abrasive materials with liquid calcium chloride has been proven highly effective in achieving better ice melting performance and improving traction on winter pavement. A study by the Province of Ontario, Canada showed that calcium chloride was “much more effective” than other brines used as prewetting agents for rock salt. The study showed calcium chloride reduced snow cover 27% better on average than magnesium chloride brine and also was more effective than salt brine.1
Prewetting salt and abrasives with calcium chloride also reduces scattering, keeping granular materials on the road where ice melting and traction are needed and reducing impact on the surrounding environment. Tests conducted in 2012 by the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) validated results obtained by MDOT in the early 1970’s, which found that pre-wetting salt reduces salt loss due to bounce and scatter by close to 30%. The 2012 results showed that salt treated with a liquid calcium chloride blend scattered less than dry salt at three different speeds and with two different types of distribution systems. 2
Conventional abrasives can also benefit from prewetting treatment with calcium chloride. Sand and cinder particles prewetted with calcium chloride stay free-flowing and embed more securely in packed snow and ice, reducing losses from bounce and scatter to help ensure maximum traction improvement on pavement surfaces.
Anti-icing
Anti-icing is the practice of applying ice melting chemicals before or at the start of freezing precipitation to prevent the formation of ice-to-pavement bonds. Compared to deicing after weather events, anti-icing requires considerably smaller amounts of deicing material, reducing product and application costs, as well as potential runoff to the environment.The savings provided by anti-icing can be significant. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says anti-icing techniques can reduce deicer usage by up to 75%.3
Dry Blending
When blended 1:4 with rock salt, solid calcium chloride can reduce overall road salt requirements by as much as 60%. This is especially helpful in “reduced salt areas” where contamination of surface and ground water by rock salt is a concern.4 Blending is also useful in very cold climates and on critical road sections such as bridges, highway ramps, and sharp turns or grades because it can significantly reduce the time required to break the bond between ice and pavement, particularly at temperatures below 15oF.Spot Use of Solid Deicer
Solid calcium chloride can be used to quickly penetrate and undercut ice around burst water mains, in culverts where flow is dangerously impeded by ice, and in other locations where deicing delays or waiting for ice to melt naturally could create a hazard, result in greater damage, or impede repairs. DOWFLAKE™ Xtra 83-87% Calcium Chloride Flakes are used to apply high potency deicing action directly to small areas of problem ice. The highly concentrated, hygroscopic calcium chloride material releases heat as it attracts moisture, quickly dissolving to form ice-melting brine and break the bond between ice and the subsurface - Calcium Chloride is an odorless and colorless salt solution that can be used for both road treatment and industrial purposes.Primary applications include deicing and dust control for roads, but is also used as a concrete additive, an anti-freeze, and is often used in oilfield applications. It is available in a variety of concentrations and package types.Calcium Chloride (CaCl2) delivers solid performance in liquid and dry form — its’ exothermic quality causes it to release heat during the chemical reaction. It is also hygroscopic: it draws in moisture and resists evaporation. These two key factors make it a versatile product for year-round maintenance programs in snow removal, dust control, and industrial purposes.
Uses and Applications
De-Icing/Anti-Icing
Calcium Chloride (CaCl2) provides effective deicing/anti-icing when applied either before or after a snow or ice storm. When used prior, it inhibits the bonding of snow and ice to the pavement, making it easier for snowplows to clear roads down to bare pavement. When used as a deicing product, Calcium Chloride will quickly begin to melt snow and ice breaking the bond to achieve a clear surface. In addition, Calcium Chloride in its dry form begins the brine process quickly to achieve a quick burn to melt accumulated snow and ice.
Dust Control
The natural hygroscopic properties of Calcium Chloride make it easy to retain moisture and significantly reduce road dust and support soil stabilization.
Industrial
Calcium Chloride used as a cement accelerator increases the rate of early strength development and setting. This makes it an ideal choice for fall, winter, and spring projects while meeting ASTM and AASHTO standards.
Anti-freeze
Calcium Chloride is utilized in coal storage and transportation operations as an anti-freeze.
Oil Fields
Calcium Chloride is often used in oil field operations as part of completion and workover fluids as well as an additive to drilling mud that increases density and prevents clay hydration.
- Several manufacturers market “Liquid Calcium Chloride” as a deicing pretreatment. Pretreating ice with a solution of calcium chloride before applying rock salt enhances the performance of the salt by allowing the salt crystals to penetrate into the ice. Calcium chloride also allows deicing in lower temperatures than rock salt alone. According to two manufacturers’ material safety data sheets, liquid calcium chloride contains 20 to 45 percent calcium chloride by weight in water. Taking the middle of this range, 33 percent, as a “target” composition, this means that 100 mL of the solution contains about 33 g calcium chloride, or the calcium chloride concentration is 0.33 g/mL. Converting these units to more conventional English measurements, this translates to about 1200 g per gallon, 42 oz. per gallon or 2.6 lbs. per gallon.
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Measure 42 oz. of anhydrous calcium chloride pellets into a plastic bowl and transfer the pellets to an empty 1-gallon jug using a funnel. If necessary, the pellets can be weighed in two or more portions and added separately. Be certain to allow for the weight of the empty bowl. Thus, if the empty bowl weighs 3 oz., then add the calcium chloride pellets until the balance reads 42 + 3 = 45 oz.
Fill the plastic container approximately half full with tap water being careful not to spill or splash the contents. Swirl the container in a circular motion until the calcium chloride pellets have dissolved completely. This may require several minutes of swirling.
Fill the gallon container to its full 1-gallon capacity, cap tightly and, while holding one hand over the cap, invert the jug three times to mix the contents.
Label clearly the outside of the jug with indelible marker to avoid poisoning accidents
- The use of protective eyewear and rubber gloves is strongly recommended.If the plastic container shows a previously existing label, the preferred safe storage method is to spray paint over the label or soak the label in water until it is removed completely. This step is especially recommended if the container was previously used for food storage.
