Corn Based Deicers TR-754

The overarching goal of this proposal is to investigate the deicing potential of raw corn juice and other corn juice mixtures containing small fractions of polyols and sodium chloride (NaCl). The proposal is based on a premise that the dissolved sugar in the corn can be used as an economical efficient and environment friendly alternative to chloride based deicers. In this proposal, different inexpensive juice extraction procedures will be investigated in order to efficiently extract corn juice with maximum dissolved sugar. Along with this, corn juice mixtures with different combinations of corn juice, limited amounts of polyols derived from corn starch (sorbitol, mannitol, maltitol, inositol and erythritol) and NaCl will be prepared. The deicing properties of raw corn juice and other corn juice mixtures containing polyols and NaCl will be investigated in accordance to procedures prescribed in appropriate standards. Finally, an objective scoring system will be introduced to evaluate the relative deicing performance of corn based deicers with respect to chloride based deicers. Furthermore, relative costs of the corn based deicers will also be evaluated with respect to chloride based deicers. Based on the performance and cost scores and further consultations with the Iowa Department of Transportation the top corn based deicer(s) will be identified and will be recommended for future use in the state of Iowa as an alternative to traditional chloride based deicers to improve traffic safety, re-mediate traffic congestion and to cut travel times in winter months. The technical objectives of this study are: (1) To identify an inexpensive and effective juice extraction process from raw corn that optimizes its sugar content and thereby deicing properties. (2) To investigate the deicing properties of raw corn juice and corn juice mixtures with limited quantities of polyols and chloride salts. (3) Propose a performance and cost scoring method to identify efficient, economical and readily adaptable corn based deicer/s.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Contract to a Performing Organization has not yet been awarded.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $49991
• Contract Numbers:

  TR-754

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Iowa Department of Transportation

  800 Lincoln Way
  Ames, IA  United States  50010
• Managing Organizations:

  North Dakota State University, Fargo

  College of Engineering
  Department of Civil Engineering
  Fargo, ND  United States  58105
• Principal Investigators:

  Yellavajjala, Ravi

• Start Date: 20180926
• Expected Completion Date: 20200730
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Biological materials; Corn; Cost effectiveness; Deicers (Equipment); Environmental impacts; Resource extraction; Sodium chloride; Winter maintenance
• Identifier Terms: Iowa Department of Transportation
• Geographic Terms: Iowa
• Subject Areas: Environment; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01682840
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Iowa Department of Transportation
• Contract Numbers: TR-754
• Files: RIP, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Oct 10 2018 1:39PM