The IHT is being developed by ICAX, Ltd., London-based sustainable energy company. It is currently undergoing evaluation trials by the Highway Agency on the M1 motorway to determine its effectiveness in keeping ice off the roads. The IHT technology could also be used to prevent road surfaces from expanding in summer, a condition that requires costly resurfacing work to repair cracks and potholes.

 

IHT technology is the development of under soil heating systems and has been used for years to keep football grounds frost free. It is a versatile technology that can also be for buildings, runways, car parks, playgrounds and schools as well as roads. The system comprises a series of large pipes, which sit below the surface of the road. The pipes are filled with a special fluid that retains heat from the road during summer. Pumps recirculate the warmed fluid into reservoirs, where it is retained until temperatures drop to the point where ice may form on the road surface. At this point the fluid is pumped back into the underground pipes to keep the road ice-free. Conversely, in summer the pipes help cool the road surface to reduce expansion, making the surface last longer - up to 20-years longer according to some reports. This could save millions of pounds a year in resurfacing work alone.
 
The control and monitoring system for the IHT project at Toddington was designed and installed by Silchester Control Systems of Alton in Hampshire. The company was chosen for its experience across a wide range of industrial sectors and for its successful track record in working with some of the world's leading manufacturing and process companies.

 

Silchester designed and built the complex control system required for the most effective heat transfer solution. Its system allows for twelve modes of control, all of which are monitored by CitectSCADA. The CitectSCADA package stores data regarding temperatures and flows; it provides trending facilities, archives data, and provides reporting of the IHT system performance.

 

"The pilot IHT project on the M1 is a real showcase for the technology," said Cevn Vibert of Silchester Controls. "To get the best from our control system, we had to ensure the highest levels of flexibility in terms of terms of local and remote monitoring and reporting; and the highest levels of operating reliability. We've used CitectSCADA in many of our previous projects, and we know that the package can deliver all of these benefits."

 

CitectSCADA also fulfils the project requirements for both local and remote monitoring of the IHT system. Local monitoring is from a central site adjacent to Junction 12 on the M1. Remote monitoring is from anywhere in the UK - or the world, courtesy of CitectSCADA's integrated Web client. Viewed simply using Internet Explorer, the Web client provides secure, reliable and simple access directly to the first page of the SCADA system. It allows changes to graphics pages as well as offers full functionality and support for all CitectSCADA features. Furthemore, the Web client supports user files and active-x controls in addition to providing data file compression to cater for slow links.

 

 

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About Citect
Citect is the leading, global provider of industrial automation, real-time intelligence, and next generation manufacturing execution systems (MES). Leveraging open technologies, CitectHMI/SCADA and Ampla connect to multiple plant and business systems. Our products are complemented by professional services, customer support and training, and sold in numerous industries: mining, metals, food and beverage, manufacturing, facilities, water, gas pipelines, power distribution and pharmaceuticals. Headquartered in Sydney Australia, Citect has 21 offices and representation in Oceania, Southeast Asia, China and Japan, North and South America, Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Its products are distributed in more than 80 countries worldwide.

 

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