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EP-4450585-B1 - SNOW REMOVAL COMPOSITION HAVING EXCLLENT ECO-FRIENDLINESS AND ANTI-FREEZING PERFORMANCE

EP4450585B1EP 4450585 B1EP4450585 B1EP 4450585B1EP-4450585-B1

Inventors

  • HONG, JOO YEON
  • KIM, YOUNG SEOK

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20221215

Claims (6)

  1. An aqueous solution composition comprising: water; a chloride salt ; a first additive agent one or more selected from a group consisting of metasilicate, and metasilicate salt; and a second additive agent one or more selected from a group consisting of formic acid, and formate; wherein the aqueous solution composition does not freeze at temperatures above -30°C, wherein the molar concentration of chloride salt in the aqueous solution composition is at least 2.4 mol/L and not more than 5.5 mol/L, wherein the molar concentration of the first additive agent is 3% or less of the molar concentration of the chloride salt, wherein the molar concentration of the second additive agent is 50% or less of the molar concentration of the chloride salt.
  2. The aqueous solution composition of claim 1, wherein the chloride salt is at least one selected from sodium chloride and calcium chloride.
  3. The aqueous solution composition of any one of the claims 1 to 2, wherein the first additive agent is sodium metasilicate.
  4. The aqueous solution composition of any one of the claims 1 to 3, wherein the second additive agent is sodium formate.
  5. The aqueous solution composition of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the aqueous solution composition further comprises glycerine, wherein the molar concentration of the glycerine is at least 2 mol/L and not more than 25 mol/L.
  6. The aqueous solution composition of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the aqueous solution composition further comprises one or more selected from acetic acid, and acetate as a third additive agent, wherein the molar concentration of the third additive agent is 0.1% or less of the molar concentration of the chloride salt.

Description

Technical Field The present invention relates to a snow removal composition and, more specifically, to a snow removal composition having excellent performance in preventing freezing and rapidly melting generated ice while being economical and eco-friendly. Background Art During the winter season, compositions developed for the purpose of removing snow, so-called snow removal agents, are often used to ensure road traffic safety and pedestrian safety. A snow removal agent is a composition mainly aims to convert a solid state of water, that is, ice, existing in the surroundings to a liquid state by generating heat when making contact with moisture, and preventing water from freezing easily on roads and various facilities by lowering the freezing point of water. Snow removal agents domestically used in South Korea mainly contain calcium chloride or sodium chloride. Calcium chloride is a substance having excellent deliquescence and generates heat when mixed with water. Although the amount of heat generated is less than that generated when mixing calcium chloride with moisture, sodium chloride absorbs and dissolves water in the same manner as calcium chloride, thus lowering the freezing point and preventing refreezing. As described above, calcium chloride and sodium chloride, often used to remove snow or prevent refreezing, are inexpensive, which is advantageous. However, environmental pollution and corrosion of steel structures and the like caused by chloride ions (Cl-) are pointed out as major problems. In particular, calcium chloride causes not only steel but also concrete and asphalt to corrode extremely rapidly, thus shortening the lifespan of vehicles, bridges, and all road facilities. Additionally, calcium chloride is introduced into rivers and soil by being dissolved in water, causing water pollution and soil acidification, and is also known to result in damage to the environment by withering plants such as roadside vegetation and vegetables and causing skin disease and itching on the feet and skin of animals. Therefore, to solve problems caused by chloride ions, snow removal agents such as an agent with low chlorine content, non-chloride-based agent, or formulation incorporating magnesium rather than sodium and calcium, have been developed. As one example, Korean Patent No. 10-1361136 has disclosed a composition in which etching wastewater generated during a semiconductor manufacturing process reacts with limestone, slaked lime, and brucite, a magnesium compound. Additionally, Korean Patent No. 10-1471327 has disclosed a composition containing 10 to 15 parts by weight of urea, 0.5 to 1.5 parts by weight of carboxylic acid, 1.0 to 2.0 parts by weight of phosphoric acid, and 80 to 90 parts by weight of sodium chloride in such proportions. Although the composition described in Korean Patent No. 10-1361136 is advantageous in terms of utilizing industrial waste and not containing or minimizing chloride ions by causing chemical reactions between various acid substances and magnesium compounds present in industrial waste, the manufacturing costs are high. Furthermore, although the use of urea is described as an advantage in the case of Korean Patent No. 10-1471327, there is a disadvantage that urea itself is expensive. Moreover, in anti-freezing compositions containing chlorine as a whole, sodium chloride, calcium chloride, and magnesium chloride, excluding water, account for at least 60 wt%, which is usually 90 wt% or more, making it difficult to be regarded as achieving technological progress capable of reducing the amount of chloride ions generated compared to typical snow removal agents to which sodium chloride or calcium chloride is applied alone, or a mixture thereof is applied. [Document of related art] [Patent Document] (Patent Document 1) Korean Patent No. 10-1361136 US 6 149 833 A discloses a method of melting snow and ice on traffic areas, which comprises applying to the traffic areas covered with snow and ice a deicer in an amount of from 5 to 100 g/m2, which comprises from 30 to 70% by weight of sodium formate, from 30 to 70% by weight of sodium chloride and from 0.1 to 3% by weight of a corrosion inhibitor, and which is used in the form of solid particles having a diameter of from 0.3 to 10 mm or in aqueous solution with a content of from 5 to 25% by weight of the deicer. Disclosure Technical Problem The present disclosure, which has been made to solve the problems described above, aims to provide a snow removal composition having as little chloride salt content as possible to be further eco-friendly and economical while being capable of showing the same or superior snow removal ability to that of existing snow removal agents having a chloride salt content of 85% or more to the weight of solid content. The present disclosure aims to provide a composition having excellent performance in preventing freezing or rapidly melting generated ice while being economical and eco-friendly, and a use thereof.