A method of infusing salt can include heating salt to a temperature above the boiling point of water. The method can also apply a liquid additive solution to the heated salt to create an infused salt. The temperature of the heated salt can be sufficiently high that the salt remains above the boiling point of water for a first period of time after the liquid additive solution is applied thereto.

A composition and method for safely and easily melting snow and ice is disclosed. The composition includes a pellet comprising an active ingredient; and a base comprising a water-soluble film-forming material, the pellet being attached to the base.

A method for preparing a composition with low corrosive effect and low freezing point including mixing an ammonium cation source with a carboxyl anion source in an appropriate molar or weight ratio for obtaining an organic ammonium carboxylate of formula [NR.sup.1R.sup.2R.sup.3R.sup.4].sup.+.sub.n [R.sup.5(COO).sub.n].sup.n in which R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and R.sup.3 are selected from the group comprising hydrogen, substituted and unsubstituted alkyls containing 1-6 carbon atoms, R.sup.4 is a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl containing 1-6 carbon atoms, R.sup.5 is hydrogen, a substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbon containing 1-6 carbon atoms and n is an integral of 1-6, and thereafter adding possible solvent and at the same time keeping alkali or alkali-earth metal content of the composition in a range of 0.001-30 wt % and halide content in a range of 0.001-1 wt %.

A brine generation system includes a tank unit having a tank body and a divider which separates the tank into an upper portion for holding salt crystals and a lower portion for holding brine. The divider is adapted to resist the movement of salt crystals greater than a predetermined size and to permit the brine solution to pass from the upper portion through the divider to the lower portion by the effect of gravity. The divider includes a sump channel having an opening in communication with the upper portion of the tank unit. The sump channel is adapted to collect non-soluble particles greater than a predetermined size and permit the brine solution in the sump channel to pass therethrough to the lower portion of the tank unit. The sump channel is in communication with a sediment discharge port defined in the tank body.

The present invention pertains to systems, methods, and compositions for liquid phase change, including for active cloud point, e.g., critical solution temperature, adjustment and heating or cooling, e.g., refrigeration, cycles. In some embodiments heat is absorbed, released or both due to phase changes in a liquid system. Advantageously, the phase changes may be controlled by controlling the ingredients or amounts of certain components of the liquid system. Advantages may include lower capital expenditures, lower operating expenses, or both for a diverse and wide range of heating and cooling applications. Such applications include, for example, cooling of data centers, cooled transportation of goods, refrigeration, heat pumps, extractions, ocean thermal energy conversion, and de-icing of roads to name just a few.

According to the invention, a melting and traction matrix for use on icy or wet surfaces comprising at least one melting agent and at least one substrate impregnated therewith and a method for making and using same are disclosed. The matrix is applied to surfaces where ice is present or anticipated. Upon surface contact, the substrate provides immediate traction and melting agent dissipates from the substrate. Further melting agent dissipates slowly by diffusion for a long-term, persistent effect, in combination with the substrate, the overall amount of melting agent may be controlled, thereby mitigating potential corrosive, toxic and adverse cosmetic and/or environmental effects. The remaining substrate after melting agent has totally diffused may provide longer traction benefit or may be swept away.

An antifogging system of a vehicle includes a windshield provided between a space inside a vehicle cabin and a space outside the vehicle cabin, an antifogging coating provided on a surface of the windshield facing the vehicle cabin and configured to absorb water adhering to a surface the coating into the coating, an air conditioner configured to vaporize water absorbed in the antifogging coating, a humidity sensor configured to detect a humidity in a temperature boundary layer formed along a surface of the antifogging coating facing the vehicle cabin, and a control unit configured to operate the air conditioner when the humidity is equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold.

A formulation for treating salt to reduce sticking, crusting and clumping of stored salt caused by absorption of water from the air includes desugared sugar beet molasses, admixtures of desugared sugar beet molasses exhibiting anti-sticking, anti-crusting and anti-clumping properties when applied to the salt, desugared sugar beet molasses processed to reduce pectin levels, admixtures of desugared sugar beet molasses processed to reduce pectin levels and also exhibiting anti-sticking, anti-crusting and anti-clumping properties when applied to the salt, sugar cane molasses, admixtures of sugar cane molasses exhibiting anti-sticking, anti-crusting and anti-clumping properties when applied to the salt, concentrated molasses solids (CMS), concentrated bypass syrup (CBS), concentrated syrup byproduct (CSB), raffinate, concentrated molasses solids (CMS) processed to remove chlorides, concentrated syrup byproduct (CSB) processed to remove chlorides, raffinate processed to remove chlorides, potassium acetate, glycerin and mixtures thereof.

The present application pertains in some embodiments to a thermal storage system. The system may include, for example, a warm thermal storage region; a cold thermal storage region; and a physical divider. The warm thermal storage region may include at least two liquid phases. The cold thermal storage region may include at least one liquid phase. The physical divider substantially separates the warm thermal storage region from the cold thermal storage region.

Provided is a method for producing an alkaline earth metal formate, the method including a first step of reacting hydrogen and carbon dioxide with a carbonate or hydrogen carbonate of an alkaline earth metal using a homogeneous catalyst in the presence of a solvent in a two-phase system in which an organic phase and an aqueous phase are present in a separated state in the solvent to produce an alkaline earth metal formate.