Electrifying: New cement makes concrete generate electricity

Global Construction Review ^ | November 23, 2021 | Rod Sweet

[Rebelbase]

There is a FReeper here who has natural geothermal water piped under their driveway which keeps it heated and snow free all winter long.

[SunkenCiv]

Conducting the current would seem problematic.

[Openurmind]

I suppose if there was some sort of resistance also incorporated, the power it produced would also create heat through that resistance. Whether it would be enough or not to keep it clear would be another story.

[Cuttnhorse]

There is a FReeper here who has natural geothermal water piped under their driveway which keeps it heated and snow free all winter long.

Now that you mention that, I'll bet that circulating ground water in a pipe system might do the same thing. We have a geothermal heat pump system for our home, but the temp of the ground water is only about 38-degrees, F.
I bet that would be adequate to keep the drive ice-free?

[nascarnation]

Lot of the sidewalks at Purdue Univ have steam pipes underneath. Similar idea.

[Rebelbase]

I don’t think that 38 degree water piped underneath concrete would keep the surface from freezing. It is not the same as using water that is naturally 100+ degrees.

[Cuttnhorse]

Well, here in Idaho freezing is 32 degrees; any temp above that would have a thawing effect.
Concrete is a thermal mass...difficult to raise, (or lower} temp, but once there, in this case above freezing, it isn’t too tough to maintain.

[Rebelbase]

Look at your average monthly winter temperatures and decide if 6 degrees of difference would be enough to keep snow/ice off.