Standard rates vary from 100 to 500 lbs/lane-mile.
Typical ratio is 8-12 gallons per ton of salt.
The total length of the route to be treated.
Liquid Flow Rate Requirement:–
Salt Rate (Tons/Mile):–
Total Liquid Needed:–
Total Solid Material Needed:–
function calculatePreWet() {
// 1. Get Input Values
var solidRate = parseFloat(document.getElementById('solidRate').value);
var ratio = parseFloat(document.getElementById('prewetRatio').value);
var distance = parseFloat(document.getElementById('routeDistance').value);
// 2. Validation
if (isNaN(solidRate) || solidRate < 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid Solid Material Application Rate.");
return;
}
if (isNaN(ratio) || ratio < 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid Pre-wetting Ratio.");
return;
}
if (isNaN(distance) || distance <= 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid Route Distance.");
return;
}
// 3. Calculation Logic
// Convert lbs/lane-mile to tons/lane-mile (2000 lbs in a ton)
var tonsPerMile = solidRate / 2000;
// Calculate liquid rate per mile (gallons/lane-mile)
// Formula: (Tons of salt per mile) * (Gallons of liquid per ton)
var liquidRatePerMile = tonsPerMile * ratio;
// Calculate Totals
var totalSolidTons = tonsPerMile * distance;
var totalLiquidGallons = liquidRatePerMile * distance;
// 4. Display Results
document.getElementById('liquidRateResult').innerHTML = liquidRatePerMile.toFixed(3) + " gal/lane-mile";
document.getElementById('tonsPerMileResult').innerHTML = tonsPerMile.toFixed(3) + " tons/mile";
document.getElementById('totalLiquidResult').innerHTML = totalLiquidGallons.toFixed(1) + " gallons";
document.getElementById('totalSolidResult').innerHTML = totalSolidTons.toFixed(2) + " tons";
// Show results container
document.getElementById('results').style.display = 'block';
}
Optimizing Winter Maintenance: The Pre-wet Application Rate Calculator
Effective winter road maintenance relies heavily on the precise application of deicing materials. Pre-wetting—the process of coating solid rock salt with a liquid deicer (such as salt brine, calcium chloride, or magnesium chloride) at the spinner—has become a standard best practice in the industry. This calculator helps fleet operators and snowfighters determine exactly how much liquid is required based on their solid application rates.
Why Use a Pre-wet Application Calculator?
Calculating the correct mixture of solid and liquid deicers is crucial for both budget management and road safety. Over-application wastes expensive chemicals and harms the environment, while under-application fails to break the bond between snow and pavement.
Standard spreaders are calibrated to output solid material in pounds per lane-mile. However, pre-wetting systems are calibrated based on a ratio of gallons per ton of solid material. Converting between these units manually during a storm event can lead to errors. This tool automates that math.
Understanding the Formulas
To determine your liquid requirements, we use the following logical steps:
1. Convert Solid Rate to Tons
Since pre-wet ratios are based on tons, we first convert the application rate from pounds to tons.
Tons per Mile = Application Rate (lbs/mile) / 2000
2. Calculate Liquid Flow Rate
Next, we apply the pre-wetting ratio to find out how much liquid is dispensed for every mile driven.
Liquid Rate (gal/mile) = Tons per Mile × Pre-wet Ratio (gal/ton)
3. Determine Total Route Volume
Finally, to load the truck correctly, we multiply by the total route distance.
Total Liquid Needed = Liquid Rate (gal/mile) × Total Route Distance (miles)
Benefits of Pre-wetting
Reduced Bounce and Scatter: Dry salt can bounce off the road by up to 30%. Wet salt adheres to the pavement, keeping the material where it is needed.
Faster Reaction Time: Salt must dissolve into a brine to melt ice. Adding liquid kickstarts this process, lowering the freezing point immediately upon contact.
Lower Application Rates: Because more material stays on the road and activates faster, operators can often reduce their solid application rates by 20-30%, resulting in significant material savings.
Typical Application Rates
While every storm is unique, here are common industry guidelines for pre-wetting:
Solid Salt: 200 to 400 lbs per lane-mile depending on snow accumulation and temperature.
Pre-wet Ratio: 8 to 12 gallons of liquid per ton of salt is standard. High-performance setups may use higher ratios (up to 20 gal/ton) for slurry generation.
Note: Always calibrate your spreader equipment annually to ensure the controller settings match the actual material output.