Product History/Overview

The advent of the current Ground Thawing industry is very recent, as of about twelve years with the recent innovations of portable Hydronic heating systems. In the past, similar methods of heating/thawing were accomplished with the use of steam, dating back to the 19th Century. Diesel soaked corn cobs or coal lit fires were also an accepted method to thaw the ground. The use of hay by spreading it over the site prior to frost was and still is used as a frost prevention method. Recently, up until the introduction of the portable Hydronic heating system, the standard practice of thawing the ground was to enclose the area and use LP direct fired heaters.

The Hydronic heating system has proven the direct fired heat to be much more costly, less dependable with a high probability of failure; making it difficult to rely on it for a timeline schedule. The informed contractor working in cold weather conditions understands the sophistication, cost effectiveness and reliability of the Hydronic heating method and in most circumstances they will use it.

Some circumstances allow for the use of direct fired heating; as in a large facility that is currently enclosed with frost in the ground. Scheduling may allow for the slower method of direct fired heating to be used for the reason that they are working in the enclosure which requires heat anyway and they may not require digging for several weeks. This way the contractor has the option to let the ground thaw, as they need the direct fired heat, regardless. In some circumstances they will target thaw in this type of situation; e.g. digging for plumbing, electrical or mechanical room applications.

In recent years the Ground Thawing machines have been adapted for concrete curing in cold weather pours. All existing machines have proven to be inefficient at Concrete Curing. Contractors and Rental operations have shied away from using them because of the uncertainty of their effectiveness and complication.

Some Ground Thaw equipment manufacturers simply recommend turning down their boilers to operate their Ground Thaw machines for Concrete Curing applications. The physics of this operation of the equipment does not add up. Low temperature output of fluid through long zones of hose causes return temps to be very low and not effective in keeping the pour warm. This scenario results in slab temperatures to be well below specified temperatures by the governing authority, such as Engineers and DOT’s. This can cause uneven curing throughout the slab. Another result of this method is the high risk of a boiler flame out. There are no monitoring devices on these units and, with a flame out the concrete could freeze and destroying the entire pour. By turning the boilers down it also causes inefficiency and damage to the boiler, therefore reducing its service life, as they are not designed to operate this way.

The advanced 4200 CM2 in the Fusion Series of equipment for Ground Thaw and Concrete Curing has solved all of the Curing issues with one machine, with the use of the SmartCure System. Multiple temperature controlled zones have been designed for consistent concrete heating temperatures. This system provides the ability for remote Internet monitoring and controlling. Remote wireless Thermister sensors send the individual zone temps back to the SmartCure System, allowing it to make proper temperature adjustments throughout all the zones according to the temperature specifications set by the overseeing agency.

Report Data allows users or monitoring authorities to print a full report detailing all aspects of the machine’s performance during and upon completion of the project; average temperatures of the Zones, power interruptions, etc. This information can be provided to the DOT, engineering firm, Contractor or customer to satisfy any questions, or fulfill any requirements.

For Thawing applications the Fusion 4200 standard system is an easy to use, reliable and affordable method for Thawing. Again, the use of multiple zones allows for a hotter and faster thaw.