Analyzing and improving the thermal performance of road network weighing stations through measurements and CFD modeling

Weighing stations ensure the safety and durability of road infrastructures. In cold climates, weighing stations are heated to melt accumulated snow and maintain an adequate operating temperature, resulting in significant energy consumption. The objective of this work is to understand the heat transfer and airflow within weighing stations and identify potential improvements. A CFD model was developed and validated, based on measurements in a weighing station in Quebec City, Canada. Then, three performance metrics were defined to assess thermal uniformity inside the pit, the heat flux available for snow melting, and the amount of heat losses. A parametric study was performed by varying the heater configuration and capacity, as well as the airtightness of the pit, to identify the most influential variables. Results showed that the heat losses due to airflow through the different gaps in the station were dominant, representing around 54% of the heat input in the current situation. Adopting a new configuration (more heaters of smaller capacity) and improving airtightness significantly improved thermal performance under simulated conditions. The methods and results from this paper are useful to engineers who design, maintain, operate and renovate weighting stations and other similar heat transfer systems. • Road networks’ weighing stations consume energy for snow melting and space heating • In winter conditions, 54% of heat losses are due to air movements through gaps • Significant temperature and heat flux non-uniformity is observed in the station • Gap thickness, heater height and arrangement are the most influential parameters • Increasing the number of heaters and their height in the pit improves performance