Abstract: A snow and ice melt system having one or more zones, each including one or more heaters, and having one or more controllers configured to use a power output of each heater and an average temperature of each zone to determine operational control of each heater to achieve a specified result. Hydronic or resistive heaters could be used. The controllers may be configured to use a system temperature response over time to determine if a phase change of the snow or ice is occurring. The phase change might indicate that snow or ice is present on a zone and is melting. Use of a first derivative of the system temperature response over time might determine a percentage of a zone covered by snow or ice. Use of a second derivative of the system temperature response over time might determine whether melting is complete.

Abstract: Ice mitigation for bridge cables is provided by a system having a plurality of heaters on one or more bridge cables, extending parallel to a longitudinal axis thereof, arranged in a plurality of heater sections, and configured to heat an outer surface of the bridge cables, and a control system including one or more controllers configured to individually activate and regulate heating output of the heater sections to prevent snow or ice from falling from the bridge cables. The heater sections can be arranged radially, about a circumference of the bridge cables, and/or axially, end to end along a length of the bridge cables, so that power can be individually directed to the heater sections to account for differing heating requirements at different radial and/or axial aspects of the bridge cables.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for bagging ice cubes produced by a plurality of cubers with only one bagger when the cubers are stacked side-by-side with the ice produced by each cuber falling into one of two hoppers. The ice is moved from each hopper alternately to the bagger. There each batch of ice cubes is dropped into a bag, the bag sealed, and moved to a storage bin positioned below the bagger. The bags have a short side and a long side with the long side having holes to allow the bags to be supported by horizontal parallel rods extending through the holes. A platen is moved against the short side of a plurality of bags hanging from a first set of parallel rods extending through the holes in the long side of the bags. The air pressure between the platen and the short side of the bag is reduced to cause ambient atmospheric pressure to hold the short side of the outside bag against the platen.