Ramps and helipads kept clear of snow and ice
How a hospital or hotel at a high-altitude site such as Leh can keep a 400 m² helipad and 300 m² of ramps clear of snow and ice with heat pumps, and what it saves against electric heating cables.
▶Video: Space heating for buildings and farms
V13 · 2–2.5 minFloor heating, fan coils and air handlers, from homes to poultry sheds
Video coming soon01Problem statement
- Ice on ramps is dangerous. Patients, staff and ambulances use the ramps at all hours. Ice causes falls and blocks access.
- Helipad must be ready. Medical evacuation flights need a clear, ice-free pad at short notice.
- Manual clearing and salt. Shovelling and salting are slow, damage concrete and still leave black ice overnight.
- Electric heating is expensive heat. Resistance heaters turn one kWh of electricity into one kWh of heat, at the full commercial tariff. A heat pump moves two to four kWh of heat for the same unit.
- Large connected load. Heater banks take a big share of the sanctioned load and push up maximum-demand charges.
02Use case
The reference site is a hospital in a Himalayan town at about 3,500 m, with a 20 m × 20 m helipad and 300 m² of entrance ramps and walkways. Winter lows reach −15 to −20 °C, with snowfall on 15–25 days.
| Heat user | Process temp. | Basis | Heat, kWh/day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Helipad snow melting | Slab above 0 °C | 400 m² × 250 W/m² × 6 h averaged per day over the season | 600 |
| Ramp and walkway anti-icing | Slab 2–3 °C | 300 m² × 100 W/m² × 10 h | 300 |
| Storage and pipework standing losses | – | about 5% | 45 |
| Total useful heat | 945 | ||
Averaged over 20 running hours, the heat pumps need about 47 kW.
03P&ID
Tags: HP heat pump, TK tank, SG steam generator, P pump, PHE plate heat exchanger, TCV temperature control valve, TIC temperature indicating controller (panel), TT temperature transmitter, MT moisture transmitter, PT pressure transmitter, LT level transmitter, FS flow switch, NC normally closed. Process fluids are heated through their own exchanger, coil or jacket.
04Solution
System description
- 1 × SE-AH-50U (50 kW) (SE-AH air-source heat pump) delivering 45 °C, covering the day's 945 kWh in about 18.9 running hours.
- A 1,500 L insulated storage tank decouples the heat pumps from the process peaks.
- The electric heating cables stays connected behind a normally closed valve as standby.
- PEX pipe loops are embedded in the helipad and ramp slabs above a layer of insulation, filled with a glycol mixture.
- Heat pumps charge a buffer tank, and a PHE passes heat to the glycol loop at 35–45 °C.
- Ramps are held just above freezing on idle mode, and the helipad switches to melting mode when snow is forecast or a flight is expected.
- Melted water drains to heated gutters so it does not refreeze at the edges.
Selected equipment
| Model | SE-AH-50U × 1 |
|---|---|
| Heating capacity | 50 kW each, 50 kW total |
| COP | 4.1 at A20 °C / W50 °C (data sheet T1) |
| Power input | about 12.1 kW total at rated conditions |
| Rating | rated 55 °C, 60 °C maximum, R410A |
| Supply temperature | 45 °C |
| Storage | 1,500 L insulated tank |
Ratings from the Sunniva TDS 2026 data sheets.
Control philosophy
TT-101 at the top of the buffer tank holds 45 °C. A combined snow and moisture sensor in each slab starts melting mode when snow or ice is detected below 3 °C, and TIC-201 and TIC-202 control glycol supply to each slab. The electric cables, if fitted, stay as standby for the helipad.
05Energy saving and ROI
Change any input to match a customer's site. Defaults are typical Indian prices for October 2026. The installed cost is a placeholder; replace it with the actual quotation.
| Existing | Heat pump | |
|---|---|---|
| Daily consumption | – | – |
| Annual energy cost | – | – |
| CO₂ per year | – | – |
06Benefits
Safe access in all weather
Ramps stay clear for patients, staff and vehicles without manual clearing.
Helipad ready on call
The pad is kept close to melting temperature so it clears quickly before a flight.
No salt damage
No salt or chemicals on concrete, vehicles or footwear.
Lower energy cost
Each kWh of electricity delivers about 4.1 kWh of heat at the required temperature, against well under one kWh of useful heat per kWh of fuel burnt.
Smaller electrical load
The heat pump draws roughly 1/4.1 of the power of the heaters it replaces, which frees sanctioned load and cuts demand charges.
Solar-ready
Running hours can be placed in daylight so rooftop solar supplies much of the electricity, which also cuts CO₂ further.
07Engineering pointers
Site data to collect
- Areas to be kept clear and their use
- Slab construction, new or existing
- Lowest temperatures and snowfall days
- Power availability and existing heating
- Drainage arrangement
- Present fuel or electricity use and monthly bill
- Sanctioned electrical load and spare capacity
- Space for the heat pumps and storage, with service access
- Winter minimum ambient at site
Design notes
- Cold-climate units. Choose heat pumps rated for −20 °C operation with reliable defrost, and size for reduced output at altitude and low ambient temperature.
- Glycol loop. Use 35–40% propylene glycol in the slab loops and keep the heat pump water circuit separate through a PHE.
- Slab insulation. Insulate under and at the edges of the slab, or much of the heat goes into frozen ground.
- Electrical. About 12 kW of heat pump input at rated conditions, plus pumps and fans. Check spare sanctioned load before ordering.
- Winter output. Air-source output falls in cold weather: about two-thirds of rated capacity at 5 °C ambient. Size on the coldest design day for northern sites.
Service and warranty
Sunniva has supplied 5,000+ heat pumps since 2012, with nine service technicians across India, including remote sites such as Leh. All components carry a one-year warranty.
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Ramps and helipads kept clear of snow and ice
How a hospital or hotel at a high-altitude site such as Leh can keep a 400 m² helipad and 300 m² of ramps clear of snow and ice with heat pumps, and what it saves against electric heating cables.
▶Video: Space heating for buildings and farms
V13 · 2–2.5 minFloor heating, fan coils and air handlers, from homes to poultry sheds
Video coming soon01Problem statement
- Ice on ramps is dangerous. Patients, staff and ambulances use the ramps at all hours. Ice causes falls and blocks access.
- Helipad must be ready. Medical evacuation flights need a clear, ice-free pad at short notice.
- Manual clearing and salt. Shovelling and salting are slow, damage concrete and still leave black ice overnight.
- Electric heating is expensive heat. Resistance heaters turn one kWh of electricity into one kWh of heat, at the full commercial tariff. A heat pump moves two to four kWh of heat for the same unit.
- Large connected load. Heater banks take a big share of the sanctioned load and push up maximum-demand charges.
02Use case
The reference site is a hospital in a Himalayan town at about 3,500 m, with a 20 m × 20 m helipad and 300 m² of entrance ramps and walkways. Winter lows reach −15 to −20 °C, with snowfall on 15–25 days.
| Heat user | Process temp. | Basis | Heat, kWh/day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Helipad snow melting | Slab above 0 °C | 400 m² × 250 W/m² × 6 h averaged per day over the season | 600 |
| Ramp and walkway anti-icing | Slab 2–3 °C | 300 m² × 100 W/m² × 10 h | 300 |
| Storage and pipework standing losses | – | about 5% | 45 |
| Total useful heat | 945 | ||
Averaged over 20 running hours, the heat pumps need about 47 kW.
03P&ID
Tags: HP heat pump, TK tank, SG steam generator, P pump, PHE plate heat exchanger, TCV temperature control valve, TIC temperature indicating controller (panel), TT temperature transmitter, MT moisture transmitter, PT pressure transmitter, LT level transmitter, FS flow switch, NC normally closed. Process fluids are heated through their own exchanger, coil or jacket.
04Solution
System description
- 1 × SE-AH-50U (50 kW) (SE-AH air-source heat pump) delivering 45 °C, covering the day's 945 kWh in about 18.9 running hours.
- A 1,500 L insulated storage tank decouples the heat pumps from the process peaks.
- The electric heating cables stays connected behind a normally closed valve as standby.
- PEX pipe loops are embedded in the helipad and ramp slabs above a layer of insulation, filled with a glycol mixture.
- Heat pumps charge a buffer tank, and a PHE passes heat to the glycol loop at 35–45 °C.
- Ramps are held just above freezing on idle mode, and the helipad switches to melting mode when snow is forecast or a flight is expected.
- Melted water drains to heated gutters so it does not refreeze at the edges.
Selected equipment
| Model | SE-AH-50U × 1 |
|---|---|
| Heating capacity | 50 kW each, 50 kW total |
| COP | 4.1 at A20 °C / W50 °C (data sheet T1) |
| Power input | about 12.1 kW total at rated conditions |
| Rating | rated 55 °C, 60 °C maximum, R410A |
| Supply temperature | 45 °C |
| Storage | 1,500 L insulated tank |
Ratings from the Sunniva TDS 2026 data sheets.
Control philosophy
TT-101 at the top of the buffer tank holds 45 °C. A combined snow and moisture sensor in each slab starts melting mode when snow or ice is detected below 3 °C, and TIC-201 and TIC-202 control glycol supply to each slab. The electric cables, if fitted, stay as standby for the helipad.
05Energy saving and ROI
Change any input to match a customer's site. Defaults are typical Indian prices for October 2026. The installed cost is a placeholder; replace it with the actual quotation.
| Existing | Heat pump | |
|---|---|---|
| Daily consumption | – | – |
| Annual energy cost | – | – |
| CO₂ per year | – | – |
06Benefits
Safe access in all weather
Ramps stay clear for patients, staff and vehicles without manual clearing.
Helipad ready on call
The pad is kept close to melting temperature so it clears quickly before a flight.
No salt damage
No salt or chemicals on concrete, vehicles or footwear.
Lower energy cost
Each kWh of electricity delivers about 4.1 kWh of heat at the required temperature, against well under one kWh of useful heat per kWh of fuel burnt.
Smaller electrical load
The heat pump draws roughly 1/4.1 of the power of the heaters it replaces, which frees sanctioned load and cuts demand charges.
Solar-ready
Running hours can be placed in daylight so rooftop solar supplies much of the electricity, which also cuts CO₂ further.
07Engineering pointers
Site data to collect
- Areas to be kept clear and their use
- Slab construction, new or existing
- Lowest temperatures and snowfall days
- Power availability and existing heating
- Drainage arrangement
- Present fuel or electricity use and monthly bill
- Sanctioned electrical load and spare capacity
- Space for the heat pumps and storage, with service access
- Winter minimum ambient at site
Design notes
- Cold-climate units. Choose heat pumps rated for −20 °C operation with reliable defrost, and size for reduced output at altitude and low ambient temperature.
- Glycol loop. Use 35–40% propylene glycol in the slab loops and keep the heat pump water circuit separate through a PHE.
- Slab insulation. Insulate under and at the edges of the slab, or much of the heat goes into frozen ground.
- Electrical. About 12 kW of heat pump input at rated conditions, plus pumps and fans. Check spare sanctioned load before ordering.
- Winter output. Air-source output falls in cold weather: about two-thirds of rated capacity at 5 °C ambient. Size on the coldest design day for northern sites.
Service and warranty
Sunniva has supplied 5,000+ heat pumps since 2012, with nine service technicians across India, including remote sites such as Leh. All components carry a one-year warranty.