Runway Cleaning

For the removal of the rubber abrasion on runways, KAMAT has developed the high-pressure technology for a cleaning vehicle.

When aircraft touchdown on their tires while landing, there is often a cloud of smoke. The tires are accelerated within fractions of a second from zero to the landing speed. Until reaching the landing speed, the tire skids over the concrete and a part of the rubber evaporates and a part remains as a skid mark on the runway. This rubber abrasion on the runway collects and forms a surface that is slippery in the rain. Runways must be freed of this rubber abrasion at intervals dependent on the frequency of landings, but typically every few months.

Cleaning stubborn connections of the runway’s concrete surface from rubber abrasion in an environmentally friendly way with high-pressure water

Especially with summer temperatures (which can be over 50 °C) on the concrete surface of the runway, the rubber abrasion cannot be removed with brushes. In order to loosen the stubborn adhesive bond, high-performance cleaning devices are necessary. Together with a road-sweeping vehicle manufacturer, KAMAT designed a high-pressure cleaning vehicle for professional runway and surface processing, equipped with its own high-pressure pump system and supplied to international customers. With a high pressure of 2,500 bar, the rubber abrasion is removed and the residue is vacuumed off. The special feature: The high-pressure pump and the surface cleaner are driven completely hydraulically. The movement of the vehicle is also implemented hydrostatically.