Snow Scoop on traffic signal tunnel visors

　　 Presumably ,a snow-covered red light is a key factor in a fatal auto accident.BBM traffic signal lamps are studying the issues that potential of snow blocks drivers’ view as LEDs used in traffic signals don’t radiate enough heat to melt snow accumulating in the sun visor that surrounds each signal light ,and trying to solve the problem .

　　 They put forward idea of designing more scientific and powerful led traffic light visor which will effectively prevent snow’s adhesion and accumulation, making low energy of led traffic signal lamps is no longer a disadvantage.

   In fact,the snowy LED issue is not a new problem.The Colorado Department of Transportation realized the potential danger five years ago, and sought a solution. Such transportation departments are reluctant to give up the cost savings associated with LED traffic lights, and a simple Snow Scoop from McCain Inc (see below) can inexpensively mitigate the problem.
　　
   LEDs offer significant savings to transportation departments. According to the research of BBM led traffic ligts ,a 69W incandescent bulb is replaced by an LED version that dissipates only 11W – an 84% savings. Early on, LED signal heads cost two or three times more that the traditional incandescent heads. Today the premium is in the 60 to 80% range. But the LED signal heads last ten times longer so the savings are substantial when you add up energy cost, the cost of the signal heads, and the labor required replacing failed signal heads.
　　

   The city saves about $100,000 per year on electricity powering 4,000 LED-based signals. Clearly, the city would like to stick with LEDs and preserve that savings. The motivation has been sufficiently strong that transportation workers in Iowa have manually tapped signals to release trapped snow when conditions were problematic.
　　
   Colorado, meanwhile has satisfactorily deployed the aforementioned Snow Scoop Tunnel Visor. McCain VP of Manufacturing Greg Johnson describes the visor "like an air scoop on a hot rod." According to Johnson, the Snow Scoop design utilizes the same force – wind – that causes the problem in the first place. It's wind that blows snow into the visor. Johnson stated, "With snow there is usually wind and we figured that we could use a louver to allow the wind to clear the snow from the visor." The scoop in the design extends upward at an angle from the cylindrical visor and drives wind through a louver slot underneath the scoop on the top of the visor. The cylindrical visor also has a lengthwise slot at the bottom of the design that allows the snow to fall out.
　　

  The image at left shows the air scoop and the louver slot through whic wind enters the visor, as well as the slot at the bottom where snow exits.And It turns out that the new visor offers a very economical solution to the problem。