Dry ice blasting is the use of solid CO2 (carbon dioxide) pellets accelerated by compressed air to clean or strip industrial equipment, machinery, tanks, facilities etc. of unwanted contaminates. Dry ice pellets impact the surface and expand instantly into a gaseous state hundreds of times greater than their original solid volume, creating tiny explosions on the surface being cleaned. The tiny explosions, velocity and impact of the dry ice pellets (kinetic energy) and thermal shock (dry ice is -109 F) are the forces that remove the unwanted contaminates.
What are the disadvantages of conventional industrial cleaning methods?
Cleaning chemicals and solutions pose environmental hazards to employees and the environment. When used they leave behind a secondary waste stream, rags, absorbent pads, used solution and/or chemicals etc., which in many cases increases the volume of hazardous waste that is subject to costly disposal fees and transportation costs. If the chemicals and/or solutions are not properly cleaned up they can cause unwanted corrosion and rot, increasing damage and long term maintenance costs.
High pressure water blasting leaves behind a secondary waste stream which in many cases increases the volume of hazardous waste that is subject to costly disposal fees and transportation costs. Water gets left in electrical components, equipment and machinery. If the water is not properly removed it will cause unwanted corrosion and rot, increasing damage and long term maintenance costs.
Soda blasting leaves behind a secondary waste stream which in many cases increases the volume of hazardous waste that is subject to costly disposal fees and transportation costs. It leaves water and soda behind, if not properly removed will cause unwanted corrosion and rot, increasing damage and long term maintenance costs.
Sand blasting leaves behind a secondary waste stream which in many cases increases the volume of hazardous waste that is subject to costly disposal fees and transportation costs. It leaves behind an abrasive blast media which if not cleaned up properly continues to cause damage in electrical components, gears, bearings etc. It continues to fall from horizontal surfaces, cracks and beams years after the job is done, increasing cleanup, damage and long term maintenance costs.
What are the advantages of industrial cleaning by dry ice blasting?
Dry ice blasting is the ultimate industrial cleaning process, it leaves no secondary waste stream, no abrasive blast media, no water, no corrosive cleaning solutions or chemicals to get into critical areas. Dry ice blasting has no negative long term effect on maintenance. Dry ice blasting minimizes disposal fees and transportation costs.
Dry ice blasting is safe and environmentally friendly. Dry ice passes from a solid state to a gaseous state, it has no liquid state. Dry ice is pure CO2 in its solid state, it is in a gaseous state in the air around us. When we inhale our bodies use the oxygen and we exhale CO2. Green plants take CO2 from the air and give off oxygen.
Dry ice blasting is non-toxic, non-conductive, non-corrosive and there is no employee exposure to hazardous cleaning chemicals or solutions. Dry ice blasting sterilizes as it cleans, dry ice is -109 F, the extreme temperature kills germs and bacteria. Dry ice blasting meets the guidelines of the USDA, EPA, and the FDA.
Dry ice blasting can effectively and easily clean and reach places that other methods cannot. Like reaching nooks and crannies that are difficult to reach with brushes or chemicals
Saves time
In dry ice blasting, equipments are cleaned on site. There is no need of transporting the equipment to some other place for cleaning. It saves a lot of precious time and reduces any chances of damaging equipment during disassembly and reduces the stress and fatigue of workers. And most importantly, it can shorten the downtime for cleaning from several hours to days.
No Chances of Damage
Cleaning method such as sand blasting can remove part of the surface or at times drastically changing the appearance of the equipment. On the other hand, dry ice blasting services and dry ice cleaning is a non-abrasive form of cleaning which does not cause any harm to the equipment. When the dry ice pellets hit the surface, they become soft and sublimate and lift the contaminants away. Secondly, it also reduces the chance of any further damage by eliminating the step of taking the equipment to and from the cleaning area.
Non Toxic
Dry ice blasting doesn’t involve the use of any solvents. It uses harmless CO2 pellets. This method is quite beneficial for companies which have to comply with the environmental regulations. This method minimizes health risks of employees, ensures their safety and also ensures a clean and safe environment.
No Extra Waste Disposal
In sand blasting or some other methods, the cleaning agent becomes the additional contaminant along with the primary contaminant. In contrast, in the dry ice blasting process, the pellets disappear in the end. They don’t leave any toxic substances to be disposed of. So there is no headache of extra waste disposal.
No Need for Extra Space
Dry ice blasting units are portable. They are taken to the place where the equipments are located; thereby sparing the headache of moving the equipments to some cleaning site.
Dry Cleaning Process
The process doesn’t involve the use of chemical solvents, lubricants and water. Thus, it makes for an ideal cleaning method for electrical equipments or other water sensitive applications.
Bacterial Prevention
Dry ice retards the growth of bacteria and fungus as it is -109 degrees F. This temperature is sufficient to kill the bacteria and fungi present there.
Dry ice blasting has revolutionized the way cleaning is done. Thanks to its non hazardous, environmental-friendly, cost effective and comparatively much safer process, a growing number of industries are turning to dry ice blasting method of cleaning to rid their equipments of contaminants giving rise to a growing demand for such services.
Both Cliff Foley & Andrew Getz are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Cliff Foley has sinced written about articles on various topics from The Internet, Home and The Internet. Cliff Foley writes informational articles on dry ice blasting for Glacier Blast Inc. For more information visit or visit. Cliff Foley's top article generates over 2400 views. to your Favourites.
Andrew Getz has sinced written about articles on various topics from The Internet, Environment. Andrew Getz is the President & CEO of React 365 Inc., a premier services provider in US. React365 Inc. also provides. Andrew Getz's top article generates over 9900 views. to your Favourites.