Benefits Of Dry Ice Blasting And Its Advantages Over Other Cleaning Methods

Dry ice blasting is an advanced cleaning and surface preparation process in which pressurized dry ice pellets (frozen CO2) are blasted at a very high speed and pressure at the surface to be cleaned. The extremely low temperature (109 F) of the pellets causes loose surface dirt and debris to dislodge due to thermal shock, while the kinetic energy of the pressurized jet knocks off the contaminants. Dry ice blasting is a highly effective cleaning method that is fast, effective, environmentally friendly, non-toxic, and non-abrasive. It is often preferred over other cleaning methods such as sandblasting, bead blasting, wet blasting, scraping, and chemical cleaning, due to its numerous superior characteristics and inherent advantages. This article explores the characteristics and benefits of dry ice blasting and its advantages over other cleaning methods.

Effectiveness

Dry ice blasting is a highly effective cleaning method. The combination of thermal shock-induced shear stress, microscopic shock waves, and kinetic energy serves to effectively cleans any surface. This process can be used to clean multiple objects at once and effectively clean complex geometries and hard-to-reach areas. In addition to cleaning, dry ice blasting effectively decontaminates surfaces of Listeria monocytogenes, E. coli, and Salmonella enteritidis.

Environmental Friendliness

Dry ice pellets are made from waste CO2 generated by other industrial processes. The harmful CO2 that would have otherwise been released into the environment is recovered and processed into dry ice. Thus, dry ice blasting helps to reduce the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere. Also, unlike wet blasting processes, dry ice blasting does not involve additional resources such as water. Furthermore, once processed, dry ice is non-toxic and completely safe for the environment.

Speed

One of the most beneficial characteristics of dry ice blasting is speed. This characteristic is especially beneficial in industrial applications where time often literally translates to money. Dry ice blasting requires minimal setup and is as fast as it is effective. In many cases, dry ice blasting can be carried out in areas and on machines that are still in operation, completely eliminating downtime. Also, the cleaning process leaves no residue behind. As the dry ice hits the surface to be cleaned, it sublimates immediately, leaving no traces behind. Therefore, dry ice blasting requires no post-process cleanup that is an inevitable part of other blasting methods. The only cleanup required after dry ice blasting is for the debris and dirt that have been removed from the cleaned surface.

Safety

Dry ice is relatively safe for both the humans and the environment, though dry ice safety practices should be followed, particularly when handling large quantities of the material. Dry ice is non-toxic and can be used for cleaning and decontamination purposes the food production, agricultural, and pharmaceutical industries. It is certified safe by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture).  This characteristic also increases the ease of use of dry ice blasting as it eliminates the need for pre or post-process evacuation of personnel.

Versatility

Due to its highly versatile nature, dry ice blasting is used in numerous applications across various industries. This process is gentle enough to clean delicate and fragile electronics and tough enough to clean layers of dirt, grease, or paint. In addition, it is compatible with various materials, including plastics, elastomers, metals, and alloys. Dry ice blasting is also not limited to cleaning only. It is also used for surface preparation for welding and painting, decontamination, and surface restoration.

Cost

Dry ice is a relatively inexpensive material, making dry ice blasting inexpensive after the initial investment in the machine. The raw material, CO2, is abundantly and readily available, and the process requires minimal resources. Also, the dry ice blasting process itself requires minimal setup.

Conclusion

Red-D-Arc offers a lineup of dry ice blasting machines from industry-leading manufacturers. Our machines range from 20 to 300 psi and are easy to use. We also provide air compressors for dry ice blasting as well as dry ice blasting accessories such as nozzles and hoses.