What is dry ice blasting?
Dry ice blasting is a cleaning technique that uses solid CO₂ pellets accelerated in a pressurized air stream to impact and clean surfaces. Unlike sand or soda blasting, the dry ice sublimates (turns to gas) on impact, leaving no secondary waste.
How does dry ice blasting work?
The process relies on three effects: kinetic (impact of pellets), thermal shock (extreme cold causes contaminants to embrittle and detach), and expansion (dry ice turns to gas, lifting contaminants away).
What are the main benefits of dry ice blasting?
Key benefits include no secondary waste, no water or chemicals, non-abrasive cleaning, reduced equipment downtime, and environmental sustainability
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What can be cleaned with dry ice blasting?
It is used across many industries for cleaning machinery, electrical components, food processing equipment, molds, historical restoration, and more.
Can dry ice blasting remove paint or rust?
It can remove paint and rust, but effectiveness depends on factors like substrate condition, paint thickness, and type. Parameters can be adjusted for delicate or tough surfaces.
Is it suitable for delicate surfaces?
Yes, the process is non-abrasive and can be optimized to clean delicate materials, including circuit boards, chrome, nickel, and soft metals, without damage
Is dry ice blasting safe?
With proper precautions, yes. Operators must wear gloves (to prevent cold burns), eye and ear protection, and ensure adequate ventilation. In confined spaces, respiratory protection may be needed.
Does it create static electricity?
Some static can be generated, but equipment is designed with grounding to minimize risk.
Is dry ice blasting non-conductive?
The process is non-conductive as long as dry compressed air is used, making it safe for electrical components6.
Will it damage the substrate?
No, when properly set up. The process is non-abrasive and parameters can be adjusted to avoid damaging surfaces.
Does it cause condensation?
Generally, no, especially when cleaning warm surfaces. Condensation may occur if the substrate drops below the dew point, but this is rare and can be managed with heat or airflow.
Does it cool the substrate?
There is some cooling, but usually not enough to cause issues. Most surfaces return to ambient temperature quickly.
Does dry ice blasting leave residue?
No. The dry ice sublimates, leaving only the removed contaminant to be cleaned up.
Do dry ice pellets rebound?
No, they sublimate on impact, so there is minimal rebound. Removed material is carried away by the air jet.
The time it takes to dry ice blast an area depends on several factors, including the type and thickness of the contaminant, the substrate being cleaned, the size of the area, and the intensity of the blasting equipment.
We offer our services in one hour increments and provide you an estimate based on the surface area to be cleaned.
For example, when stripping finishes from wood, dry ice blasting can remove multiple layers in a single pass, often taking only a few minutes per square foot.
In automotive detailing, cleaning components with dry ice blasting can take two to eight hours for a typical job.
On a broader scale, dry ice blasting is significantly faster than traditional cleaning methods because it typically requires little to no disassembly of equipment and does not leave secondary waste, reducing overall downtime,
Is dry ice blasting environmentally friendly?
Yes. It uses recycled CO₂, produces no secondary waste, and eliminates the need for hazardous chemicals or water.
Does it create hazardous waste?
No. Only the removed contaminant remains; there is no blast media to dispose of.
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