Dry Ice Blasting : What is it and how does it work?

DRY ICE BLASTING:HOW DOES IT WORK?

0800 PRESCO | PRESCO.CO.NZ


WHAT IS DRY ICE BLASTING?

Dry Ice Blasting is a ground-breaking, non-toxic, non-abrasive cleaning method that produces zero secondary waste (e.g. sand/glass, dirty water, dirty cloths and chemical containers).


WHAT IS DRY ICE?

• A frozen solid form of recycled carbon dioxide gas (a natural part of the atmosphere.)

• VERY cold. At atmospheric pressure dry ice is -78˚C.

• Odour free• Non-toxic• Non-combustible


WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DRY ICE AND NORMAL ICE?

• Dry ice does not melt, it goes through a process called ‘sublimation’ and disappears into the atmosphere.

• Sublimation is the transformation from solid to gas without going through a liquid stage.

• So dry ice does NOT produce liquid, whereas regular ice turns to waters when it melts.


HOW DOES DRY ICE BLASTING WORK?

Dry ice pellets are propelled by a jet of compressed air and strike the soil to be removed at velocities up to the speed of sound.

Cleaning results from three effects:

1. Thermal Shock2. Kinetic Energy3. Sublimation


1. Thermal Effect: The low temperature (-79˚C) makes the soil brittle, cracks it and loosens its adhesion to the substrate.


2. Kinetic Effect: Dry ice pellets are propelled by compressed air at approx. the speed of sound creating kinetic energy that fractures and penetrates the brittle soil without damaging the substrate.


3. Sublimation: On impact, the dry ice turns from solid into gas (sublimes), expanding its volume by a factor of 700. This rapid expansion acts like an explosion that lifts the brittle coating off the surface.

http://www.prescoservices.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/dry_ice_cleaning_III-bw.jpg


• MOULD• ALGAE• DIRT/DUST• SOOT AND CARBON• MILK PRODUCTS• FATS AND GREASE• FRUIT AND VEGETABLES• SUGARS AND SYRUPS• FLOUR AND GRAINS• PATHOGENS AND BACTERIA

• ADHESIVES AND RESINS• MANUFACTURING RESIDUE• HYDROCARBONS• INK• CHEWING GUM• CEMENT AND PLASTER• RUST SCALE/STAIN• PAINT- GRAFFITI• TAR AND BITUMEN• EXPANDED FOAM

WHAT TYPES OF SOIL WILL DRY ICE BLASTING REMOVE?


• STAINLESS STEEL• CARBON STEEL• ALUMINIUM• PAINTED SURFACES• POWDERCOATED SURFACES• GLASS• RUBBER• PLASTIC

• WOOD• CONCRETE• BRICKS AND TILES• FIBREGLASS

WHAT TYPES OF SUBSTRATES CAN DRY ICE BLASTING CLEAN WITHOUT DAMAGING?


• FOOD PROCESSING PLANT• CONVEYORS AND CHAINS• HEAT EXCHANGERS• CABLE RACKS• GRILLES• OVENS• DUCTS• SILOS AND TANKS

• PRINTERS• TURBINE ROTORS• BOILERS• VALVES• SENSITIVE EQUIPMENT• SWITCH BOARDS• TRANSFORMERS• BUILDING CLADDING

WHAT TYPES OF EQUIPMENT CAN DRY ICE BLASTING CLEAN?


DOES DRY ICE BLASTING ACTUALLY SANITISE THE SURFACED BEING CLEANED?

Yes. Because of its ultra low temperature (-79˚C), dry ice cleaning has a sanitising effect on the surfaces being cleaned. Allergen contamination is removed, surfaces are sterilised and mould and bacteria growth is inhibited.


IS DRY ICE BLASTING SAFE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT?

Dry ice blasting is recognized as an environmentally responsible cleaning process because it doesn’t produce any hazardous, secondary waste. Dry ice is harvested from Carbon Dioxide (CO2) that would normally have been released into the atmosphere. It gives CO2 emissions a “second life” in performing a cleaning task before being finally released. Dry ice blasting has no additional ozone depleting potential.


WHY USE DRY ICE INSTEAD OF TRADITIONAL BLAST MATERIALS?

Most other blast media leave secondary waste behind. Dry ice sublimates (vaporizes) upon impact with the surface. All that remains is the soil that you are removing, which falls to the ground. Also, since dry ice vaporizes on impact, the process can be used to clean complicated cavities where typical grit blast media will become trapped.


WILL DRY ICE BLASTING DAMAGE THE SUBSTRATE?

No. The size of the dry ice pellets and their velocity can be optimized to remove the contaminant while remaining non-abrasive to the substrate. The process can clean delicate chrome or nickel plated tools, soft aluminium or brass alloys, wire insulation and even circuit boards – all without causing damage.


OPERATIONAL BENEFITS OF DRY ICE BLASTING

• NO chemicals• NO water• NO abrasives• NO fumes/odour• NO secondary waste to remove• NO drying out time• NO residues

• Faster maintenance turnaround• More thorough clean• Sanitise while you clean• Can clean plant while hot


FINANCIAL BENEFITS OF DRY ICE BLASTING

• Very fast cleaning. Up to 10 times faster than manual cleaning

• Shorter maintenance downtime = more productive uptime


FURTHER QUESTIONS ON DRY ICE BLASTING?

Contact the Presco Environmental Services team:[email protected]+64 6278 0712Free Phone in NZ 0800 PRESCO (0800 773 726)www.prescoservices.co.nz

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.prescoservices.co.nz/

Dry Ice Blasting : What is it and how does it work?

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