In dry ice blasting, “Soft” pellets of dry ice are fired at a surface to be cleaned at relatively high speed. The pellets are calculated to essentially sublimate (transition from a solid substance directly to the gas phase without passing through an intermediate liquid phase) upon contact, producing a residue-free result. It is also one of the least abrasive blasting methods available. Sand or plastic pellets are significantly more abrasive. As a result, dry ice blasting can be used around electrical wiring, plumbing fixtures, and fasteners without harming their surface integrity. In general, it is an excellent way to clean more complex and intricate surfaces.
The cost of dry ice blasting is somewhat offset by the fact that clean up costs are minimal due to the dry ice simply evaporating into the air. However, because carbon dioxide is a by product of this transition and also heavier than air, care must be taken to properly vent concentrations that may build up near the ground or floor.
EXTRA Care must be taken when working in any less ventilated areas, as any CO2 concentration above one percent is considered a safety hazard.
The versatility of dry ice blasting is impressive. Power plants benefit from its ability to clean the valuable and intricate surfaces found in turbines. Similarly, complicated printing presses and paper industry machines are often effectively cleaned with dry ice. Injection molding and extrusion machinery also offers a perfect opportunity for the use of dry ice blasting.
Industrial machinery of many types can be cleaned without the disassembly that is usually required. What’s more, the need for solvent-based cleaning is eliminated. As a result, it is typically preferred by environmental remediation contractors and is less problematic environmentally.
CO2 blasting is popular in dealing with fire damage and soot because it even removes the burnt smell and other odors that often appear in a fire’s aftermath. Molds, mildew, and spores are also removed with this type of blasting.
The use of carbon dioxide in its frozen state has yet another special ability — decontamination. Listeria, E Coli, and Salmonella are eliminated through dry ice blasting, even when their presence is below detectable levels.
Dry ice blasting is truly an effective, environmentally friendly cleaning method. Gotta love it! Contact us for an evaluation of your needs or a further demonstration of this and other remediation services.
