Dry Ice Blasting Basics

Dry ice blasting & cleaning systems have been developed as a clean, safe alternative to hand scrubbing and solvent wiping, sand, bead, or soda blasting. Dry ice cleaning equipment is used in a wide range of industrial applications and markets including; aerospace, disaster recovery, electrical equipment, food facilities, general maintenance, in-plant applications, mold cleaning, petrochemical, printing facilities, robotics and semiconductor.

Dry ice cleaning, also referred to as dry ice blasting or CO2 cleaning, has become an integral part of the cleaning process in a variety of industries throughout the world. The technology works by accelerating particles of dry ice, referred to in the industry as dry ice pellets, at high velocities in a compressed air stream. As the dry ice impacts the surface that is being cleaned, it “explodes” and kinetically removes the surface contaminant. The dry ice returns to its gaseous state and disappears while the contaminant being removed, falls to the ground for easy clean up.

The advantages of using this type of cleaning process are easy to recognize. Reduced waste streams, reduced contamination of surrounding areas, most equipment can be cleaned in place – reducing expensive manufacturing downtime, minimal or in some cases no disassembly of equipment and minimal, if any, wear to the substrate being cleaned.

So whether it’s semiconductor parts or a printing press, plastic and rubber molds or robotic automotive equipment, food bins or fire damaged brick and wood – the dry ice blast cleaning technology is definitely “making cleaning cool” for many companies worldwide.

If you would like more information about dry ice blasting equipment and uses for this technology, you can visit this site - Phoenix Unlimited LLC.

Michael Weston
Dry Ice Blast Cleaning Consultant

Bio:
Michael Weston managed the Western United States for the former company, Alpheus Cleaning Technologies, from mid 1990’s thru 2004. He spent a short time running his own company CO2 Blasters, and now consults to the dry ice blasting industry and is a small business owner.