The Job Of Dry Ice Blasting Services

By Patrick Harris


The process of using dry ice in the cleaning of a surface is known as carbon dioxide cleaning or dry ice blasting. The surface to be cleaned is hit with carbon dioxide or solid ice in a fast-flowing stream of air. This technique works the same way as other cleaning methods like plastic bead, soda, and sand blasting. The major advantage with this method is that it poses no environmental risks in the form of chemical residues. This is what dry ice blasting services do.

The ice pellets are usually propelled to the surface using a special piece of equipment. Sublimation occurs immediately after the collision of ice pellets and the surface. This leads to the transfer of energy in which minimal abrasion is produced. A lot of heat from the surface being cleaned is usually absorbed through the process of sublimation that leads to shear stress.

The effectiveness of this process depends largely on the rate of thermal conductivity between the substrate and the contaminant. Normally, sublimation involves the conversion of the ice form solid to gas. This conversion creates shock waves that facilitate the removal of the contaminant. Dry ice cleaning is advantageous as it does not produce any secondary wastes like media or water blasting.

This method can be performed in two ways. The first procedure involves use of solid pellets while the in the second the ice is shaved from a block. The second procedure is less reliable since it produces ice. The production of ice makes it less efficient in comparison to solid pellets. The 3 major factors facilitating this technique are thermal kinetic effect, thermal shock effect, and kinetic energy.

Dry ice claning technique was invented as an improvement of abrasive blasting. The main difference between the dry-ice blasting machine and abrasive blasting machine is the manner in which they are handled. Unlike other media, dry ice is used at its sublimation temperature. That means that a pressurized system could potentially build up a dry ice bomb.

A variety of surfaces like food processing equipment can be done using this abrasive method. The carbon dioxide cleaning method is capable of eradicating contaminants which form on surfaces. It can removed microorganisms such as listeria, E. Coli, and salmonella enterids among others. The ability of dry ice to clean some equipment without the production of fire or any other accident makes it to be the best option.

It is advisable to ensure proper ventilation when the machine is in use. This is because carbon dioxide gas is toxic and may lead to serious health issues. When carbon dioxide accumulates in the body for a longer period, the amount of oxygen in the blood goes too low. This may lead to death in case appropriate measures are not taken immediately to correct the situation.

Another factor that should be considered is the position of the exhaust vents in the room where dry ice cleaning occurs. Normally the exhaust vents should be placed at the bottom area of the room. This is important since carbon dioxide is denser than air.




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