Dry Ice 101: Scientific Breakdown and Applications

If you operate within a space where machinery like industrial printers needs to be cleaned thoroughly, you've likely relied on a chemical solution to get the job done.
For large or even small machinery, manual cleaning isn't exactly efficient. It takes up employee time, shuts down the use of that machine, and exposes both the environment and employees to toxic fumes and chemicals. Choosing to use dry ice is a safer, more effective method of industrial cleaning.
What is Dry Ice?
Despite its name, dry ice isn't actually ice. When you hear the word ice
, you most likely naturally think of frozen water. However, dry ice isn't really frozen. It's solidified, highly pressurized carbon dioxide (CO2). It doesn't melt and is non-toxic because it sublimates rather than melts, which means it turns straight from a solid to a gas, skipping the liquid phase altogether. And unlike the type of ice made from frozen water, dry ice is completely dry to the touch. In its solid state, dry ice is still extremely cold -- reaching temperatures of roughly -79 degrees Celsius, or -109 degrees Fahrenheit. Due to its extreme temperature, it is often used as a method of keeping certain products cold during transit. It can also be used as an effective medium for cleaning industrial machinery and equipment.
Dry Ice Blasting
Dry ice blasting, also known as CO2 blasting, is an efficient and non-toxic method of cleaning. Unlike most industrial cleaning solutions which use abrasive mediums, such as sandblasting, dry ice blasting is harmless to the surface of your machinery. It also produces no secondary waste like sandblasting because of the sublimation mentioned above. The material simply evaporates upon contact with any given surface. CO2 blasting also eliminates the need to disassemble any equipment during the cleaning process, which can help cut costs. It's even safe to use on surfaces where water is potentially hazardous, especially ones with electrical components.
Interested in dry ice cleaning services? Call Interstate Carbonic Enterprises today.


