Dry Ice Blast Cleaning
Our dry ice blast cleaning system shoots small rice size pieces of dry ice out of a jet nozzle with compressed air - somewhat like sandblasting, pressurized water or steam blasting, with superior results. The frigid temperature of dry ice -109.3°F or -78.5°C "blasting" against the material to be removed, causes it to shrink and loose adhesion from its sub surface. Additionally during dry ice blast cleaning when the dry ice penetrates through the material to be removed, it comes in contact with the warmer underlying surface and converts back to co2. The gas has 800 times greater volume and expands behind the material speeding up its removal. Paint, oil, grease, asphalt, tar, decals, soot, dirt, ink, resins, and adhesives are some of the materials removed by this procedure. Only the removed material must be disposed of, as the dry ice sublimes into the atmosphere.
Dry Ice Blast Cleaning Replaces Sandblasting
Ssuperior to sandblasting
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because the dry ice is soft enough not to pit or damage the underlying surface. The dry ice quickly sublimes into the air and only removed material must be cleaned up. Equipment damage is eliminated in two ways. 1) dry ice does not erode or wear the targeted surface as traditional grit media and wire brushes do. This means surface integrity and critical tolerances are preserved. Equipment will not have to be replaced due to surface erosion common with sand, glass beads, and other abrasive media. 2) with traditional cleaning methods, equipment is often damaged (bumped, dropped, etc.) while in transit to or from the dedicated cleaning area. Instead most equipment and machinery can be cleaned while in place.
Dry Ice Blast Cleaning Replaces Steam/Water
Dry ice cleaning is also an improvement over steam and water blasting for several reasons:
Electrical parts and generators
can be immediately put back
into service used without
waiting to dry.
Radioactive |
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contaminate removal doesn't require large storage containers for contaminated water. Mildew and mold removal are far more complete with less chance of regeneration due to moisture. Dry ice blasting removes more algae, sea slime, and mussels on boat hulls, than water blasting. Water blasting allows organic matter to reattach
Dry Ice Blast Cleaning Replaces Solvents:
Finally dry ice cleaning replaces many environmentally damaging solvents. These chemicals include trichlorethane, methylene chloride, perchlorethane, orthodichlorobenzene, cresylic acid, and caustic solutions. Since dry ice evaporates completely as a gas it leaves no wastes. Only removed material must be disposed of. When dry ice cleaning replaces hazardous chemical cleaners the disposal cost of that chemical is eliminated. Tinker Air Force Base reported it eliminated hazardous waste disposal associated with 17,000 gallons of chemicals no longer used each year because of dry ice cleaning. |
