Dry ice blasting is non-conductive, non-toxic and non-abrasive, creates no secondary waste and doesn't use water (so can be used in winter) -- making it superior to many other methods of super-powered cleaning. 

Here's how it works.

• The force of dry ice pellets hitting the surface transfers kinetic energy which cracks and breaks down the material that is being removed.
• The extremely cold dry ice (-109 degrees f) strikes the warmer unwanted material, shocking and shrinking it, causing it to release from the surface.  This allows deeper penetration of the dry ice. The surface temperature you are blasting only changes around 20 degrees.
• As the dry ice converts back to a gas, it significantly expands (as much as 800%), forcing the unwanted material to release from behind.

Advantages of dry ice blasting

• More effective
• Quicker clean for fewer cleaning cycles
• Longer runtimes
• Less downtime.
• No disassembly/reassembly so machines can be cleaned in place.
• Non-abrasive, nonflammable and non-conductive so it’s safe for most substrates, electrical components and delicate/intricate devices.
• Works in tight spaces better than other methods.
• Non-toxic, non-hazardous remediation and prevention of mold and bacteria growth.
• No harsh chemicals, no water, residue or secondary waste for quicker clean-up.

Dry ice blasting recommendations

Grease, oil, dirt, tar, asphalt, surface rust – dry ice can remove all of these substances very well. Paint cannot be removed unless it is already loose and failing. Electric motors can be easily cleaned as well, and can be cleaned during operation.

There are a few recommendations when deciding what equipment you’ll need for dry ice blasting:

• Air flow is key. Plant air at 80 psig will work. 130 cfm is recommended, and a ¾-in. or 1-in. airline is needed.
• If renting a compressor, 185 cfm or higher is recommended.
• Generally, for dry ice consumption, you’ll want to figure on 3 lbs. per minute, 100 lbs. per hour, or 500 lbs. for an 8-hour shift. These numbers are figured on one operator blasting over an 8-hour shift with breaks and could vary.
• After cooler is used to increase the performance of the dry ice blaster. The after cooler is to be used as close to the blaster as possible – this helps deliver clean, dry air and ice to the blaster. Keeping the fins clean on the after cooler will maintain consistency in use. After coolers are rated at 400 cfm, and one after cooler can be used with two blasters
• Each blaster comes with 20 ft. of hose, and extra 20-ft. lengths can be added up to 100 ft., but the amount of air needed to run the blaster at this length needs to be 200+ cfm. The maximum length recommended is 40 ft.

 Do you need to rent a dry ice blaster? Call S.J. Smith at 563-324-5237, find more info here, or contact us online. We can also provide the dry ice you need.