FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. What is dry ice?

Dry ice is carbon dioxide in solid form. It can be produced as pellets or blocks of various sizes. At atmospheric pressure, the temperature of dry ice is -79. Back to top

2. What is Dry Ice Blasting?

Dry ice blasting is a revolutionary blasting method in which dry ice pellets replace traditional blasting materials like sand, water, glass and plastic. In contrast to sand blasting, etc., the process leaves no secondary waste material. The only waste to be disposed of is the coating that has been dislodged, and this can normally be swept
or vacuumed from the floor beneath the treated object. The process is dry and
non-conductive, and it is therefore suitable for use on electric motors and electrical circuitry. Back to top

3. How does Dry Ice Blasting work?

Dry ice pellets are accelerated in a jet of compressed air and strike the coating to be removed at velocities up to the speed of sound. Cleaning results from three effects:

Kinetic Effect: When dry ice pellets strike a surface at the speed of sound, any coating on the surface is cracked and loosened.

Thermal Effect: The low temperature of dry ice pellets makes the coating brittle, cracks it and loosens it as a result of reduced bonding between the coating and the underlying surface. This allows dry ice to permeate the coating

Explosive Effect – Sublimation: Dry ice penetrates the coating and immediately sublimes (passes directly from solid to vapour state). This results in a 700-fold increase in volume, an explosive effect that lifts the coating off the surface. Back to top

4. What are pellets?

Pellets are carbon dioxide in solid form shaped into small particles about the size of grains of rice. Back to top

5. Why should I use Dry Ice Blasting instead of traditional blasting methods?

Dry ice blasting is a completely dry process. Dry ice blasting is non-toxic, non-conductive and non-abrasive. Dry ice vaporises immediately on contact with treated surfaces. This gives several advantages in comparison with traditional blasting methods. With dry ice blasting there is no secondary waste material (sand, glas, plastic, etc.). The only waste to be swept or vacuumed up is the coating dislodged by the treatment. It is therefore possible to clean objects in which other blasting methods' residual blasting material would collect in every inaccessible corner. Dry ice blasting allows cleaning to be performed while machines are running, without the need for dismantling. This is, of course, of great economic importance as costly downtime can be eliminated or drastically reduced. Back to top

6. What happens to the "Blasted-off" coating?

First the dry coatings crack into small flakes that can be swept or vacuumed up.
The moist coatings (e.g. oil or grease) are carried away in the compressed-air jet in a fashion similar to that seen with high-pressure hosing. The treated surface is left dry and clean. Back to top

7. Which materials can withstand Dry Ice Blasting?

As the process is dry and non-abrasive, any material can be cleaned by dry ice blasting without ill effects. For example, perspex and highly polished aluminium can be treated without the surface becoming matt. Back to top

8. Where can I obtain Dry Ice pellets?

Dry Icetech have established Pellet product facilities in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia. Back to top

9. Does Dry Ice Blasting have economic benefits?

Machinery can often be cleaned with dry ice blasting while it is running, without the need for dismantling and subsequent re-assembly. This is, of course, of great economic importance as costly downtime can be eliminated or drastically reduced. Costs connected with the disposal of blasting material and solvents are eliminated. Cleaning and maintenance payroll costs will often be reduced to a fraction of present levels by substituting dry ice blasting for traditional cleaning methods. Dry ice blasting treats material surfaces very gently. Back to top

10. What equipment is necessary for Dry Ice Blasting?

A dry ice blasting machine is necessary – either an IceBlast KG12 or an IceBlast KG50. In addition, access to a power supply (or generator) and compressed-air source are necessary. Back to top

11. Is dismantling necessary before Dry Ice Blasting?

It is often unnecessary to dismantle machinery or equipment to be cleaned by dry ice blasting because the process is completely dry and leaves no blasting material or chemical residues. Back to top

12. Does Dry Ice Blasting have thermal effects on treated objects?

No. Temperature changes in machinery during dry ice blasting are generally small in comparison with changes occurring during normal operation. Back to top

13. Can I use Dry Ice Blasting to clean hot machinery while it is running?

Yes. Faster and more effective cleaning can often be achieved when the object to be cleaned is hot. Back to top

14. Can I minimise downtime – or avoid it entirely?

Yes. In many cases it will be possible to clean machinery without shutting it down. In other cases, it will be possible to reduce the duration of shutdowns for cleaning purposes, as cleaned surfaces remain dry. Back to top

15. What are the economic benefits of using Dry Ice Blasting in precisely my area of business?

Contact Dry Icetech Australia for further information on sector- specific benefits and examples. Back to top

16. Does Dry Ice Blasting damage the underlying surface?

No. Blasting pressure can be adjusted to suit the material to be treated so that coatings can be removed without damaging the underlying material itself. This means that dry ice blasting can also be used on easily-damaged materials like nickel, chromium and soft aluminium. Back to top

17. Is Dry Ice Blasting as effective as traditional cleaning methods?

Yes. In the vast majority of cases, dry ice blasting will be as effective as traditional cleaning methods. Back to top

18. Which cleaning methods can be replaced with advantage by Dry Ice Blasting?

Advantages can be gained from replacing methods such as sand blasting, high pressure hosing and manual cleaning (which requires considerable ressources and the use of hazardous, environmentally hostile chemicals) with dry ice blasting, which is an extremely environmentally friendly process. Back to top

19. Can I use Dry Ice Blasting in places, or on materials, where traditional methods cannot be used?

Yes. As dry ice blasting is a clean and dry process, it can be used with advantage instead of traditional methods that leave detergent residues. The process has also been approved for use in the food industry. Back to top

20. How quickly can various objects/materials be cleaned?

The speed at which cleaning can be performed is highly dependent on the type of coating, the nature of the underlying material, the temperature of the object to be treated, the air volume etc. To evaluate these factors, tests must be carried out in the actual situation. Back to top

21. Is an external compressed-air source necessary?

Yes. The dry ice blast machine must be connected to an external compressed-air
source with the following data: Operating pressure – minimum 5 bar / maximum
16 bar. Compressed-air consumption – 3-11 m3/min. depending on nozzle
combination. Back to top

22. Is the Dry Ice Jet capable of conducting electricity?

No, the dry ice jet is non-conductive as long as the compressed air used
is dry. Back to top

23. What does a Dry Ice Blasting system cost?

Please contact Dry Icetech Australia for information. Back to top

24. Can I purchase a system sustomised to suit my needs?

Possibly. Systems customised to specific tasks are a definite possibility. Dry Icetech
can provide suggestions, carry out tests and implement final solutions. Please contact Dry Icetech for a reference list. Back to top

25. How much maintenance is necessary?

Our dry ice blasting machines are engineered from high-quality components that require a minimum of maintenance. The machines were designed to enable service and maintenance work to be performed by end-users without the need for specialists. The estimated maintenance requirement for IceBlast machines under normal industrial conditions is 1 hour per 100 hours' operation. Back to top

26. How big is an IceBlast machine?

IceBlast KG12 Weight: 75 kg Dimensions: 550 x 700 x 700 mm
IceBlast KG50 Weight: 90 kg Dimensions: 550 x 700 x 900 mm Back to top

27. How do one-hose and two-hose systems differ?

In a one-hose system, dry ice is mixed with compressed air in the machine itself. This allows the dry ice pellets to attain a higher velocity (kinetic energy) and thus provides greater cleaning effectiveness. In a two-hose system, dry ice pellets are sucked into the blasting gun through a venturi system. As the pellets are first mixed with compressed-air in the blasting gun, their velocity is lower than in a one-hose system, and their cleaning effectiveness is thus lower. Back to top

28. How should dry ice be stored?

Dry ice pellets are supplied in insulated containers. These containers can be moved to various application sites on fork-lift trucks or pallet lifters Dry ice pellets can be kept in these containers for about 4–8 days depending on ambient temperature and container quality. Due to sublimation, a loss of about 4% of container content should be expected every 24 hours. Back to top

29. Do dry ice pellets rebound?

When they hit a surface, dry ice pellets change from solid to vapour form. Therefore,
in general, they do not rebound. As a rule, removed material is carried away by the compressed-air jet. Safety goggles should however always be worn when dry ice blasting. Back to top

30. Does Dry Ice Blasting cause condensation?

Condensation will normally not occur when cleaning warm surfaces, as the temperature of the surface will remain above the dew point. To prevent condensation occurring in connection with intensive cleaning or when cleaning is performed in cold locations, the use of heat lamps, fan heaters or heated compressed air is recommended. Back to top

31. Are dry ice pellets better than dry ice blocks?

Yes. Dry ice pellets are more compact than flakes cut or grated from a dry ice block. Dry ice pellets therefore clean more effectively. Many of the cleaning jobs currently performed with dry ice pellets would not be possible with a dry ice blasting machine that uses flakes. Back to top

32. Are pellets more effective than granulate?

Pellets consist of dry ice that has been formed into small particles under high pressure. Their compactness makes them much more effective than "granulate", which consists of porous flakes that have been cut or grated from a block of dry ice. Back to top

33. What cannot be achieved by Dry Ice Blasting?

Dry ice blasting is non-abrasive and treats surfaces very gently. Therefore, it cannot be used to obtain a rough surface. Back to top

34. How do Dry Icetech products differ from others?

Dry Icetech has an extremely wide range of products, all of which are of the highest quality. Customers are thus able to choose precisely the product which best meets their cleaning requirements. Back to top

35. Can Dry Ice Blasting be used in the food industry?

Yes. Dry ice blasting is ideal for the food industry, as the cleaning process does not involve the use of water or chemicals. The various applications of dry ice blasting in
the food industry clearly illustrate just how versatile the system is. The process is
used to remove baked-on food deposits from ovens and to clean mixers and moulds.
It can remove paper and adhesives from packaging machinery. Dry ice blasting can
be used on plastic and metal surfaces irrespective of whether the object to be cleaned
is hot or cold. Back to top

36. Can Dry Ice Blasting be used on electronics?

Yes. Dry ice blasting can be used to clean dirt and soot from electronics without making them wet or using chemicals. Dry ice blasting can be used on units of up to 29 kW without disconnecting the power supply. Unexpected power failure and resulting production shutdown can be avoided by periodically cleaning electronic components. Back to top

37. Can Dry Ice Blasting be used on packaging machinery?

Yes. Dry ice blasting effectively removes adhesive residues and other dirt from packaging machinery. This improves package line flow considerably and can reduce the incidence of unexpected shutdown. Clean adhesive nozzles and chain drives can result in large savings in the purchase og spare parts. Back to top

38. Can Dry Ice Blasting be used in printing?

Yes. Dry ice blasting is an effective means of removing wet and dry ink, powder, paper dust and adhesive residues. This keeps the number of unexpected shutdowns to a minimum, improves product quality and reduces maintenance time. Back to top

39. Can Dry Ice Blasting be used on moulds?

Yes. Dry ice blasting can beneficially be used to clean moulds during production.
This reduces downtime. Mould surfaces are not damaged, as the process is very
gentle. Back to top

40. Can Dry Ice Blasting be used on buildings?

Yes. Dry ice blasting can be used to remove soot and dirt from buildings and thus restore surfaces. The method is often used for factory buildings where it is crucial to recommence production as quickly as possible. Because dry ice vaporises on contact with the building surface, dry ice blasting can be used to clean the insides of buildings without the need to move equipment, machinery or furnishings. Where traditional cleaning methods – involving the use of water and chemicals – are used, it is often necessary to dismantle and move equipment to protect it from damage. Back to top

41. Can Dry Ice Blasting be used in the pharmaceutical industry?

Yes, the pharmaceutical industry sets high hygiene standards. Dry ice blasting is therefore the ideal cleaning method. It is a clean and dry process that effectively and quickly removes coatings and deposits from moulds, conveyors, containers, mixers and other production equipment. Steam and water-based cleaning methods can produce health risks. Firstly, steam can provide a breeding ground for bacteria and other micro-organisms. Dry ice blasting is a dry process that eliminates this problem. Secondly, cleaning with water and steam can increase the risk of accidents with electronics. As dry ice vaporises on contact with the surface being cleaned, there is no secondary waste material. Because dry ice blasting is a non-abrasive process, moulds used in production cannot be damaged. Back to top

42. Does Dry Ice Blasting have any environmental consequences or benefits

Dry ice is completely non-toxic. In contrast to cleaning methods that use water or
high-pressure hosing, there is no emission of polluted water to the environment.
The dislodged coating can be swept or vacuumed up and disposed of as appropriate.
Dry ice blasting produces no toxic fumes from solvents and other chemicals during
cleaning. Back to top

43. What is IceBlast Robot?

IceBlast Robot is a remote-controlled robot designed for cleaning the inside surfaces of pipes and ventilation shafts by dry ice blasting. Back to top

44. What is IceBlast Auto-fill?

IceBlast Auto-fill is an automatic device for supplying the IceBlast Robot with
dry ice. Back to top

45. Is a demonstration of IceBlast machines possible?

Please contact Dry Icetech Australia. We will be delighted to make an appointment to demonstrate our IceBlast machines. Back to top

46. Does Dry Icetech Australia offer training in the use of their products?

Yes. We have excellent training course and demonstrations at which we can show customers how our products work and how to service and maintain them. Instruction and training can also be performed on-site at the customer's premises. Back to top