Dry Ice Blasting

Dry ice blasting is a revolutionary blasting method that uses small, compact dry ice pellets as the blasting material.

How Dry Ice Blasting Works

Dry ice blasting is a revolutionary blasting method that uses small, compact dry ice pellets as the blasting material. The dry ice pellets are accelerated in a jet of compressed air similar to that used in traditional blasting methods.

Dry ice blasting is designed to replace high-pressure hosing and other traditional blasting methods that use materials such as sand, glass and plastic as abrasive agents. In addition, however, a wide range of other cleaning methods that involve the use of hazardous chemicals, solvents, etc., can with advantage be replaced by dry ice blasting.

The unique feature of dry ice as a blasting material is that it vaporises on contact with the surface to be cleaned. Treated surfaces are therefore left dry and clean, without residues of detergents or blasting materials. As the process is completely dry and non-conductive, dry ice blasting can be used where other methods are unsuitable. For example, electric motors and equipment with electric, pneumatic or hydraulic components can be

cleaned direct using dry ice blasting.

The system produces no waste products. Only the coating that has been removed remains to be disposed of, and this can usually be swept or vacuumed from the floor beneath the treated object.

Dry ice blasting is ideal for removing coatings such as adhesives, varnish, oil, grease, coal dust, soot, mould release agents and bitumen – to name but a few of the materials we remove daily using the process.

Dry ice blasting will often allow a company’s production equipment to be cleaned while in operation without the need for dismantling and costly downtime.

Dry ice blasting is non-abrasive, and surfaces are therefore treated gently. The system can thus be used on easily-damaged surfaces like nickel, chromium and soft aluminium.

Who Can Use Dry Ice Blasting

Dry ice blasting is well suited to a wide range of industries, as can be seen from our customer portfolio, which includes such widely differing companies as Carlsberg, Novo Nordisk, Mærsk, Vestas and West Pharmaceutical Services.
Dry ice blasting is ideal for removing coatings such as adhesives, varnish, oil, grease, coal dust, soot, mould release agents and bitumen – to name but a few of the materials we remove daily using the process.
No detergent or blasting material is left after treatment. This makes the system highly suitable for industries that require a high degree of hygiene – the food and pharmaceutical industries for example.

Advantages of Dry Ice Blasting

Reduced Downtime:

A machine can often be cleaned by dry ice blasting while in operation, thus eliminating the need for dismantling and subsequent re-assembly. This is of considerable economic importance as downtime can be eliminated or drastically reduced.

No Waste Disposal Costs:

Costs connected with the disposal of hazardous chemicals or solvents are saved because dry ice vaporises on contact with the surface being treated. Only the dislodged coating material must be removed from beneath the treated object.

Reduced Payroll Costs:

Dry ice blasting will reduce cleaning and maintenance payroll costs to a fraction of current levels because the process is more effective and faster than traditional cleaning methods.

Reduced Equipment Wear and Tear:

Dry ice blasting is non-abrasive. Surfaces are therefore treated very gently, and wear and tear resulting from the use of steel brushes, scrapers and the like is avoided.

Easy Waste Management:

The quantity of waste material is minimized because the blasting material vaporizes. Dry ice is completely non-toxic. As no hazardous chemicals or solvents are used in dry ice blasting, operators avoid being exposed to hazardous fumes and other dangers during cleaning.

Environmentally friendly:

Dry ice is completely non-toxic. As no hazardous chemicals or solvents are used in dry ice blasting, operators avoid being exposed to hazardous fumes and other dangers during cleaning. In contrast to high-pressure hosing, polluted drain water is avoided.

Fast and Effective Cleaning:

Dry ice blasting systems have extremely high cleaning speeds, and even normally inaccessible parts can be rapidly cleaned using the wide range of nozzles available. Blasting material residues do not become trapped in every nook and cranny, and no detergent or blasting material is left on chains and drives. Dry ice blasting is ideal for cleaning machinery, electrical installations, electro-mechanical equipment, surfaces and moulds.

Reduced Equipment Wear and Tear:

Dry ice blasting is non-abrasive. Surfaces are therefore treated very gently, and wear and tear resulting from the use of steel brushes, scrapers and the like is avoided.

The Dry Ice Blasting Process

In the dry ice blasting process, kinetic and thermal energy is transferred when the dry ice pellets strike the surface being cleaned. Dry ice and air combine to remove the unwanted material, leaving a clean surface free of any contaminant.

1. Kinetic Effect

Dry ice pellets are accelerated by compressed air to high speeds – fracturing the top layer of dirt/residue.

2. Thermal Effect

Once the dry ice penetrates the dirt/residue, the temperature of both the dirt/residue layer and the substrate decreases. The different materials contract unequally and the adherence between them decreases. This thermal difference helps to separate the dirt/residue from the substrate.

3. Sublimation

After the dry ice makes its initial impact, it instantaneously turns from a solid to a gas. The volume expansion (by a factor of 700) causes a micro explosion that detaches the dirt/residue from the substrate.

4. After Blasting

The substrate is clean, dry and completely intact.

1. Kinetic Effect

Dry ice pellets are accelerated by compressed air to high speeds – fracturing the top layer of dirt/residue.

2. Thermal Effect

Once the dry ice penetrates the dirt/residue, the temperature of both the dirt/residue layer and the substrate decreases. The different materials contract unequally and the adherence between them decreases. This thermal difference helps to separate the dirt/residue from the substrate.

3. Sublimation

After the dry ice makes its initial impact, it instantaneously turns from a solid to a gas. The volume expansion (by a factor of 700) causes a micro explosion that detaches the dirt/residue from the substrate.

4. After Blasting

The substrate is clean, dry and completely intact.

Contact Us

Our head office and manufacturing premises are located in Co. Laois, with depots in Santry Dublin, Little Island Cork, and Portadown Armagh.

Unit 3 Portarlington Ind. Est.
Portarlington,
Co. Laois
R32 XR7Y

+353 (0)57 862 3860

info@polarice.ie

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Main Office
Unit 3 Portarlington Ind. Est.,
Portarlington,
Co.Laois
R32 XR7Y
T: +353 (0)57 862 3860

Dublin Depot
Unit 42 Airways Ind. Est.,
Santry,
Dublin 9
D17 V672
T: +353 (0)1 862 3730

Cork Depot
Unit 624 Harbour Point Bus. Park,
Little Island,
Co.Cork
T45 RK26
T: +353 (0)21 463 4607

Northern Ireland Office
Unit 47 CIDO Business Complex,
Portadown,
BT63 5WH
Northern Ireland
T: +44 (0)28 4375 8045