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Cleaning Equipment
Updated September 10, 2025
Dry ice blaster
A dry ice blaster is a cleaning machine that uses solid carbon dioxide pellets. It cleans surfaces by blasting away contaminants through sublimation and impact.
Category
Cleaning Equipment
Use Case
Surface cleaning and contaminant removal without residue
Key Features
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Non Abrasive Cleaning Method Environmentally Friendly Cleaning Process No Secondary Waste Generation Safe For Delicate Surfaces Minimal Equipment Disassembly Required
In Simple Terms
What It Is
A dry ice blaster is a machine that cleans surfaces by shooting tiny pellets of frozen carbon dioxide, also known as dry ice, at high speed. Think of it like a super-powered sandblaster, but instead of using sand or other abrasives, it uses dry ice. The machine works by compressing air to propel the dry ice pellets. When these pellets hit a dirty surface, they instantly turn from solid into gas, a process called sublimation. This rapid expansion helps to break up and lift away grime, leaving the surface clean.
Why People Use It
People choose dry ice blasting because it’s a powerful yet gentle cleaning method. Since the dry ice turns into gas upon impact, there’s no leftover grit, sand, or chemical residue to clean up afterward. This makes it perfect for situations where you can’t have any secondary waste. It’s also non-abrasive, meaning it won’t scratch or damage delicate surfaces like metal, wood, or even electronics. Plus, it doesn’t use water, so there’s no risk of rust or water damage, and it’s an environmentally friendly option since it uses reclaimed CO2.
Everyday Examples
You’ll often see dry ice blasters used in industrial settings, but they’re handy in many everyday cleaning scenarios too. For instance, restaurants use them to clean ovens and grills without harsh chemicals, getting rid of baked-on grease quickly. Auto repair shops use them to clean engine parts and remove old paint or rust without harming the components. Even in historical restoration, these machines are used to gently clean old bricks or statues without causing wear. At home, though less common due to the equipment size, similar principles are used in some specialized cleaning tools for tough jobs.
Technical Details
Definition
A dry ice blaster is an industrial cleaning system that utilizes solid carbon dioxide (CO?) pellets accelerated by compressed air to remove surface contaminants through a combination of kinetic energy, thermal shock, and sublimation. It is a non-abrasive, non-conductive, and chemical-free cleaning method, classified as a form of blast cleaning.
How It Works
The process begins with the production of rice-sized pellets of solid CO?, which are fed into a blast unit. Compressed air propels these pellets through a hose and out of a nozzle at high velocity. Upon impact with the surface, three cleaning mechanisms occur simultaneously. The kinetic energy of the high-speed impact dislodges the contaminant. The extreme cold (-78.5°C / -109.3°F) of the dry ice causes the contaminant to contract and brittle, fracturing its bond to the substrate (thermal shock). Finally, the dry ice pellets instantly sublimate, transitioning from a solid directly into a gaseous state. This phase change creates micro-explosions at the surface that help to lift away the material, leaving behind no secondary waste stream aside from the dislodged contaminant itself.
Key Components
Pelletizer: A unit that converts liquid CO? into solid pellets of a specific size.
Blast Unit/Generator: The main machine that stores the dry ice pellets and controls their feed rate into the air stream.
Air Compressor: Provides the high-pressure air necessary to accelerate the pellets. Requires sufficient CFM (cubic feet per minute) and PSI (pounds per square inch).
Hose and Nozzle: A specialized, insulated hose delivers the air and pellet mixture. The nozzle is designed to maintain pellet integrity and optimize velocity and spray pattern.
Blast Unit/Generator: The main machine that stores the dry ice pellets and controls their feed rate into the air stream.
Air Compressor: Provides the high-pressure air necessary to accelerate the pellets. Requires sufficient CFM (cubic feet per minute) and PSI (pounds per square inch).
Hose and Nozzle: A specialized, insulated hose delivers the air and pellet mixture. The nozzle is designed to maintain pellet integrity and optimize velocity and spray pattern.
Common Use Cases
Industrial Machinery Cleaning: Removal of production residues like inks, adhesives, oils, and polymers from molds, extruders, and printing presses without disassembly.
Historical Restoration: Gentle cleaning of delicate surfaces such as stone, brick, and wood to remove soot, graffiti, and biological growth without damage.
Food and Beverage Industry: Sanitization of production equipment, ovens, and mixers by eliminating allergens, biofilms, and fats without chemicals or water.
Fire Restoration: Effective removal of stubborn soot and char from structural elements and electrical systems without causing further water damage.
* Electrical Decontamination: Cleaning of live electrical components, switchgear, and motors due to its non-conductive and non-abrasive properties.
Historical Restoration: Gentle cleaning of delicate surfaces such as stone, brick, and wood to remove soot, graffiti, and biological growth without damage.
Food and Beverage Industry: Sanitization of production equipment, ovens, and mixers by eliminating allergens, biofilms, and fats without chemicals or water.
Fire Restoration: Effective removal of stubborn soot and char from structural elements and electrical systems without causing further water damage.
* Electrical Decontamination: Cleaning of live electrical components, switchgear, and motors due to its non-conductive and non-abrasive properties.
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