09 May FAQs About Dry Ice Blast Cleaning in Indianapolis, IN

In many industries, it’s important to keep surfaces clean to avoid contamination. Have you tried a dry ice solution? Let’s take a look at some frequently asked questions about dry ice blast cleaning in Indianapolis, IN.

What is dry ice?

Dry ice is the solid form of carbon dioxide (CO2), a colorless, odorless and tasteless gas found naturally in the atmosphere. Dry ice is used primarily as a cooling agent, such as to preserve perishable foods, or as a mist used for theatrical effects. You might remember in school a teacher performing dry ice science experiments—we bet you didn’t know at the time that dry ice is also an effective cleaning solution!

How does dry ice blast cleaning work?

Dry ice blasting is an effective way to clean surfaces. It’s similar to sandblasting a surface in that a media is accelerated in a pressurized air stream to strip or smooth down a surface.

Here’s how dry ice blast cleaning, also called CO2 blasting, works—it requires specialized equipment that mixes dry ice pellets with compressed air generated from an external compressor. The compressed air moves the pellets through a blast hose at an extremely high rate of speed. Solid carbon dioxide is ejected from the blast nozzle and makes contact with the surface, at which point the solid CO2 converts to a gas form. The rapid gas expansion of CO2 makes removing the surface contamination easier.

Why choose dry ice instead of a traditional blast media?

Unlike most other forms of blast media, dry ice blasting does not generate any secondary waste during the cleaning process. This is due to the fact that solid CO2 is relatively soft and can clean with little or no abrasion. Moreover, dry ice blasting does not use harsh chemicals or flammable solvents, and there’s no need for abrasive media blasting techniques or labor-intensive procedures. This means this process is nonflammable, non-conductive and non-toxic.

What are the benefits of this method of cleaning?

There are several benefits of using this EPA-, FDA- and USDA-approved cleaning process. When industrial and commercial businesses incorporate dry ice cleaning in Indianapolis, IN into their regular cleaning and maintenance schedules, they can possibly reduce costs, boost safety and extend the life of their equipment and property. Because secondary waste (blast media, solvents, chemicals) does not exist and there’s very little to clean up afterwards, waste disposal and labor costs are often minimized.

What are some dry ice blasting cleaning applications?

Like sandblasting, dry ice blasting can be used for many applications, including cleaning electrical equipment, power generation equipment, facility equipment, restoration projects and medical devices.

What happens to the contaminants?

After dry ice blasting, contaminants can be wet, dry, soft or hard. Dry contaminants are easily broken up into tiny pieces and vacuumed or swept up, while wet contaminants such as oil or grease are pushed away by the cold air stream and will leave the surface clean and dry.

Knauss Property Services, LLC is highly skilled at commercial blasting in Indianapolis, IN. Call us today with questions or to discuss your dry ice cleaning project!