How Does Dry Ice Blasting Work?

Dry ice blasting is an extremely effective, non-destructive cleaning method that can accurately and efficiently clean most industrial and commercial surfaces. Diotte Coating Services offers various surface preparation methods including cold water blasting, hot water blasting, and dry ice blasting. Each of these methods has their own set of benefits and drawbacks depending on the application. Learn more about the dry ice method to see if it is the right preparation method for your needs.

How The Process Actually Works

For a simple comparison, we look at how consumer pressure washers work. Water is electrically accelerated with compressed air, forcing the water through a nozzle that creates even more pressure and this is used to then clean various surfaces. The issue with water based blasting is that it could damage fragile surfaces or electrical equipment, and it isn’t as effective at removing set in stains, coatings, or contaminants.

Dry ice blasting uses compressed air to pressurize CO2 particles instead which normally come as dry ice pellets. The fine dry ice is blasted onto the surface effectively freezing and fracturing any contaminants on the surface. Several reactions occur in the space of milliseconds in an explosion of energy to thoroughly remove the unwanted coating.

This takes advantage of various forms of scientific reactions  including kinetic energy and thermodynamics to provide a far superior level of cleaning. The equipment used is fairly straightforward. There is usually a dry ice storage container, the air compressor, the ice blasting machine, the nozzle and piping. Fairly simple tools to create a uniquely effective reaction.

The Hidden Science Of Dry Ice Blasting 

There are three main scientific reactions involved are those of thermal shock (stage one), impact shock (stage two), and expansion shock (stage three). The kinetic reaction of pressurized CO2 being projected at very high speed onto a surface, followed by the extreme low temperature of the dry ice, creates a de-cohesion of contaminant to surface and an embrittlement of the actual contaminant itself. The dry ice will sublimate directly from solid state to gas, creating a mini-explosion of sorts that completely removes the contaminant. This process is extremely beneficial since it is a dry process that creates minimal secondary waste such as water or sand blasting may create.

Diotte Coating Services is an all round service provider that prides itself on personalized customer service, reliability, and the highest quality standards. Speak to our friendly team today to answer any queries you might have or Call our dry ice blasting contractors. You can contact us by calling 905-259-2927 or filling out our contact form here. We look forward to hearing from you soon!