Now You See it, Now You Don’t
Sandblasting has long been standard for removal of rust, paint, oxidation, and residue from the surface of numerous products. While effective, the use of sand as a blasting media can alter the surface being cleaned and requires the use of containment methods as well as additional cleaning to remove sand and residue from the surrounding areas. Pressurized water is another popular course for cleaning, but also presents issues with additional time needed to take equipment out of service and then dry before resuming operations. While this is both timely and introduces potentially hazardous runoff into the environment, waterless blasting provides a viable alternative with the use of a Cold Jet dry ice blaster in lieu of water, sand, or other media.
How Does it Work?
A state of the art cleaning process that utilizes recycled CO2 in the form of dry ice particles, dry ice blasting uses a pressurized stream of dry ice pellets instead of using small, abrasive particles for blasting. Removing rust, paint, and residue from equipment, the dry ice is initially solid and begins to sublimate – instantaneously turn to gas – upon impact. Surface coatings like paint oil, adhesives, and accumulated debris shrink from the change in temperatures and are forcibly blown off the surfaces they are attached to, leaving a clean, dry substrate.
Blast cleaning technologies offer a wide range of applications with a single mechanical system, with the ability to provide a variety of cleaning pressures, ranging from 60 to 250 PSI. Waterless blasting with dry ice is safe for use around delicate electronic components that would be damaged by traditional solvents or water. This is also especially effective in environments where pollution and dust are detrimental to the system’s operation.
Benefits of Waterless Blasting
- Reduce cleaning time up to 90%
- Reduce labor costs up to 80%
- Non-abrasive, non-toxic, non-flammable, and non-conductive
- Prevent product damage with non-abrasive dry ice
- Variable PSI blast stream to adapt to a variety of substrates
- Allows to clean machines while operational
- Eliminate the use of chemicals and reduce waste disposal costs
Used for a wide range of applications, the use of dry ice blasting greatly reduces the chance for damage during the cleaning process, while also decreasing the down time of machines being taken out of service for routine cleanings. One of the biggest advantages to dry ice blasting is the elimination of toxic chemicals within the cleaning process, reducing damage to the environment and maintaining the overall health of your crew. Removing an array of contaminants without the use of abrasives, dry ice blasting allows you to clean many surfaces without profiling or altering the appearance and texture of the product. Because the system does not introduce water or chemicals, dry ice blasting can also be used indoors.
Uses for Waterless Blasting
- Automotive
- Coatings and Corrosion Removal
- Fire and Flood Restoration
- Food Preparation
- Heavy Equipment
- Marine
- Oil and Gas
- Packaging and Printing
- Paint & Graffiti Removal
- Wood
Superior to other cleaning methods, waterless blasting provides the ability to clean without introducing abrasive media or water into the cleaning process. Gentler on wood, stone, stucco, concrete and many other building elements, dry ice blasting is a proven alternative to sanding, scraping, or chemical removal of a number of contaminants. Cleaning everything from wood to metal with an adjustable pressure spray, dry ice blasting is a gentle medium that is suitable for a wide range of substrates. The pressurized stream can be directed into nooks and crannies, making it extremely effective in cleaning sensitive equipment and much more! The use of dry ice blasting greatly reduces the chance for damage during the cleaning process, while also decreasing the down time of machines being taken out of service for routine cleanings.
Offering Solutions for Various Projects
With dry ice blasting services for a variety of projects, General Abrasives provides a versatile solution for both general cleaning applications as well as specialized remediation and heavy-duty cleaning services. Offering 30 years of experience and knowledge, we provide dry ice blasting for a number of industries, keeping equipment clean and helping to divert unexpected shutdowns.
