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What Is Dry Ice
Blasting?
Dry Ice Blasting is a process in which
Dry Ice "rice" particles are propelled to supersonic speed, to
impact and clean a surface. The particles are accelerated by
compressed air, just as with other blasting systems such as sand or
soda.
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Our Mini Dry Ice Blaster
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What Is Dry Ice?
Dry ice "rice" is made by taking
liquid carbon dioxide (CO2) from a pressurized storage
tank and expanding it at ambient pressure to produce snow. The snow
is then compressed through a die to make hard pellets or "rice".
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Dry Ice "Rice" is stored
and transported in coolers. Different size coolers are
available depending on the size of the project and the amount
of ice required. Typical mold remediation uses between 3 to
7 lbs of "rice" per minute when running the Dry Ice Blaster |
How does it work?
The micro-thermal shock (caused by the
dry ice temperature of approximately -79º C/-109ºF), the kinetic
energy of dry ice "rice" and the air pressure break the bond between
the contamination and the substrate. The surface contamination pops
off from the substrate from inside out and the air stream removes it
from the surface.
Why use Dry Ice
Blasting?
Since sanding, grinding and scraping
are physically intensive processes and require that the tooling be
forcefully applied to the surface to be cleaned, the position of the
Mold Remediation Technicians doing the work must be very stable.
Working on attic trusses, for example, carries an increased risk of
falling due to the force that needs to be exerted for the work to be
done properly. Even if a significant amount of work can be done
from a single position, fatigue when working in full Personal
Protective Equipment (PPE) can quickly set in, and the Mold
Remediation Technician would have to be relieved. When using Dry
Ice Blasting, the dry ice blaster can clean many angles and surfaces
in just the time it would take to prepare for grinding the same
area. In a typical home attic remediation project the actual
removal work using traditional cleaning methods may take 3
technicians 5 working days. By using Dry Ice Blasting, that process
may reduced to 2 technicians and 3 days. In addition, the Dry Ice
Blasting allows effective cleaning in tight areas such as the area
where a floor joist meets the floor sheathing where hand cleaning
methods are difficult to use.
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The blast gun is attached to
the end of the supply line from the KryoBlaster and directs
the stream of dry ice "rice" at supersonic speed to the areas
to be decontaminated. In this application the KryoBlaster is
being used to remove mold contamination from floor joists and
floor sheathing working from the basement. |
Summary of the
Benefits of Dry Ice Blasting
• Up to 60% faster crawl space
completion
• Increased man-hour productivity
• Safer, less worker fatigue
• Clean detail work, tight spots, and around nails and obstructions
• Complete removal even in the tight angles of trusses
• Clean around wiring and all plumbing without damage
• Reduce high-current power-tool usage
• 100% mold spore removal
• Dry Ice blasting kills organic contaminates
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Dry Ice Blasting
Cleaning Comparison Chart |
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Blasting
Technique |
Waste for
Disposal |
Abrasive |
Toxic
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Electrically Conductive
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Performance
Comparison
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Dry Ice |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Excellent |
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Walnut Shells |
Yes |
Yes |
No* |
No |
Limited |
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Glass Beads |
Yes |
Yes |
No* |
No |
OK |
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Steam |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
Poor |
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Sand |
Yes |
Yes |
No* |
No |
OK |
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Solvents |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Limited |
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*
Each of these blast cleaning
materials becomes contaminated upon contact if used to clean
hazardous materials. When this happens these materials are
considered hazardous and toxic waste and must be disposed of
accordingly. |
The Three Stages of
the blasting
Step #1 -
Energy Transfer
With Dry Ice Blasting, dry ice "rice"
pellets are propelled out of the blasting gun at supersonic speed
and impact the surface. The energy transfer knocks off the
contaminant with no abrasion on hard surfaces such as concrete and
minimal abrasion on lumber. The force of this impact is the primary
means of cleaning. Approximately 1/16" to 1/8" of the lumber
surface is removed in a single pass together with the mold
contamination. The structural integrity of the lumber is not
compromised in any way.
Step #2 -
Micro-Thermal Shock
The cold temperature during Dry Ice
Blasting when the dry ice "rice" pellets hit the contaminant on hard
surfaces creates a micro-thermal shock (caused by the dry ice
temperature of approximately -79º C/-109º F) between the surface
contaminant and the substrate. Cracking and delamination of the
contaminant occurs furthering the elimination process.
Step #3 - Gas
Pressure
The final phase of Dry Ice Blasting
has the dry ice "rice" pellet explode on impact, and as the pellet
warms it converts to a harmless CO2 gas which expands
rapidly underneath the contaminant surface. This forces off the
contaminant from behind. The contaminant then typically falls to the
ground where it is easily cleaned using HEPA vacuuming and
traditional clean-up methods. Since the dry ice evaporates, only the
contaminant is left for disposal.
Click on the Discovery
Channel Image below for a video on Mold Remediation using Dry Ice
Blasting
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Removal Services
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