Dry Ice Blasting

We specialise in using a low pressure sand jetting system that has been used nationwide for various cleaning tasks. The system, in our trained hands, causes minimal damage to an underlying surface and is flexible enough to tackle most property restoration cleaning tasks. The low pressure sand jet can clean surfaces without injecting large quantities of water into the surface, and with minimal surface damage, at the same time, the 'wet' system also captures dirt and abrasive, preventing the health and safety risks associated with dry blasting.

However, there are times when alternative methods are called for, one of which is Dry Ice blasting. Here a surface to be cleaned is blasted with CO2 particles, and the surface is cleaned through thermal shock, and some abrasion of the surface contaminant. A video of the process (cleaning soot from stone) is available here, and a datasheet of industrial cleaning with dry ice here

The advantage of this system is that the 'abrasive' evaporates on impact, so the only 'debris' is the material being removed. It is nearly 'dustless' - about as dustless as it is possible to get for an open blast system - however it will still blow cobwebs, birds nests, paint debris etc fairly liberally!

Disadvantages are the costs compared to alternative systems, in particular the raw ingredient dry ice evaporates when it is not used, so needs to be used rapidly. On a daily basis, dry ice will cost 50% more than sand jet cleaning, but for the first day of a job, i.e. the mobilisation cost, is about 100% more. The other issue with the evaporation is that we have to gauge how much CO2 we will need the day before the job, unlike sand blasting where we just take plenty of sand - and if we don't use it, it goes back on the pallet.

It is used widely in the printing industry to clean print rollers, and for mould and weld cleaning.

This is the soot build up in a boiler in East Yorkshire, Summer 2011. This is the sort of job where CO2 really excells - as the surface is left smooth after cleaning - and we haven't filled the boiler with sand.

A Close up of the front and the pipes!

after cleaning..

It can remove layers of paint at a time - here (with a small test patch visible)

Topcoat removed

A little more effort and the basecoat comes off as well - note that the surface is as smooth as the original surface preparation - so it may require a scratch to provide a surface texture for a new paint application - but if that existing paint was hazadrous metal contaminated (i.e. lead) then there is no abrasive disposal problem - the only disposal required is the paint itself.

Degreasing of a Lathe capstan. Note that the capstan retains its chrome plating after cleaning - we can't achieve this with sand blasting

Dry Ice will remove antifoul from GRP boats - and was found in this trial to be very effective at bursting Osmosis blisters!

and we even use it to clean our own machinery! this is our dirty sand jet blast pot!

Key Benefits

• A very 'clean' cleaning system. Cleaning chemicals / abrasives do not contaminate the work surfaces.
• It is not a chemical process so no noxious or harmful slurries or fumes are generated.
• The system is regularly used indoors, but good ventilation is required as the room fills with CO2
• Considerably less mess than other systems.