
When Should you start planning your exterior house painting?
March 20, 2017
Painting Office Walls with Whiteboard paint
May 5, 2017Dry Ice Blasting is a clean option similar to Sand Blasting without the mess of adding a medium to assist with the removal process.
Dry Ice Blasting can be a surface friendly removal tool to remove paint, food waste, mold, dirt, gum, soot and many other contaminants to any surface without the damage or adding foreign materials to the area you are working.
The Process of Dry Ice Blasting:
- Dry Ice has to be pelletized, this is done when ordering for this specific project.
- Dry Ice pellets are loaded into a blasting machine.
- High pressure is then used to transfer the ice pellet which becomes soft and similar to a vapor to the surface you are blasting.
- air flow and ventilation are key as the carbon dioxide is the given off when the Dry Ice is blasted.
- The impact of the dry ice blast against the substrate you are blasting forms a burst of kinetic energy to the surface leaving minimal if any abrasion to the substrate being blasted.
When to use Dry Ice Blasting:
- Dry Ice Blasting does not leave any residue except for the debris that is being blasted. The dry ice vaporizes and leaves no trace.
- Unlike sandblasting where a foreign media is introduced and will contaminate the work area, dry ice can be used in clean and sterile environments.
- Dry Ice Blasting can be used in the:
- food industry
- clean rooms
- solvent based cleaning
- paint removal
- some mold removal
- aerospace
- semiconductor
Supplies needed:
- Ice is purchased in either 55 gallon barrels which are insulated and contains 200 lb. of Dry Ice. Ice can also be delivered in 500 lb. totes but would need a pallet jack to move around the job site.
- please note ice melts an average of 5% per day.
- Dry Ice blasting machines can be rented by specialty rental services.
- Air movement machines due to dust and carbon dioxide off gas from the ice.
- Protective equipment such as gloves, eye protection, breathing apparatus.
Trouble shooting Dry Blasting Ice Issues:
- Hose Freeze resulting in no ice flow:
- To much ice flowing into auger
- Warm Ice, dry ice is melting and clogging
- Air from compressor is warm and must be cooled.
- Build up of /dry Ice in hopper;
- wet ice, warm ice. dry ice has ben kept at to warm of a temperature and is high in water content allowing it to buildup and not flow correctly through the hopper
- Clearing the hose:
- Keep the hose pointed away and remove the spray wand. run air only thru until air flows.
- warm frozen house if possible
- Always run air only to clear hose every time prior o the blasting gun is not going to be used.
- turn down the flow rate of the ice leaving the ice hopper to the auger.