At Biodynamic, innovation and the implementation of new, environmentally friendly cleaning techniques have always been our key focuses. One method that we’ve proudly begun to employ—particularly when we’re asked to remove contaminants from sensitive equipment—is dry ice blasting. This method utilizes pellets of dry ice, delivered at a high speed by a compressed air system, to remove layers of material from a surface without damaging the underlying substrate.
Dry ice blasting has a wide range of benefits for industrial and commercial cleaning needs, from its ability to preserve delicate surfaces to its fast results. Here are five of the top advantages of cleaning with dry ice blasting:
1. It Eliminates the Need to Use Harsh Chemicals
The industrial cleaning process requires rendering areas as pristine as possible, which is done through the removal of layers of paint, dust, dirt, oil, grime, mold, and other contaminants. Traditional cleaning methods, however, have only been able to achieve this through the use of harsh solvents and other toxic and potentially dangerous chemicals.
While these products may be able to do the job, they have several major downsides that may force one to reconsider their use. First, there is no real way to use these chemicals to remove a single layer. They will often penetrate further than is necessary, potentially weakening the substrate they are being used to clean. Second, harsh cleaning chemicals don’t simply disappear after the cleaning process has been concluded. Instead, they often end up in the environment, where they become a major source of pollution. Finally, harsh cleaning chemicals may pose a hazard to workers, either through inhalation or by entering their soft tissues, such as skin and eyes.
The only cleaning product used with dry ice blasting is, of course, dry ice, which itself is simply solidified carbon dioxide. Dry ice pellets are blasted at the surface being cleaned, where they remove the unwanted layers of material and sublimate back into a gas in the process. This means that no toxic elements are introduced to the surrounding environment at all, ensuring a much safer and cleaner method of industrial cleaning.
2. Dry Ice Blasting Doesn’t Damage Sensitive Surfaces
At Biodynamic, many of our clients make use of highly sensitive equipment. This equipment can prove difficult to clean since it is very challenging to remove corrosion or contaminants using traditional cleaning methods without either scratching the equipment or risking damaging it using harsh cleaning chemicals. If damage does occur, it can often prove very costly for the business owners, as they may be forced to repair or replace equipment that is both expensive and vital to the success of their operations.
Dry ice blasting is a far gentler method of removing unwanted layers from sensitive surfaces. The equipment used in the process can launch the dry ice pellets at extremely high speeds, generating a great deal of power, which breaks up and blasts away layers of rust, corrosion, and other contaminants. However, the dry ice also sublimates and dissipates almost immediately after striking the surface, leaving nothing that can damage the more sensitive components beneath.
3. It Reduces Downtime
Most traditional cleaning methods are very slow since workers must carefully scrub contaminated areas until all the unwanted layers have been removed. There is also the preparation to consider. Since potentially harmful chemicals are often used during the industrial cleaning process, protective layers of plastic and tape must be put down and protective gear must be donned. After the cleaning is complete, there is often also a secondary cleanup to remove all the toxic chemical residue and other byproducts.
Cleaning with dry ice blasting eliminates a great deal of this downtime, as in many cases, the blaster can simply be used directly on the desired area with minimal preparation. The pellets are capable of reaching areas that would be difficult to access by hand, streamlining the cleaning itself. Finally, the lack of toxic residue means that no delays are necessary as a result of waiting for chemicals to evaporate or due to spending time and effort on their removal.
4. It Can Effectively Remove Many Different Types of Contaminants
Another of the key benefits of dry ice blasting is its versatility. Few other industrial cleaning methods work equally well on as many different types of contaminants. For example, traditional commercial cleaning practices cannot remove something like corrosion in the same way they remove paint residue. For rust, an oil such as mineral oil may be required, while for paint, a solvent such as acetone may be applied. This means that larger projects that require removing more than one type of contaminant require several cleaning products and multiple passes in order to be successful.
Dry ice blasting, on the other hand, is effective against many different contaminants. It works equally well on biological materials, such as mold, as it does on built-up layers of grease. It can remove paint, rust, and other signs of corrosion and even clean dust off a surface. This level of versatility streamlines the cleaning process greatly and contributes to improved overall productivity for commercial enterprises.
5. Dry Ice Blasting Has Applications in Nearly Every Industry
Speaking of versatility, dry ice blasting has applications in nearly every medium- to large-scale industry that can be imagined. It’s this ability to be adapted to almost any workspace that is possibly the greatest benefit of dry ice blasting since it means that most business owners will only need to have one cleaning service on their contact list, regardless of their specific needs.
Dry ice blasting is used in the aerospace, automotive, air conditioning, food service, and petroleum industries, to name just a few. Its speed of operation combined with its gentleness means it is just as popular for cleaning ancient historical ruins as it is for cleaning cutting-edge automated transportation equipment. Learn more about dry ice blasting.
Find out if cleaning with dry ice blasting has an application in your industry by contacting Biodynamic today.
