Dry ice blasting is a process whereby kinetic and thermal energy is transferred when the accelerated dry ice pellets strike the surface being cleaned. Dry ice and air combine to remove the unwanted material and leave a clean surface free of any contaminant.
- Kinetic
Dry ice pellets are accelerated by compressed air to high speeds – fracturing the top layer of dirt/residue.
- Thermal
Once the dry ice penetrates the dirt/residue, the temperature of both the dirt/residue layer and the substrate decreases. The different materials contract unequally and the adherence between them decreases. This thermal difference helps to separate the dirt/residue from the substrate.
- Sublimation
After the dry ice makes its initial impact, it instantaneously turns from a solid to a gas. The volume expansion (by a factor of 700) causes a micro explosion that detaches the dirt/residue from the substrate.
- Post Blasting
The substrate is clean, dry and completely intact.
Posted in: Dry Ice Blasting FAQs