How We Work

Dry Ice Blasting

Dry ice blast blasting uses solid CO2, a non-abrasive media that won't damage surfaces or equipment. The accelerated, super cooled dry ice pellets (or particles) are blasted at supersonic speeds and sublimate on impact, resulting in the surface being cleaned. This process lifts dirt and contaminants off the underlying substrate.

Our blasting process is considered to be non-abrasive, because the kinetic effect of solid CO2 pellets is minimal when compared to other media (grit, sand, etc). The relative softness of solid CO2 is also not as dense and hard as other projectile media, because the pellet changes from solid to gas almost immediately on impact. Very little impact energy is transferred into the coating/substrate.

The combined impact energy dissipation and extremely rapid heat transfer between the pellet and the surface cause instantaneous sublimation of the solid CO2 into gas. The gas expands to nearly 800 times the volume of the pellet in a few milliseconds in what is effectively a “micro-explosion” at the point of impact.

The “micro-explosion,” as the pellet changes to gas, is further enhanced for lifting thermally-fractured coating particles from the substrate. This is because of the pellet’s lack of rebound energy, which tends to distribute its mass along the surface during the impact. The CO2 gas expands outward along the surface and its resulting “explosion shock front” effectively provides an area of high pressure focused between the surface and the thermally fractured coating particles. This results in a very efficient lifting force to carry the particles away from the surface.

Our equipment utilises or produces media that is inert, non-conductive, non-corrosive and does not produce hazardous waste streams.

Garnet Blasting

Garnet is a natural mineral with a hardness of about 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale. This hardness makes it effective for cutting and cleaning surfaces and is excellent for more stubborn rust removal.

Garnet generates less dust compared to other abrasives, which improves visibility and safety during blasting.

Garnet blasting is a versatile and efficient method for various surface treatment needs, particularly when a high-quality finish and minimal environmental impact are important.

Which Method?

The medium used for your project will depend on the surface to be cleaned. We will discuss these options thoroughly with you prior to confirmation.

FAQs

Dry ice blasting does not leave residue or waste. Dry ice sublimates upon impact with the surface being cleaned, which results in no secondary waste, no residue and no introduction of moisture. This eliminates extra clean-up, disposal of secondary waste streams and additional cleaning preparation (such as masking delicate sensors or wrapping electronic components before cleaning). This significantly reduces the duration of cleaning projects and the resulting shutdowns.

Elimination of secondary waste also allows equipment to be cleaned whilst still in operation.

Does dry ice blasting leave waste?.

Does dry ice blasting kill mould?.

Will dry ice blasting remove rust?.

What is dry ice blasting used for?.

What are the benefits of dry ice?.

Does dry ice remove paint?.

Dry ice blasting removes 99.9% of mould spores faster than traditional cleaning methods when IAQA standards are followed.

Yes, dry ice blasting plus an abrasive solution (that adds an abrasive to the dry ice blasting stream) effectively removes surface rust, whilst eliminating traditional methods of removal that creates excessive dust and waste.

For many applications including cleaning, surface preparation and parts finishing, such as:

adhesive removal, coating/corrosion removal, tool/equipment cleaning, historical restoration, mould removal, parts finishing, remediation, surface preparation and weld line cleaning.

Dry ice blasting offers a revolutionary new way to effectively clean surfaces in a powerful, efficient and environmentally sustainable way, whilst reducing operating costs, improving product quality and increasing productivity. It can be used for precise, gentle and delicate remediation and parts finishing works, or for aggressive applications such as cleaning industrial or agricultural equipment. Dry ice blasting saves considerable time and money over using traditional cleaning methods.

While dry ice blasting is effective at removing failing paint and paint that has a weak bond, dry ice is a gentle medium and in some applications it is not always successful with just dry ice alone. An abrasive solution can be added to the process to boost its’ aggression and effectively remove paint and coatings, whilst eliminating the issues with traditional methods of removal, such as excessive dust and waste.