dry ice cleaning

Submitted: Saturday, Apr 17, 2010 at 18:55
ThreadID: 77785 Views:5261 Replies:8 FollowUps:9
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Gidday

I had lunch today with a mate, who was talking about a ’dry ice cleaning’ machine. Totally different to sand blasting.

Must admit, I’d never heard of it.

Do any of you blokes working in the mines, or tank cleaning, know any thing about this?

Regards

Kim
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Reply By: craig2 - Saturday, Apr 17, 2010 at 19:13

Saturday, Apr 17, 2010 at 19:13
What is Dry Ice Blasting?

Dry ice blasting is a revolutionary blasting method that uses small, compact dry ice pellets as the blasting material. The dry ice pellets are accelerated in a jet of compressed air similar to that used in traditional blasting methods.

Dry ice blasting is designed to replace high-pressure hosing and other traditional blasting methods that use materials such as sand, glass and plastic as abrasive agents. In addition, however, a wide range of other cleaning methods that involve the use of hazardous chemicals, solvents, etc., can with advantage be replaced by dry ice blasting.

The unique feature of dry ice as a blasting material is that it
vaporises on contact with the surface to be cleaned. Treated
surfaces are therefore left dry and clean, without residues of detergents or blasting materials. As the process is completely
dry and non-conductive, dry ice blasting can be used where other methods are unsuitable. For example, electric motors and
equipment with electric, pneumatic or hydraulic components
can be cleaned direct using dry ice blasting.

The system produces no waste products. Only the coating that has been removed remains to be disposed of, and this can usually be swept or vacuumed from the floor beneath the treated object.

Dry ice blasting is ideal for removing coatings such as adhesives, varnish, oil, grease, coal dust, soot, mould release agents and bitumen - to name but a few of the materials we remove daily using the process.

Dry ice blasting will often allow a company's production equipment to be cleaned while in operation without the need for dismantling and costly downtime.

Dry ice blasting is non-abrasive, and surfaces are therefore treated gently. The system can thus be used on easily-damaged surfaces like nickel, chromium and soft aluminium.

The process is dry, and no waste materials are produced. This means that cleaning can be carried out even during short production shutdowns.
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Follow Up By: craig2 - Saturday, Apr 17, 2010 at 19:14

Saturday, Apr 17, 2010 at 19:14
http://www.coldjet.com.au/dry_ice_blasting_equiptment.html

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Reply By: Shaker - Saturday, Apr 17, 2010 at 19:21

Saturday, Apr 17, 2010 at 19:21
We have boats dry ice blasted, also soda blasting is quite common now.
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Reply By: Rockape - Saturday, Apr 17, 2010 at 19:25

Saturday, Apr 17, 2010 at 19:25
Kim,
I know Queensland rail use it to clean the electrical component's in their locos.

I know they trialed it at the mine I work at, it did a very good job, but they never got them back as they charged the earth.

Have a good one
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Follow Up By: Rockape - Saturday, Apr 17, 2010 at 20:31

Saturday, Apr 17, 2010 at 20:31
Kim,
I forgot to say that they can blast the electrical gear while it is live and working
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Reply By: obee1212 - Saturday, Apr 17, 2010 at 19:41

Saturday, Apr 17, 2010 at 19:41
sounds like an ad to me

owen
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Follow Up By: Member - Craig M (QLD) - Saturday, Apr 17, 2010 at 20:18

Saturday, Apr 17, 2010 at 20:18
Kim has been a long time and very valued contributor to this forum for yonks.

Never known him to be on the flog however.

Thanks Kim, I was not aware of dry ice blasting but will look into it. I think I have a use at work for such a concept

Craig
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Follow Up By: Best Off Road - Sunday, Apr 18, 2010 at 20:27

Sunday, Apr 18, 2010 at 20:27
Wrong Owen, very wrong.

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Reply By: Ozrover - Saturday, Apr 17, 2010 at 20:26

Saturday, Apr 17, 2010 at 20:26
K & DD,

We trialled dry ice blasting to clean Nylon, Hypalon & Polybutadine roller covers on a laminating machine that made ROAR wipers at the place where I used to work about ten years ago.

It resulted in one roller cover (Nylon) exploding & damage to the others as the dry ice spot froze the material which then eroded off.

The tech' that was running the trial packed his stuff up & dissapeared rather quickly & quietly.

It was extremely expensive for the cleaning process, & cost us about $10,000 in damage to the rollers being cleaned!

I don't think that I would use it to clean my bikes or cars!

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Reply By: Hairy (NT) - Sunday, Apr 18, 2010 at 10:25

Sunday, Apr 18, 2010 at 10:25
Gday Kim,
When I first read "dry ice cleaning", I thought "Silly old fool, hes had too many reds and dropped his block of dry ice in the dirt"
I was going to suggest you put it in an air tight container with some water and shake it for a while???

LOL

Cheers
Hairy
AnswerID: 413388

Follow Up By: Wherehegon - Sunday, Apr 18, 2010 at 13:12

Sunday, Apr 18, 2010 at 13:12
Works well in 1.25L coke bottles, bit of dry ice and some water, put the cap back on tight, (DONT GO ANYWHERE NEAR IT) leave for 5/10 mins and BOOM big time. Regards steve m
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Follow Up By: Hairy (NT) - Sunday, Apr 18, 2010 at 13:13

Sunday, Apr 18, 2010 at 13:13
even better in 20l drums! LOL
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Follow Up By: Wherehegon - Sunday, Apr 18, 2010 at 14:35

Sunday, Apr 18, 2010 at 14:35
Wholy god Hairy, didnt think it had the power to blow a 20l up ?? Will have to give that a go some where where there will be no one around, within miles I think, Regards Steve
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Follow Up By: Hairy (NT) - Sunday, Apr 18, 2010 at 14:41

Sunday, Apr 18, 2010 at 14:41
Didnt actually give it the chance to burst.......it got that big (completely round) and was creeking like mad when we needed to go back into the camp to get tea on , so I shot it! No one was game (silly) enough to go and move it so I thought shooting it was a safer option...LOL
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Follow Up By: Wherehegon - Sunday, Apr 18, 2010 at 14:53

Sunday, Apr 18, 2010 at 14:53
LOL LOL
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Reply By: AMack - Sunday, Apr 18, 2010 at 19:36

Sunday, Apr 18, 2010 at 19:36
I use this process regularly to clean our production equipment. We use hot melt glue systems in the manufacture of our product and there is a lot of charred, blackened surfaces on steel and aluminium, it works very well. Expensive at about $300 per hour but very very effective.
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Reply By: Kim and Damn Dog - Sunday, Apr 18, 2010 at 20:08

Sunday, Apr 18, 2010 at 20:08
Thanks everyone for your input

I’ll print this thread out tomorrow and give it to my mate. From what I’m told it’s going to cost him $40,000+ for the equipment.

The thing I admire about this site is the depth of experience people have, and the good it does in decision making.

Regards

Kim
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