Dry ice blasting, sand blasting, and abrasive ice blasting can all clean industrial facilities and equipment. Dry ice blasting uses compressed air to propel a high-velocity stream of dry ice pellets at a surface such as a wall, floor, or machine. Dry ice cleaning, as this process is also known, is effectively media-less because its carbon dioxide pellets turn to a gas (sublimate) upon impact.
Sand blasting, a different process, uses an abrasive media such as silica sand instead. There’s also abrasive ice blasting, a process that mixes dry ice with an abrasive medium to combine the advantages of dry ice blasting with the added aggression of an abrasive. By comparing the pros and cons of each process across several different categories, facilities managers can make the right choice for their next project.
Secondary Cleanups
Dry ice blasting
- Pros: The sublimation of dry ice pellets means there’s no dust to cleanup.
- Cons: The unwanted material from surface cleaning (such as paint, grime, or soot) is left behind, but that’s also true of the other processes.
Sand blasting
- Pros: It can clean almost any surface.
- Cons: There’s a significant amount of dust to cleanup. Plus, particles can become lodged in tight angles and challenging geometries such as bolts, wires, and plumbing fixtures.
Abrasive ice blasting
- Pros: It combines the cleanliness of dry ice blasting with the added aggression of an abrasive.
- Cons: There’s some dust, but it’s significantly less than with sand blasting.
Surface Finish
Dry ice blasting
- Pros: This non-abrasive process cleans without damaging surface finish.
- Cons: May lack the necessary aggressiveness for cleaning some surfaces.
Sand blasting
- Pros: Works well with rough, uneven surfaces covered by a hardened substance such as a thick coat of paint.
- Cons: Not a good choice for surfaces that could become marred or damaged by the high-friction scraping of fast-moving abrasive particles.
Abrasive ice blasting
- Pros: Safer on surface finish than sand blasting and better suited than dry ice blasting for projects that require more aggressive cleaning.
- Cons: Contains an abrasive, but this proprietary medium is used for added aggression rather than heavy-duty abrading.
Worker Safety and Health
Dry ice blasting
- Pros: Doesn’t use an abrasive media that creates dust and requires the use of a respirator.
- Cons: Workers still need to wear protective helmets and garments, but that’s true of each process.
Sand blasting
- Pros: There are well-established OSHA guidelines for protecting workers.
- Cons: NIOSH reports that abrasive blasting with crystalline silica sand can cause respiratory disease. The use of a respirator is required.
Abrasive ice blasting
- Pros: A proprietary mixture of dry ice and an abrasive medium can lower dust by up to 97%, which is well below OSHA guidelines.
- Cons: Because some dust is created, workers still need to wear a respirator and take necessary precautions.
Industries and Applications
Dry ice blasting
- Pros: This FDA, USDA, and EPA approved process is the best choice for sanitary environments such as food and beverage processing and pharmaceutical manufacturing because it reduces the risk of cross-contamination and promotes cleanliness.
- Cons: May lack the necessary aggressiveness for some projects.
Sand blasting
- Pros: Cleans and smooths quickly and efficiently for a variety of applications.
- Cons: Not recommended for sanitary environments, challenging geometries, or surfaces that are easily damaged.
Abrasive ice blasting
- Pros: It can be used on metal surfaces where there is heavy pitting or corrosion, and for stripping paint and coatings.
- Con: Introduces some dust, which may be unacceptable for some applications.
Customizable Cleaning
Dry ice blasting
- Pros: Dry ice can be cut into application-specific sizes. For example, the Cold Jet® Aero PCS® 60 can cut diamond-shaped particles in sizes ranging from 0.3 mm to 3 mm.
- Cons: Dry ice is the only media that is used.
Sand blasting
- Pros: Most sand blasting projects use white silica sand, but materials such as glass beads, aluminum oxide, and silicon carbide can be used instead.
- Cons: Regardless of the abrasive material, there are still concerns about worker safety and potential damage to surface finish.
Abrasive ice blasting:
- Pros: Dry ice can be cut into application-specific sizes. For example, the Cold Jet ® Aero PLT® 60 can cut diamond-shaped particles in sizes ranging from 0.3 mm to 3 mm. For accurate dosing whenever the trigger is pulled, the Cold Jet® E-CO2™ 150 is an abrasive ice blasting system that combines an Aero PLT® 60 dry ice blaster with a custom 1.5 cubic feet pressurized pot.
- Cons: Without the proper equipment, dry ice and the abrasive medium may not be mixed in the proper ratio.
Cold Jet® Equipment for Sale or Rent
Nitrofreeze® of Worcester, Massachusetts (USA) provides ice blasting and abrasive ice blasting equipment for sale or rent. Years ago, we started out as the New England representative for Cold Jet®. We then moved into a support role as we began getting our own customers. Today, Nitrofreeze® is more like a distribution for Cold Jet’s growing family of solutions. To discuss your cleaning application and how we can help you, contact us at phone number and email below.
(508) 459-7447 x109 | info@nitrofreeze.com