Interesting where sand leaves a mess to clean up afterward
dry ice does not
Dry Ice Blasting: What It Is, How It Works, and Why It Works
Greene Clean Team - Sep 01, 2025
In industrial environments, cleaning is not just a matter of appearance, it’s a matter of uptime, safety, and compliance. Whether you're maintaining production lines, restoring equipment, or preparing surfaces for coatings, dry ice blasting offers a powerful,
residue-free, and non-damaging alternative to traditional cleaning methods.
This article covers, in depth:
- What dry ice blasting is
- How the process works
- Why it works so effectively across different applications
All findings are based on peer-reviewed studies and credible industrial research, with links to sources included for full transparency.
What Is Dry Ice Blasting?
Dry ice blasting, also known as CO2 cleaning, is a non-abrasive, environmentally friendly cleaning method that uses solid carbon dioxide (CO2) pellets or particles as the cleaning medium. The process involves propelling dry ice at high velocities onto contaminated surfaces, where it removes unwanted materials like:
- Grease and oils
- Paint and coatings
- Resins, adhesives
- Mold, soot, and biofilms
- Rust and oxidation (in certain conditions)
Unlike sandblasting or pressure washing, dry ice blasting leaves no secondary waste because the dry ice sublimates (transitions from solid to gas) upon impact. It is widely used in industries like:
- Manufacturing
- Automotive and aerospace
- Food and beverage processing
- Power generation
- Plastics, rubber, and composite molding
This method is highly favored for applications where water, harsh chemicals, or abrasive materials would either damage components or introduce additional cleanup requirements.
Key Characteristics:
- Non-conductive
- Non-flammable
- Chemically inert
- Leaves no residue
“Dry ice blasting is particularly well-suited to delicate or complex surfaces where other methods would require disassembly or risk causing damage.”
— Reder & Uhlmann, Procedia CIRP, 2025
How Dry Ice Blasting Works
The dry ice blasting system consists of:
- A dry ice supply (pellets, typically 3 mm diameter)
- A blast gun and hose system
- A compressed air source
- A nozzle engineered for particle acceleration
The Three-Part Cleaning Mechanism
| Mechanism | Description |
|---|
| Kinetic impact | Pellets strike the surface at high velocity, dislodging contaminants through mechanical force. |
| Thermal shock | The sudden drop in temperature (down to −78.5 °C) causes contaminants to shrink, crack, and lose adhesion. |
| Sublimation | As dry ice hits the surface, it converts directly to CO2 gas, expanding in volume and lifting debris from the surface. |
This multi-action cleaning effect ensures thorough removal of residues without damaging the substrate.
A 2025 study in
Applied Thermal Engineering used computational fluid dynamics to examine nozzle performance. The study showed that supersonic flow dynamics, combined with properly sized dry ice particles, dramatically improve particle transport efficiency and cleaning effectiveness (Dzido & Krawczyk, 2025).
Equipment Considerations:
- Nozzles can be round or flat, depending on surface type.
- Some systems allow for abrasive injection (e.g., garnet) for tougher cleaning jobs.
- Can be configured for handheld or robotic operation.
Why Dry Ice Blasting Works (And When to Use It)
Dry ice blasting is effective because it combines mechanical, thermal, and chemical-free action to clean surfaces without downtime, dismantling, or secondary waste disposal.
Key Benefits
| Feature | Benefit |
|---|
| No secondary waste | No grit, slurry, or water to clean up. Just the removed contaminant. |
| No surface damage | Safe on metals, plastics, rubber, composites, and electrical systems. |
| Safe on energized equipment | Non-conductive CO2 means no short circuits, no corrosion. |
| Environmentally sound | CO2 is captured from industrial sources (not new emissions) and sublimates into the atmosphere. |
| Reduced downtime | Can often clean machinery while it's still in place, reducing shut-down time. |
“Dry ice cleaning allows for inline processing, resulting in less disruption to production lines and better turnaround times for maintenance tasks.”
—
Applied Thermal Engineering, 2025
