Dry Ice Blasting Examples

Listed below are several examples of dry ice blasting on various surfaces. Blasting is quite loud and this is reflected in the videos, you may want to check your computer's volume before playing them all.

BlasterT2
NozzleFan
SurfaceWood
DirtMould
PPEHalf-Face Mask
Dry Ice Blasting can be very gentle depending on the settings and type of ice you're using. In this example we're using the T2 dialed down so there's less air pressure, and because the T2 shaves ice off you get really fine grit instead of rice sized pellets (like a ColdJet, Wickens, Phoenix etc). The fine grit makes it so you don't have chunks taken out of your surface.

With wood the grain pattern is more resistant, and the softer parts are removed first so you get an aged look. Dry Ice Blasting removes the top layer of wood, so deep stains from dyes, mould, or fire will not be completely removed.


BlasterPhoenix
NozzleHigh Aggression
SurfaceRubber
DirtGlue
PPEHalf-Face Mask
This video shows our high aggression nozzle used to clean out the microscopic pores that hold and apply glue.  Dry ice is very effective at cleaning glues and inks because it freezes them and chips them out. Additionally when working with machinery using dry ice which sublimates and disappears is far more convenient then using other media like sand or walnut shells that you would then have to clean out.


BlasterColdJet 100
NozzleAggression
SurfaceMetal
DirtUnder-Coating
PPEHalf-Face Mask
Dry ice blasting can be very effective with tacky substances like glue and in this case the tar like protective under coating on busses. Dry ice is very cold (-78.5 celcius) and can freeze the contaminant so that it chips off.

In addition the contaminant and substrate will transfer heat at different rates which causes a micro-thermal shock and makes it even easier for dry ice to clean. The spots you see left behind are due to the galvanized coating coming off with rock impacts while driving.


BlasterT2
NozzleFan
SurfaceWood
DirtMould
PPESupplied Air
This was a mould job we worked on in a crawlspace that was between 32" and 24" high. We learned a lot about confined spaces entry on this job using ambient air in some cases but more frequently supplied air with 10 minute escape bottles.

Dry Ice Blasters work effectively with 50 feet of blast hose, and are passable with 100 feet but this crawl space was easily 150 feet deep. Fortunately Iceberg Dry Ice has one of the only "T2" model blasting machines which can fit into spaces like this. It would have been impossible to complete this job without it (or we could have spent weeks sanding the un-reachable areas).


BlasterColdJet 100
NozzleFan
SurfaceWood
DirtMould
PPEAmbient Air
The ColdJet 100 is a pellet blaster which is more aggressive then blasters that shave blocks of ice such as SDI5's and T2's. Notice the operator is using a fan nozzel so that more area can be cleaned faster.


BlasterColdJet 100
NozzleFan
SurfaceCement
DirtMould
PPEFull-Face Mask
Although mould can't grow on cement, there is frequently a layer of material that accumulates on surfaces where mould can grow.