Cryogenic cleaning is a revolutionary method of cleaning which uses dry ice as the cleaning agent. The term “dry ice” is that by which carbon dioxide (CO2) is commonly referred to in its solid state, which at atmospheric pressure has a temperature of – 80.
These factors determine the success of this cleaning process, which is based fundamentally on three effects:
Kinetic Energy
As with conventional blast technologies (sand, water, glass bead, corn cob, etc.) the velocity of the media impacting on the surface transfers energy to the surface being cleaned/prepared. This energy transfer is responsible for most of the work being done by other blasting technologies but is only one aspect of dry ice blast cleaning.
Thermal Differentials
When the pellets of dry ice impact the contaminant, a slight temperature differential is established between the substrate and the contaminant, each exhibit a specific rate at which they will accept the temperature difference. The thermal differential that is established between the substrate and the contaminant will initiate or assist in the removal process. It should be noted that the dry ice pellets sublimate (turn from solid to gas) on impact, leaving no media contamination.
Molecular Expansion
When carbon dioxide sublimates (from solid to a gas) it expands 800 times its size. As the molecules expand they assist in the removal process.
The Advantages of Cryogenic Cleaning
Dry process – This method of cleaning involves a completely dry process, since dry ice is constituted by CO2 and therefore evaporates on contact with other surfaces.
No residue – This process leaves no residue. All that is required is to vacuum up or collect the deposits that have been taken off.
Ecological – The dry cleaning method does not involve the use of chemical substances and is absolutely non-toxic. There are no costs related to the disposal of detergents or solvents, and the amount of detritus to be disposed of is reduced.
Not abrasive – Cleaning with dry ice has no abrasive effect and is therefore extremely delicate on surfaces, thus avoiding the more common use of sandblasting treatment or cleaning with chemical substances, detergents, spatulas and metal brushes.
Low Downtime – The downtime for maintenance is reduced since dismantling and reassembling operations are no longer necessary.
Efficiency – Thanks to jet nozzles and differentiable cleaning speeds, it is even possible to get to parts normally difficult to access, without leaving any trace of detergents on production lines or mechanical parts.
Safety – Cryogenic sandblasting, carried out using individual protective measures, substitutes traditional cleaning methods like sandblasting or cleaning using chlorinated or fluoride solvents: it can safely be said that cryogenic sandblasting brings about a major improvement in working conditions for the operator.
Electrical Applications:
1. Some of the advantages of using CO2 on electrical components versus solvent, baking soda, corn cob or walnut shell media are:
2. CO2 sublimates to a gas upon impact, thereby limiting cleanup to the removed contaminant itself.
3. There is no remaining blast media in the cooling air passages, control panels or the bearings.
4. There are no contaminants driven into remote spots or cracks that may occur if a solvent flush is utilized.
5. There is no drying time as with solvent usage. CO2 leaves no moisture, which allows testing, re-painting and the ability to resume
operation almost immediately.
6. Delicate enough to clean switch gear, relays, circuit boards and control panels.
7. Strong enough to remove stubborn baked on contaminants from motors, and generator windings without abrading insulation
Applications of Cryogenic Cleaning
Electrical applications are our specialty, but we use the process for the following applications also.
Removal of carbon residue, secondary smog residues, paint-based graffiti or writing.
Printing: efficiently removes dry and humid color, dust, paper-dust particles and glue residues.
Food processing industry: efficiently cleans packing machines, removing glue residues, paper-dust particles and food product remnants without the use of water or chemical substances.
Plastics industry: delicately cleans plastic cladding and micro-cellular polyurethane.
Machinery: printing presses, live electric switchboard racks, thermo-plastic adhesive and glue distributors, extruders, polymerization presses, photocopiers, production lines…
Production lines: industrial ovens, soldering robots, sugar silos, polymerization containers, assembly lines, conveyor systems…
Dies and molds: aluminum, cast iron, epoxy resin, oven hotplates, plastics injection, extrusion dies, seating in PU foam
Various: mechanized cleaning, reconditioning after fires, removal of asbestos, elimination of paint and varnish
