Dry
ice cleaning benefits can be broken down into six general areas. Following
each benefit is discussed:
Benefit #1 - Decreased Downtime
through Cleaning In-Place
Typical
cleaning procedures require that equipment be disassembled and moved
to an assigned area for proper cleaning. That is not the case with
dry ice blast cleaning. Equipment can be cleaned in-place and hot
in most situations. Because of that, many time-consuming, labor-intensive
steps which were required with other methods such as sand blasting
can be eliminated including:
- Cool
down
- Disassembly
- Transport
of the equipment to and from a dedicated cleaning area
- Reassembly
- Reheating
time
Dry ice blasting can shorten the downtime for cleaning from days down
to hours.
Benefit #2 - Faster and More Thorough
Cleaning
With dry ice cleaning, a superior clean can be achieved while reducing
hours when compared to scrubbing with abrasive pads or wire brushes.
A tremendous labor savings is accomplished. In addition, the co2
blast method cleans in crevices that can't be reached by hand. As
a result, equipment runs more efficiently and potential leaks are
revealed possibly preventing major system failures.
Benefit #3 - Elimination of Equipment
Damage
Cleaning methods such as sandblasting leave an aggressive and abrasive
effect on the surface. They can actually remove part of the surface,
changing the surface structure considerably. Dry ice is non-abrasive
to surfaces and does not change a surface's structure. It lifts
the contaminants away. Secondly, because equipment can now be cleaned
in place, potential damage from moving equipment to and from a dedicated
cleaning area is eliminated.
Benefit #4 - Reduction or Elimination
of Solvents
No solvents are used when using CO2 pellets. This can be a critical need for certain
companies in order to comply with environmental regulations or to improve worker
safety. There are no issues pertaining to toxicity.
Benefit #5 - Reductions in Waste
Disposal
With other cleaning methods, whether it be with solvents, sand blasting
or some other means, the cleaning agent becomes a secondary contaminant
and must be disposed of as toxic waste along with the primary contaminant.
However, with dry ice cleaning because the CO2 pellet vaporizes
upon contact, the only waste created is the contaminant itself.
This alone can result in significant waste reduction.
Benefit #6 - Increased Safety
Dry
ice blasting pellets are non-toxic, non-hazardous creating advantages
to the environment, your employees, and production facility:
- No secondary waste
- Safe for the environment
- Safe for employees
- Safe for end products
- Safe for equipment
|
