Industrial use of dry ice blasting in surface cleaning

Abstract

Dry ice blasting is an up-to-date cleaning method which has become popular in many industries. This technology uses compressed air to accelerate dry ice particles. In many applications, it is superior to conventional cleaning methods (sandblasting, hydro blasting, using solvents), enables sustainable cleaning and supports Cleaner Production concept because no water or harmful chemicals are used. Although dry ice blasting removal mechanism has not been fully clarified and this technology has a wide range of applicability, there are not many publications which would deal with dry ice blasting. Therefore, the main goal of this review is to provide a systematic overview of dry ice blasting applications in industrial surface cleaning. Only 34 works were classified as a suitable basis for the review. The greatest attention of the scientific literature is paid to surface pre-treatment but the number of references is very similar for most of the applications (surface pre-treatment 10x, electrical equipment 9x, plastic, rubber and foam manufacturing 8x, automotive 8x, food industry 8x and others). From the industrial point of view dry ice blasting is mostly used in plastic, rubber and foam manufacturing and in automotive industry. We also analyze the main drivers and barriers of this technology. The benefits outweigh the drawbacks of this technology as evidenced by the large number of applications mentioned in this study. However, with regard to the drivers and barriers of dry ice blasting, it is necessary to assess its suitability for a specific process and find a tailor-made solution. Environmental impact assessment of the DIB process should be one of the main directions for future R&D. Other recommendations for further development of this technology are connected with the energy intensity of the process, reduction of noise emissions and automation of the whole process.