In the United States, Americans love their food and drink. Some travel to taste food in different states, they report on the latest food and drink trends, and they document each consumption. Much of the food we eat and the beverages we drink are packaged in various factories throughout the United States. Each product is sent to grocery stores or restaurants. We purchase it. Then we consume it. Sounds pretty simple, correct? Well, what about when the food and drink is made and packaged in factories (as is the norm in the food industry)? To be frank, it’s imperative that any machines or equipment is cleaned by workers for sanitary purposes. Here’s what you need to know about dry ice pressure washing.
What Is Dry Ice Pressure Washing?
To begin, it’s necessary to know what dry ice pressure washing actually is. Well, dry ice isn’t actually ice. t’s solid Carbon Dioxide at temperature -79 degrees Celsius. This compressed air can really clean! So, let’s begin. First, dry ice pressure washing is a cleaning and polishing method that was patented in 1955. It is known by many different names. Dry ice pressure washing can be known as dry ice blasting, dry ice cleaning, CO2 blasting, dry ice dusting, and even environmentally sustainable cleaning. It is a non-abrasive, nonflammable and nonconductive cleaning method. This method of cleaning is an efficient way for industries to maximize production, ensure their equipment and machines are above sanitary standards, and ensure quality. Additionally, dry ice pressure washing helps rid equipment of hazards or contaminants that can cause food to be deemed unsafe. These contaminants include microorganisms, cleaning solvents, pest control, paints, oils hair and dirt- just to name a few.
Dry ice pressure washing also has some benefits. This method of cleaning machines and equipment allows most items to be cleaned in place without time-consuming disassembly. This allows for more time to be dedicated to the actual product, as opposed to cleaning. Dry ice pressure washing doesn’t damage active electrical or mechanical parts or creates fire hazards when in use. This is another benefit, because it ensures that the method and process of cleaning is safe. Lastly, dry ice pressure washing comes with different settings. It can be as gentle as dusting smoke damage from various equipment or as aggressive as removing weld slag from tooling equipment. The options this method gives you is definitely beneficial because you can use it on the smallest or biggest mess, without worrying about possible damage.
How Does Dry Ice Pressure Washing Work?
There are two methods you can use for dry ice pressure washing, two-hose and single hose. It is important to note that the single hose method is more aggressive for cleaning because the particles are accelerated at faster speeds. However, let’s begin with the two hose system because it was developed before the single hose. The two hose dry ice pressure washing method is very similar to a suction-like approach. The compressed air is delivered into one hose. Then ice pellets are sucked out of the second hose. Ice particles are delivered less forcefully than the one hose approach. Additionally, for a given amount of compressed air, the two-hose approach can have less vertical distance between the machine and applicator. This method works best with delicate surfaces that need to be cleaned.
The final method for dry ice pressure washing is the single hose approach. It uses a single hose to deliver air blasts and dry ice. The single hose method makes use of a quickly cycling airlock. This approach can use a longer hose than the two hose method without a significant drop in pressure when the ice leaves the hose. The single hose approach is a bit more complex, which causes it to have additional power, that the two hose approach does not have. Single hose systems are used where more aggressive cleaning is an advantage or the main goal. This allows heavier build-up to be cleaned in machines and on equipment. It also allows moderate buildup to be cleaned faster.
Dry ice pressure washing is ideal for all food industries!
