| What is dry-ice?
Dry-ice is the name for carbon dioxide in its solid state. The maximum temperature is – 78.64 ºC and its density is 1.56 g/cm³. Dry-ice removes almost twice as much heat per kg as water ice and has the added advantage of changing directly from a solid to a gas without ever becoming a liquid – hence the term “dry-ice”.
Where does CO2 come from?
CO2 can be found in natural wells or as a by-product from different sources like power plants, hydrogen plants or other chemical industries. The most common source is as a by-product in the production of ammonia in fertilizer plants.
How is dry-ice produced?
Dry-ice is made by compressing and cooling gaseous CO2 under high pressure to produce liquid CO2. The liquid CO2 is then allowed to expand to atmospheric pressure to produce CO2 snow. This snow is compressed hydraulically in a chamber to form blocks, slices or pellets.
In what shapes is dry-ice produced?
Normally in block, slices and pellets. The blocks can be cut to customized sizes. Pellets can be made in a number of sizes ranging from 1.5 mm to 16 mm. Snow dry-ice is also produced.
What about the delivery and storage of dry-ice?
Dry-ice is delivered in highly reinforced and insulated containers made of either glass-fiber or polyethylene material. A thick insulation layer of polyurethane foam is used to protect the dry-ice from the ambient temperature.
Are there any hazards in handling dry-ice?
Asphyxiation: 10 kg of dry-ice sublimes into 5.4 cubic meters of CO2 gas. The gas is 1.5 times heavier than air and will always concentrate low down, even more so when cold conditions prevail. As the gas warms up it will mix with the air and will cause asphyxiation when it reaches a concentration of 5% CO2 or more in the atmosphere.
Always wear special gloves when handling dry-ice. The product has a temperature of –79,5 °C and can cause frostbite of the skin.
Don’t play games with dry-ice!
Don’t store dry-ice in gas-tight containers. The ice sublimes into a gas and the high pressure thus built up can cause an explosion if not properly released.
Is direct contact with Icebitzzz dangerous?
Direct bodily contact is very dangerous. Because Icebitzzz have a temperature of –79.5 ºC you can even suffer burns because of the temperature difference with your body temperature of 37 ºC. Never touch Icebitzzz with your bare hands and never put it into your mouth like an ice cube.
Can I use Icebitzzz in any type of room or space?
Yes, but it is very important that there is adequate ventilation across the floor. Icebitzzz is made up of frozen carbon dioxide gas that displaces oxygen and is 1½ times as heavy as normal air. Caution is therefore required in small, poorly ventilated spaces (cellars and small crowded halls)!
Can I transport Icebitzzz in my own passenger car?
Only in a separate boot. Because carbon dioxide is released when Icebitzzz evaporates and displaces the oxygen present, it is safer not to transport it in the passenger compartment.
How much dry-ice will I loose in 24 hours?
A difficult question to answer. It all depends on the way the dry-ice is stored and the ambient conditions. A general guideline is that under perfect conditions you normally have a sublimation rate 2-5% per 24 hours.
What is the difference between dry-ice and water ice?
Compared to water ice, dry-ice offers a far greater cooling capacity. It also maintains a higher degree of efficient cooling for many hours after water ice has lost its cooling function and simply melted away. In cases where it is imperative to use water ice, dry-ice can also be used to prolong the life of the water ice. While you will have water as a residue after water ice has melted, dry-ice leaves no residue whatsoever. The dry-ice will convert into a gaseous face and disperse into the atmosphere.
Is Icebitzzz better than normal (water) ice?
Usually it is, because the cooling capacity of dry-ice is more than three times that of the same volume of normal ice. Because Icebitzzz sublimate, your are also not left with a puddle of water to clean up afterwards. (In the case of food products for instance). Icebitzzz can also be dispensed in more accurate quantities and are free from germs and bacteria.
Where can dry-ice be used and who uses it?
Dry-ice is used by the food, chemical, biomedical and pharmaceutical industries. For flash-freezing in the rubber industry, in a huge variety of laboratories, in hospitals, in catering, in the entertainment industry, in the printing industry, in transport and many more areas where good cooling and freezing conditions are needed.
Dry-ice can be used for a number of applications such as:
- In-flight food refrigeration
- Storage & transport on the road or by train of frozen and chilled products
- Storage & transport of biomedical and pharmaceutical products
- Storage & transport in hospitals, both for food and for biomedical purposes
- Shrink fitting of machine parts
- Refrigeration in mixing and blending
- Cryo-cleaning of contaminants from most surfaces
- Jet-freezing of pipes
- Steel processing
- Smoke or fog effects in the entertainment industry
- Testing in laboratories
- Preventing bacterial and salmonella growth
- Plastics industries
- Phemical industries
- Cattle branding
Can one use dry-ice for freezing and cooling?
Yes, you can. In the case of freezing, the dry-ice is normally stored in the same compartment as the frozen products. With chilled products, the ice is normally stored separate from the chilled product.
Is there a difference between the term Icebitzzz and the product called dry-ice?
Icebitzzz is more than merely dry-ice. Apart from the supply of dry-ice, Icebitzzz also encompasses hardware, applications and such a specialized advisory process that we wanted to give our service a brand name. This became the registered trademark Icebitzzz. |
