Time to Trade Dry Ice Blasting for Laser Cleaning in 2021
The day we’ve all been waiting for is here. A vaccine for covid-19 by Pfizer and BioNTech will soon be ready for distribution. The only caveat is the vaccine must stay at subfreezing temperatures until use. Dry ice will keep these vaccines cold as they travel to various corners of the world. This means industries utilizing dry ice for cleaning will face a shortage in 2021. The potential dry ice shortage is one more reason why laser cleaning is a better solution than dry ice blasting.
Problems with dry ice blasting
- Dry ice is expensive. Pricing for dry ice blasting can be anywhere from $3.50 to $5.00 per square foot depending on what is being cleaned.
- Storage can be a challenge. Dry ice needs to be kept in a well-ventilated space with temperatures less than -9 °F to keep it from sublimating. This storage equipment can cost anywhere from $13,000 to $30,000.
- Performance on soft matter. Dry ice does not perform well on soft materials like wood. Blasting large particles of dry ice can leave impressions and unwanted markings on the finished surface.
- Safety to operators. A buildup of CO2 in an enclosed space can asphyxiate anyone inside.
Benefits of laser cleaning
- Laser cleaning applications don’t need solvents or harmful chemicals. Laser cleaning requires much less protective equipment, compared to dry ice blasting.
- Laser cleaning is about 15 times faster than abrasive hand cleaning and eight times faster than dry ice blasting.
- Environmentally friendly. Laser cleaning has no byproduct created by the process.
- Cheap operation. Laser cleaning units are built to operate without extra auxiliary equipment.