Dry Ice Cleaning of Electrical Equipment

Dry ice blast cleaning originated in the aircraft industry when they were looking for alternative ways to strip paint off older aircraft, at that time. The technology did not become commercially available until around 1987. The dry ice cleaning process begins with the creation and use of pellet or granular shapes made from liquid Carbon Dioxide (CO2).This type of cleaning method is non-abrasive and does no damage to the base substrate materials. Therefore, it can even be used on sensitive mechanical and electrical equipment. The process is not electrically conductive and can be safely used on electric motors and other electrical equipment.Dry ice exists as a liquid only when under very high pressure. When the pressure drops to near normal atmospheric pressure, approximately half of the dry ice turns back into a gaseous form and half turns to a solid. These solids, usually in the form of fluffy snow-like material, are then compressed to form dry ice blocks, pellets, or nuggets for use in the cleaning process.