6
GENERAL INFORMATION
The Evolution Line manual is for the Xcel 6 dry ice blasting machines produced by
IceTech. IceTech machines and accessories have been developed to supply cleaning
equipment which minimizes consequential cleaning costs and combines the best
characteristics of sand blasting and steam cleaning.
Dry And Thermal Cleaning Process
Dry ice blasting provides a dry cleaning process (similar to sand blasting), AND a ther-
mal cleaning process (familiar in steam cleaning).
The blasting media itself (dry ice pellets) sublimates; and in most cases, the process
can be used for cleaning components, machinery and plant equipment without
dismantling and often without having to cover adjacent plant equipment.
No Residual Blasting Media
Dry ice blasting provides a dry, gentle, but extremely efficient, cleaning process that
leaves no residual blasting media to be disposed of, and no undesired substances that
might penetrate into or be deposited on machines and plant components.
This means that cleaning with dry ice is an excellent alternative to cleaning with
traditional methods.
DRY ICE BLASTING – How It Operates
Dry Ice Pellets
The dry ice blasting machine uses small CO
2
”particles” as the blasting medium, called
dry ice pellets (CO
2
– the chemical symbol for carbon dioxide). In a machine commonly
known as a pelletizer, liquid CO
2
is used to produce hard and uniform dry ice pellets.
The pellets are approximately 3 mm (0.1 inch) in diameter and approximately 10 mm
(0.4 inch) in length – or rice-sized.
These dry ice pellets have a temperature of -79°C/-109°F. When used for dry ice blast-
ing, the pellets are blasted onto the object to be cleaned at a very high velocity. On
contact with the surface of the object, they immediately change from a solid to a
gaseous form as they heat up on impact. This change from a solid to a gaseous form,
the accompanying tremendous expansion in volume, the high kinetic energy and the
low temperatures are the most important factors which result in the loosening of the
contaminates.
Method
The dry ice blasting machine contains a dry ice pellet tank and a dosing unit, which
doses the dry ice pellets into the jet of compressed air. By means of the compressed
air, the dry ice is transported through a special blasting hose to the blasting gun and
nozzle. In the blasting gun, the air stream is accelerated, and the dry ice pellets leave
