Dry ice is pure, solid carbon dioxide (CO2).
As a gas, CO2 exists naturally in our environment. To make
dry ice, gaseous CO2 is first pressurized and refrigerated
to form liquid CO2, and then liquid CO2 is allowed to expand
in an atmospheric chamber where it yields snow-like CO2 and
vapor CO2. The “snow” is then hydraulically pressed
into dry ice blocks and pellets.
Dry
ice keeps items colder for much longer than traditional “wet
ice” because it is an extremely cold 109 degrees below
zero (-78.5° C), and dry ice sublimates into carbon dioxide
gas instead of melting, leaving no liquid mess to clean up.
Dry ice has the characteristic of sublimation
which means that it goes directly from a solid to a gas and
leaves no residue.
Where do you buy dry ice? Dry ice is supplied
in the U.S. through Continental
Carbonic Products, Inc, with 29
locations in the United States.
Dry ice comes in many forms: blocks,
pellets, high-density pellets [HD pellets] for dry
ice blasting, and liquid
CO2 [LCO2].
More
about dry ice
Carbon dioxide (CO2) does exist in a liquid
form, as liquid CO2 or LCO2, but only under high pressure. When
liquid carbon dioxide (LCO2) is released from a high-pressure
tank, the liquid quickly expands into gas which evaporates
very quickly, cooling the remainder of the liquid to the freezing
point and producing "snow." This is the prinicipal
behind fire extinguishers filled with liquid CO2. Snow
forms at the nozzle as the liquid CO2 under pressure is released
into the atmosphere to quench a fire by displacing the surrounding
oxygen.
More
about liquid C02
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Dry Ice Safety:
- Never let dry ice touch your bare
skin—always handle it with gloves.
- Dry ice displaces oxygen in the
air, so always use it in a well-ventilated area.
- When transporting dry ice in a
vehicle, roll down the window if you feel short of
breath.
- If you're using dry ice in a confined
space, open the door, and air out the area before
entering.
- Never place dry ice in a tightly
sealed container or vessel, because it converts back
to gas and creates its own pressure.
- When shipping frozen products
with dry ice, notify the carrier prior to shipment.
- Read more about dry
ice safety.
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Call us toll-free 800-DRY-ICE2 for
your dry ice and dry ice blasting needs, or visit one of our locations.
