Dry-ice blasting for cleaning: process, optimization and application

✍ Scribed by G Spur; E Uhlmann; F Elbing

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1999
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 862 KB
• Volume: 233-235
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0043-1648
• DOI: 10.1016/s0043-1648(99)00204-5

✦ Synopsis

Chemical aqueous cleaning processes and jet cleaning processes are used to remove soil and paint. Solvents and chemicals can often only be applied in relation to material and contamination, and involve high reconditioning and disposal costs. Jet processes with sand, steel and glass balls often cause damage to the parts. The experiments describe the active mechanism of the dry-ice blasting process, the impact force, as well as the diameter and velocity of the CO -pellets in the jet. The active mechanism that removes adhering layers is 2 based on the induced kinetic and thermal energy, as well as the sublimation energy. The only residues of the jet operation are contaminants that must be disposed of. The jet material sublimates when hitting the surface, so that cleaning costs and ecological damage can be reduced. Damage to the workpiece with a resultant effect on the function was not detected. Moreover, process optimizations are described for round, flat, and high-performance nozzles. The experimental results presented are related to the removal of paint from metal sheets and the removal of silicone seals from aluminum-magnesium alloys.