| Cleaning
Method Comparison |
| Issue |
Traditional Cleaning Method |
Dry
Ice Blasting |
| Equipment
Downtime |
Disassembly/reassembly for cleaning; Drying time required |
Equipment
can be cleaned in place; Dry process - equipment restart
immediately after cleaning |
| Hazardous
Waste |
Cleaning medium
treated as a secondary contaminant |
No
additional contaminant; Dry ice sublimates on contact
with surface |
| Labour
Hours |
Elbow
grease; Lengthy cleaning; Post cleaning clear up lengthy |
Dramatically
reduced - often completed in a quarter of time |
| Quality
of Cleaning |
Poor
to average |
Excellent |
| Potential
Equipment Damage |
Grit
abrasions; Grit contamination; Moving equipment to and fro |
No
equipment damage; Non-abrasive cleaning method |
| Safety |
Health
threats from solvents; Water-based cleaning hazardous with electrical
equip.; Environmental issues |
Standard
safety precautions; Dry process - safe around electrical
equipment |
| Cost |
Cleaner
becomes hazardous waste; expensive solvents; Additional labour |
Minimal
- cost of dry ice |