Compressed Air
Controlled airflow drives the cleaning media toward the surface.
Dry ice blasting technology
Industrial Dry Ice Blasting
A moisture-free, non-abrasive cleaning process that uses compressed air and solid CO₂ pellets to remove contamination from suitable industrial equipment and surfaces.
Application-ledThe technology is selected only after the equipment, contaminant and operating environment have been assessed.
How Dry Ice Blasting Works
Compressed air propels dry ice pellets onto the contaminated surface. The pellets help release contamination through impact and thermal shock, then the CO₂ sublimates from solid to gas without leaving separate blast media behind.
Dry Ice Pellets
Solid CO₂ pellets are accelerated through the blasting system.
Contaminant Release
Impact and thermal effects help break the bond between contamination and the surface.
CO₂ Sublimates
The dry ice turns to gas, so there is less secondary media to clean up.
No water introduced
Suitable for many sensitive surfaces
Helps reduce cleaning downtime
No separate abrasive blast media left behind
Why Industrial Teams Consider Dry Ice Blasting
The value is not that it is “magic cleaning”. The value is that the process can solve specific maintenance and contamination problems where other methods create additional limitations.
01
Moisture-Free
No water is introduced by the dry ice media.
02
Non-Abrasive Media
Useful for selected surfaces where aggressive abrasion is undesirable.
03
Non-Conductive Media
Relevant to selected electrical applications, subject to the equipment and required safety controls.
04
Less Secondary Media
The dry ice sublimates instead of remaining behind as abrasive blast material.
05
Detailed Access
The blasting stream can reach selected complex geometry and hard-to-clean areas.
06
Assessment First
Not every contaminant or surface is a good fit. Suitability is checked before work is recommended.
More Than 52 Industries. Hundreds of Applications.
Dry ice blasting is used across a broad range of maintenance and contamination-removal environments. Integra assesses the actual equipment, surface and operating conditions before recommending the process.
Mining and Minerals
Heavy equipment, crushers, conveyors, mills, motors, hydraulic systems and processing equipment.
Marine and Shipyards
Engine rooms, generators, electrical systems, machinery, decks, maintenance equipment and vessel components.
Food and Beverage
Production lines, conveyors, ovens, mixers, fillers, packaging machinery, refrigeration equipment and processing surfaces.
Electrical and Power
Switchgear, transformers, motors, generators, control panels and electrical infrastructure.
Manufacturing and Processing
Moulds, presses, production machinery, robotics, adhesives, coatings and process contamination.
Automotive and Heavy Equipment
Engines, underbodies, components, restoration, workshops and fleet maintenance.
And many more applications across aviation, agriculture, printing, plastics, rubber, foundries, oil and gas, construction, logistics, rail, renewable energy, restoration and specialist manufacturing.
Explore Specific Applications in More Detail
Dedicated pages are currently available for mining, electrical substations and plastic-packaging production.
MiningMining
Cleaning solutions for mining and processing equipment affected by grease, oil, dust, carbon and stubborn industrial contamination.
Explore Mining
PowerElectrical Substations
Moisture-free cleaning for selected transformers, switchgear, insulators and electrical assets, subject to equipment and site safety requirements.
Explore Electrical Substations
ManufacturingPlastic Packaging
Cleaning for moulds, conveyors and production equipment affected by resin, adhesive, ink and process contamination.
Explore Plastic PackagingWhen it may not be suitable
A Technical Cleaning Method, Not a Universal Answer
Dry ice blasting may not be appropriate for every coating, contamination type, fragile surface or operating condition. Electrical applications require additional safety assessment. Some equipment may still need isolation, disassembly or another cleaning method.
That is why Integra leads with an application assessment rather than promising the method before understanding the asset.
Surface condition
Check coatings, substrate condition and sensitivity.
Contaminant type
Identify what is being removed and how strongly it is bonded.
Safety requirements
Confirm access, controls, isolation and site procedures where required.
Operational timing
Plan around maintenance, shutdown or production constraints.
Common Questions
Does dry ice blasting use water?
No water is introduced by the dry ice blasting media. The process uses solid CO₂ pellets accelerated with compressed air.
Is dry ice blasting abrasive?
Dry ice media is generally described as non-abrasive, but the surface, pressure, nozzle, contamination and equipment condition still need to be considered.
Does it leave blasting media behind?
The dry ice sublimates from solid to gas, so it does not leave a separate abrasive blasting medium behind. The removed contamination itself still has to be managed.
Is dry ice blasting safe for all electrical equipment?
No blanket claim should be made. The media is non-conductive and moisture-free, but equipment condition, voltage, site procedures and operating status must be assessed.
Can dry ice blasting reduce downtime?
It can reduce manual cleaning, disassembly and secondary clean-up in suitable applications, but the actual time saving depends on the equipment and cleaning scope.
Talk to Integra
Is Dry Ice Blasting Suitable for Your Equipment?
Send the equipment, contamination and site details and Integra can assess whether the process is appropriate.