It’s the battle of the blasts: water vs. dry ice.
If you need to clean or prepare equipment or constructions, you will discover that blasting is a great way to tackle commercial, industrial, and other kinds of projects. Of course, there are different kinds of blasting that can battle each other out for the winning spot for any number of jobs. Water blasting vs. dry ice blasting: what are the differences and their pros and cons?
Water Blasting
How It Works
Water blasting is the use of high-pressure water to remove debris from and prepare surfaces. A hydrovac truck blasts water at up to 40,000 psi and vacuums the wastewater into a filtration system on the truck. The truck can filter out clean water and replace it in a storm drain system, while the workers dispose of any debris properly.
Pros
Water blasting is powerful enough to remove dry and wet debris, from hardened tar to oil. The pressure of water alone can remove the toughest contaminants without damaging the surface. Water blasting also helps create a surface with enough traction for new paints or other applications to bond well.
There are limited hazards with water blasting; there are no chemical fumes to worry about and no sand to clean up afterward like with sand blasting. It’s just good old, clean water! The water also eliminates dust that would arise when cleaning with abrasives.
Cons
Sometimes, water blasting is not abrasive enough, in which case wet abrasive blasting or abrasive blasting would be better.
Dry Ice Blasting
How It Works
Dry ice blasting is the use of dry ice (carbon dioxide) pellets to remove debris from equipment and surfaces at a high pressure. The pellets use high pressure and temperature shock to dislodge dirt, rust, paint, and other old surface treatments or contaminants. The dry ice sublimates upon impact; in other words, it turns from a solid into a gas instantly, leaving no trace.
Pros
Dry ice blasting leaves you with no cleanup necessary. The team will only have to remove the debris that falls to the ground.
Dry ice also is great for tackling sensitive equipment and other objects, namely electrical equipment and museum pieces, like statues. It is a non-abrasive cleaning method that does a great job of preserving the object cleaned.
Cons
The team will need to take precautions when dealing with carbon dioxide fumes resulting from dry ice blasting, which can cause asphyxiation if the area doesn’t have enough ventilation.
Contact Jet Blast Inc. Today!
Jet Blast® Industrial Services strives every day in an effort to provide our customers with the best service and equipment possible. Providing a safe and stable workplace has allowed us to keep a team of quality people, with most having a tenure of 15 – 25 years with Jet Blast®. With all that experience under one roof, we have been able to provide reliable 24-hour service since 1979. I believe this helps to set us apart from the competition.
Compare us! Let us make your job easier. If you’re located in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Northern Virginia, or Washington, D.C., contact us by email at [email protected], call us at 410-636-0730, or fax us at 410-789-3907, and don’t forget to keep in touch with us on Facebook!