Question 1

What is dry ice blasting?

Accepted Answer

Dry ice blasting is an environmentally friendly cleaning method. It is neither corrosive nor abrasive, it carries no fire or explosion risk, and it is not electrically conductive. Unlike many other cleaning methods it leaves behind no dirt or waste other than what it is meant to remove.

Question 2

What is dry ice?

Accepted Answer

Dry ice is carbon dioxide (CO₂) in solid form. Carbon dioxide is a gas found in the atmosphere and is also a by-product of various production processes and of burning fossil fuels. Dry ice is made from liquid carbon dioxide (CO₂), a slightly toxic, odourless and colourless gas with a sharp, acidic taste. CO₂ is not flammable.

Question 3

How is dry ice stored?

Accepted Answer

Dry ice is delivered in insulated packaging and can last 5–10 days in it, depending on the quantity. Dry ice must be stored in a well-ventilated space. Transport and storage: keep dry ice in insulated packaging in a well-ventilated space. Make sure the packaging is NOT airtight, as it can burst as the ice sublimates. CO₂ is heavier than oxygen and will sink to the floor, where it can cause oxygen depletion. Never store dry ice in a sealed fridge or freezer. When transporting dry ice by car, keep the windows open to ensure good ventilation.

Question 4

What is the environmental impact of CO₂?

Accepted Answer

Plants feed on carbon dioxide and depend on it. The rise of CO₂ in the atmosphere from burning fossil fuels is, however, one of the drivers of the greenhouse effect. The contribution of dry ice in that context is barely measurable, and the reduction in other harmful substances that dry ice use enables more than offsets the carbon dioxide released when dry ice is used.

Question 5

How does dry ice blasting work?

Accepted Answer

Three effects combine to make dry ice blasting work. First, the thermal effect when the -78.5°C ice hits the surface. This breaks the bond between the dirt and the surface, leaving the surface clean and dry. Second, the kinetic effect as the dry ice pellets strike the surface, and third, the roughly 700-fold increase in volume as the dry ice sublimates back into carbon dioxide gas. Together these three effects blast the dirt off a surface that is left clean, dry and disinfected.

Question 6

Can production equipment be cleaned in place?

Accepted Answer

Yes. One of the advantages of dry ice blasting is that production machinery and equipment can usually be cleaned in place, which significantly reduces downtime and disruption.

Question 7

What happens to the dirt?

Accepted Answer

During dry ice blasting the dirt is blown off the surface being cleaned and falls to the ground. How it is then removed depends on its nature — sweeping, vacuuming or wiping. No other residue is produced by the process.

Question 8

What about equipment near the area being cleaned?

Accepted Answer

The area being cleaned is normally screened off to prevent dirt from spreading elsewhere. This is handled according to the conditions at each site.

Question 9

Does the dry ice cool the surface being cleaned?

Accepted Answer

Yes, but how much depends on the surface area being cleaned and how quickly the work moves. This rarely has any significant effect and the cleaned item usually returns to ambient temperature within a few minutes.

Question 10

Can hot surfaces be dry ice blasted?

Accepted Answer

Yes — in fact it is even better to clean hot surfaces than cold ones. The greater the temperature difference, the greater the cleaning effect when the cold dry ice hits the surface.

Question 11

Can dry ice blasting damage the surface being cleaned?

Accepted Answer

Pressure, ice volume and particle size are all adjustable, so the method suits everything from delicate surfaces such as paper, paintings and upholstery to asphalt, concrete and rusted steel. In the hands of experienced operators there is little risk of dry ice causing any damage.

Question 12

Is dry ice blasting cost effective?

Accepted Answer

Dry ice blasting is often more cost effective than other cleaning methods, not least because of how little time it takes and because equipment does not need to be dismantled beforehand, nor sensitive electrical and electronic equipment protected. Dry ice blasting does not damage the cleaned surface, so no painting or coating is needed afterwards. It also leaves no dirt or moisture behind, saving considerable time and cost in cleaning up and waste disposal. Dry ice blasting can cut cleaning downtime by up to 80%, reduce the number of staff needed for cleaning and cut the use of cleaning chemicals.

Question 13

What is Bjartur ECA water?

Accepted Answer

ECA (electrochemically activated) water is a mild, environmentally friendly and exceptionally powerful microbe killer. ECA water is a natural disinfectant that slows the microbial growth which is the main cause of products spoiling.

Question 14

What is SPE surface treatment?

Accepted Answer

Specialised compounds that stop corrosion and rust formation. Ceramic thermal insulation coatings and other materials that solve previously unsolvable problems.

Question 15

I had a fire with extensive damage. Can dry ice blasting help?

Accepted Answer

Fire, and the water used to extinguish it, often causes extensive damage and leaves behind soot, grime and a burnt smell. Dry ice blasting can clean charred timber surfaces and remove soot and smoke odour. Dry ice blasting therefore suits load-bearing structures, cladding, fixtures, books and furniture, to name a few examples.

Question 16

Can printing presses be cleaned with dry ice?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Ink, grease, adhesive and paper dust can affect print quality and press accuracy. Conventional cleaning methods involve heavy use of strong solvents and rags that then have to be disposed of at a cost. Parts often have to be scraped and sanded as well, which adds wear. All of this shortens press lifetime and lowers resale value. Dry ice blasting has been shown to cut cleaning time by up to 60% and cleaning costs by up to 80%.

Question 17

What should you keep in mind when handling dry ice?

Accepted Answer

Dry ice is extremely cold, -78.5°C. Make sure it does not come into contact with skin, mouth, eyes or clothing. Brief contact is not dangerous, but gloves should always be worn when handling it. Prolonged contact makes tiles, glass and plastic brittle so that they can crack or break. Never leave children alone near dry ice. Prolonged contact with dry ice can cause cold burns. Cold burns behave like heat burns and should be treated the same way. Seek medical attention for proper treatment.

Question 18

Can dry ice be used to chill food and drink?

Accepted Answer

Yes, but food and drink must never be in direct contact with dry ice as this can cause freeze-drying. Place the dry ice at the bottom of the container and use a divider to separate it from what is being chilled. If the aim is to freeze, place the dry ice on top. If dry ice is used to create fog from drinks or other liquids, it is recommended to place the ice in a purpose-made holder so that no one swallows a piece of dry ice. Otherwise, wait to drink until all the dry ice has gone. Hot liquid on dry ice produces more vapour than cold liquid. Dry ice is not recommended with fizzy drinks, as they already contain carbon dioxide and are likely to foam over.

Question 19

How is leftover dry ice disposed of?

Accepted Answer

To dispose of unused dry ice, leave it in a well-ventilated space or outdoors until it has sublimated. Make sure children, people and animals cannot reach it. Empty packaging should be taken to a recycling centre.

Question 20

What is Bjartur ECA water made from?

Accepted Answer

The only ingredients in Bjartur are water and salt. After use the liquid breaks back down into water and salt and leaves no waste behind, other than perhaps a small amount of salt under certain conditions.

Question 21

Can Bjartur deal with the COVID-19 virus?

Accepted Answer

The short answer is yes. Numerous studies have shown that ECA water kills coronaviruses.

Question 22

Which viruses, bacteria and fungi does Bjartur ECA water work on?

Accepted Answer

It is a long list. It includes viruses such as noro, hepatitis, influenza and SARS, as well as bacteria such as legionella, campylobacter, listeria, staphylococcus, salmonella and streptococcus. Bjartur ECA water also deals with various fungal spores such as aspergillus niger, candida albicans and fusarium.

Question 23

Can Bjartur ECA water be diluted before use?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and in some cases considerable dilution is in fact recommended. Bjartur has a strength of around 1,000 ppm but can be diluted all the way down to 20 ppm, for example when dosing drinking water for disinfection. Whether — and how much — it can be diluted therefore depends on the intended use.

Question 24

Why does Bjartur ECA water work so well?

Accepted Answer

The electro-activation of the salt water solution produces, among other things, mild hypochlorous acid — the same substance white blood cells in humans and animals produce to fight bacteria and viruses. It is therefore a substance our bodies know well, with no adverse effect on living organisms, while destroying a wide range of hostile microbes.

Question 25

Is ECA water certified by public authorities?

Accepted Answer

Yes. ECA water is certified by ECHA (the European Chemicals Agency), the FDA (the US Food and Drug Administration) and by the environmental and food authorities of Denmark and Iceland. It has undergone numerous clinical trials by independent research bodies.

Question 26

What is the technology behind ECA water?

Accepted Answer

ECA technology is the term for an electrochemical activation process that produces powerful yet entirely safe disinfectants and cleaning solutions from simple, readily available inputs: water and salt. The resulting solution is neither toxic nor allergenic and is completely harmless to living organisms, including people, while being lethal to microbes. ECA water can be produced in small batch units, or in large volumes at high strength using flow-through units. A simple control system governs the quality and properties of the solutions, making on-site production easy and economical. “The ECA solutions produced by the Toucan units have been shown to destroy microorganisms very rapidly and thoroughly. ECA water is highly effective against bacteria, viruses, spores and fungi and provides protection against microbes in water, on surfaces and textiles such as furniture, in food and on human skin.” — Prof. Darren Reynolds, Department of Biological, Biomedical and Analytical Sciences, University of the West of England (UWE). ECA water is the most environmentally benign biocide (disinfectant) available and is fully effective at eliminating all kinds of microbes in water supplies, on work surfaces, textiles and other materials. Because the raw materials in ECA water are only water and salt, its environmental footprint is very small.

Question 27

What is the history of ECA water?

Accepted Answer

The technology was developed in the Soviet Union (later Russia) by Professor Vitold Bakhir and his team at the Bakhir Electrochemical Technology Institute in Moscow. The original idea was to develop a technology that could counter the effects of biological warfare by creating safe and effective biocides quickly and easily on site, for use on people, animals, equipment, crops and water supplies. ECA systems have been developed further in South Korea, Europe and the United States and are now a widely accepted technology for producing biocides as an environmentally friendly alternative to synthetic chemicals. ECA systems are used across many fields, including general cleaning and disinfection, disinfection of drinking water and industrial wastewater, food processing and pharmaceutical production, the oil and gas sector, and ballast water systems on board ships.

Question 28

Where is ECA water used?

Accepted Answer

ECA water is now used in all kinds of settings, from homes to industry, in food production and service, in hospitals and healthcare institutions, in gyms and other sports facilities, on board passenger transport and in public spaces. Users have realised that by simply using water, salt and a small amount of electricity it is now possible to ensure maximum hygiene and protection against microbes cheaply and sustainably. “Deadly to bacteria, good for consumers. Water and electricity can be a deadly mix. That is good for consumers, though, because studies have shown that together with salt this mixture kills bacteria such as E. coli, salmonella and listeria on food and tableware.” — American Chemical Society, Science Daily, 25 August 2000.

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