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Dry Ice in Louisville, KY

KEEP IT COLD! WELDERS SUPPLY IS READY TO SUPPLY YOUR DRY ICE NEEDS.

Whether you are in the industrial field and need to shrink metal fittings, for medical reasons, or simply to keep your food cold we are your source for your dry ice needs! Dry Ice is the solid form of carbon dioxide and its advantages include a lower temp than that of water ice and doesn’t leave any residue.

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What is dry ice?

Dry ice is the common name for solid CO2. At atmospheric pressure it has a temperature of approx. -79 degrees C (-110F). The solid CO2 goes directly into the gaseous state. This evaporation (sublimation) leaves no residues. Dry ice is non-toxic, non-flammable, inert, odorless and bacteriostatic. It is white and has a density of approx. (93.6 lb/ft3) in its compact state. Dry ice is an ideal refrigerant which is particularly suitable for various applications. It has a high cooling capacity, and the heat transfer is very high when it is in direct contact with the cold material. 

How dry ice is produced

Dry ice is produced from liquid carbon dioxide (CO2). Inside a dry ice pelletizer, the liquid carbon dioxide is expanded under controlled conditions to form dry ice snow. This snow is then pressed through an extruder plate into round, hard pellets (elongated grains with a diameter of 3mm) for dry ice blasting purposes  or into larger pellets/dry ice slices/blocks for cooling purposes. 

Applications of dry ice 

Dry ice is an ideal cooling media which can be used for many applications. It has high cooling capacity. Dry ice blocks/slices or dry ice pellets are used for cooling purposes. 

Dry ice blasting is a powerful, gentle, dry and ecologically friendly cleaning method causing no secondary waste. It is applied in many industries. For the cleaning of surfaces with blasting technology, dry ice pellets with a diameter of 3mm (0.12 in) are standardly used. For cooling purposes, dry ice blocks and pellets with a bigger diameter are used. 

Dry Ice Uses

Dry ice can be used for the following applications:

ACCELERATED PLANT GROWTH – A small quantity of CO2 will increase the growth rate of plants.  Allow the dry ice to sublimate in close proximity to the plants for 10-15 minutes daily.

ASPHALT COOLING – Using dry ice allows for the delicate asphalt to stay at required temperatures during transport from the manufacturing plant to job site.  Even more beneficial, using dry ice allows contractors to speed up the cooling process and core the paving sooner.

BED BUG REMOVAL – Infestation of bed bugs has become a serious problem because most of the chemicals used to control them are now banned or restricted.  Removal of small infestations or testing whether you have them is possible by building a trap using dry ice.

BROKEN FREEZER – Use dry ice to keep freezer contents frozen during breakdowns. CAMPING – Dry ice provides the most effective and inexpensive means to keep perishables chilled or frozen. CARBONATE LIQUIDS – When dry ice is added to liquids, the dry ice will sublime and become a gaseous CO2 vapor.  During this process, the liquid will absorb the CO2 gas and become a carbonated liquid, AKA Soda pop, Sparkling water, etc. CO2 is extensively used around the world in the beverage and soda industry DE-FLASHING MOLDED PLASTICS AND RUBBER – Dry ice causes molecules to band closer together and “shrink”. DRY ICE BLASTING – Dry ice blasting has become the fastest growing application of CO2 in the entire industry.  Similar to sand blasting, dry ice blasting uses a jet nozzle and compressed air to shoot small pellets of dry ice (blasting rice) with superior results.  The extreme cold causes targeted material to shrink, allowing for easier removal.  The used blasting rice will sublimate into gaseous CO2 after use which makes cleanup a breeze. FISHING / HUNTING – Enthusiasts wait entire lifetimes for the one chance to bag the elusive trophy animal or catch the perfect wall decoration.  Don’t let it spoil, use dry ice!  Keeping your animal or fish chilled with dry ice will ensure minimal spoilage during transportation. FLASH FREEZING SUSHI / FISH – Dry ice can be used to flash freeze fish, ensuring freshness and prolonging preservation time by up to ten days longer than regular ice.  This method also acts as a biocide and is FDA required before sushi can be sold for consumption. FOG VISUAL EFFECT – Dry ice when combined with hot tap water will produce and awe-inspiring display of bubbling water and thick voluminous fog.  Use a pound of dry ice for every 4L of hot water for 5-10 minutes of maximum effect.  Since dry ice retains a temperature of -78°C, the water will cool rapidly.  Replace with hot water to maintain desired effect. FREEZING FRESH FRUITS – Place dry ice in the bottom of your cooler and the fruit directly on top.  Close cooler and let fruits freeze for 20-30 minutes.  Remove fruit and place in freezer safe plastic bags as needed. FRESH MEAT PROCESSING – Dry ice will keep the temperature cold and reduce spoilage while processing meat.  This is used in industrial processing of ground meats and sausages. INERTING MEDIUM – Dry ice will replace oxygen in a container preventing or extinguishing fires.  The most common use is for safely removing underground gas storage tanks. KILLS CLOTHES MOTHS – Dry ice, when combined with heavy plastic bags can kill moths, larvae, and eggs through fumigation.  Place clothes for fumigation in a plastic bag (at least 3mm thick).  Wrap 5 pounds of dry ice in a towel/rag and place inside the bag.  Seal the bag but ensure there is enough space for the sublimation to escape rather than building pressure.  20-30 minutes should be adequate time to finish the job. LURES MOSQUITOS AWAY – Mosquitos love dry ice! Mosquitos are attracted to both animals and humans is because when exhaling, we produce small amounts of CO2 (Carbon Dioxide).  When CO2 is detected by a mosquito, is registers the location of its next meal of blood.  As dry ice sublimes to CO2 gas, it is equivalent to over 1,000 people breathing at the same time in a close proximity.  Therefore the mosquito will zoom in on the dry ice because of the high concentration of 100% pure CO2 gas that dry ice expels. Place 5-10 pounds pieces of dry ice away from areas where people are gathered.  Works amazing! MEDICAL USES – There are a number of applications in the medical field.  Doctors will often use dry ice to freeze and remove warts or other skin imperfections.  Temperature sensitive medical supplies, samples, and equipment are also commonly transported with dry ice as a cooling agent. PLUMBING – Dry ice can be used to freeze pipes, essentially stopping the flow of water at point of contact.  This method is very useful if you are unable to access the main shutoff valve.  Once the pipes are frozen, proceed with repairs. PRESERVE SEEDS AND GRAINS – Dry ice can be used to protect post-harvested seeds and grains from bacteria, fungi, and insects.  Place what you desire to store into a storage container with a small vent on top.  Add dry ice to container (amount varies depending on container size).  The dry ice will sublimate into gaseous CO2 and displace oxygen and keep contents at low temperatures to kill fungi and bacteria REMOVE CAR DENTS – Dry ice can be used to remove car dents and dings as long as there is no crease on the bottom and the sheet metal is not bent.  Allow the dent to sit in the sun to warm up (or use a blow dryer).  Take a 10 pound slab of dry ice and place directly over the dent.  The rapid cooling of the metal will pop the dent back to normal.  There is a very small risk of paint scratching with this method however it is quite rare (use at your own risk) SCHOOL SCIENCE & EXPERIMENTS – There are a multitude of fun, creative science projects and experiments to be used in schools.  Volcanoes, cloud chambers, comets, making baking soda, observing sublimation, and gaseous expansion are some common school science projects. SHRINK METAL FITTING – Dry ice works wonders for metal shrinking and fitting. SPECIAL FX & THEATRICS – Using a fog machine or buckets of hot water and a fan, many shows are enhanced by adding flowing fog. WELDING MOTORCYCLE TANKS – Use a similar method as when purging containment tanks, the main idea is to use the dry ice to sublimate and displace oxygen before welding.  Be sure to eliminate all traces of fuel and wash out the tank with warm soapy water. If you are in the Louisville area and need dry ice for your commercial and industrial needs, contact Welders Supply today.