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Understanding the effects of the surrounding environment
• Although Cold Jet dry ice equipment is designed and engineered to work under the most
demanding environments and conditions, temperature, humidity, dust, and other contaminants
present in the surrounding air can have an adverse effect on dry ice blasting equipment.
• Temperature and humidity: You may be familiar with a hot, sticky mid-summer day. These days
have high temperatures and high humidity. How does this affect dry ice blasting equipment?
Understanding “Dew Point” will answer this question.
• “Dew Point” - The temperature the air needs to be cooled to (at constant pressure) to achieve a
relative humidity of 100%. At this point the air cannot hold more moisture in the gas form and
water droplets form.
o Air compressors generally draw air from its surrounding environment. Once the air
passes through the compressor, it is warmed even further due to the mechanical friction
of the compressor’s internal mechanisms.
o As the compressed air travels through pipes or hoses towards its destination it starts to
cool down. As it cools, it may reach its dew point, when moisture will change from vapor
form to liquid form.
o The specific dew point will vary based on temperature and humidity, but it is certain that
this natural phenomenon will occur as warm, moist air cools. And, if it is possible to cool
the air even further such as using a Cold Jet aftercooler, more moisture is turned to water
that can be separated from the compressed air. The result is less moisture, in any form,
to negatively affect the dry ice blasting equipment.
Signs of water/moisture in the compressed air stream.
• Water coming from the nozzle while blasting Air-Only and/or with dry ice.
• Water running out of any of the hose connections or the hoses themselves.
• Water-ice building up on the tip of the nozzle and getting longer as blasting continues.
• Periodic stopping of dry ice flow/blasting.
• “Sputtering” of water ice or dry ice coming from the nozzle.
• Complete feeder blockage.
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