DIS Dry Ice Systems is located south of Munich, Germany. Since the early 90s, the company focuses on dry ice cleaning technology. This is a technology which is not only environmentally friendly, but it also boosts production and reduces costs. Please visit the DIS Dry Ice Systems website.

DIS Dry Ice Cleaning develops and produces a complete range of equipment for all applications of dry ice blasting, including machinery for dry ice production.

Two decades of experience, qualified specialists with a wealth of know-how and state-of-the-art manufacturing methods make DIS your partner for sophisticated and economical solutions for your cleaning challenges.

Vector49 is the sales & marketing organization for DIS Dry Ice Systems in the Benelux countries. Additionally, Vector49 offers dry ice blasting cleaning services tailored to your needs.

The method in brief

Blasting methods such as sand or glass blasting to remove paint, dirt, grease and other contaminations from surfaces are well known. Since many years, dry ice pellets are used as an effective alternative in several fields of industry.

The main advantage of this cleaning technology is that the dry ice pellets disappear completely. No blasting medium or (contaminated) water remains. The dry ice pellets transform from their solid form into gas instantly. This is called sublimation. The volume of the pellets increases 500 – 700 times during sublimation!

Only the contaminants, now removed from the surface, stay behind. Conventional cleaning methods (broom, brush, vacuum cleaning) are used to dispose of the loosened contaminants.

This makes dry ice blasting a particularly effective and environmentally friendly cleaning method. Furthermore, the technique is completely non-abrasive and is especially attractive for the medical, electronics/electrical and food industry.

• How does dry ice cleaning work?

The dry ice pellets pass from the blasting system ice hopper into a metering device and are then accelerated by compressed air. The blasting medium is blasted through precise high-performance nozzles onto the contaminated surface.

The sudden drop in temperature of the contaminated surface (-79° C) renders the contamination brittle and shrinkage occurs. Many contaminants now release themselves from the substrate already. The mechanical cleaning effect of the pellets hitting the substrate and the drastic increase in volume of the sublimating dry ice pellets loosen the contamination further. The compressed air jet removes the contamination from the substrate.

• What is dry ice?

The blasting agent (dry ice) is the solid form of CO2 (carbon dioxide). It has a temperature of -79° C. Carbon dioxide is an odorless, non-toxic gas that is used in many industries. For example, carbon dioxide is used as an additive in beer and mineral water. The carbon dioxide causes the bubbles in many soft drinks and beer and lengthens the shelf life of these products. Also, it is used in the food industry in many applications.

• Why is dry ice blasting environmentally friendly?

The cleaning technique does not have any by-products like blasting media that contaminate our environment. There is no sand that needs removal or waste water that needs purification.

Dry ice blasting does not produce any CO2. The CO2 that is used is produced in other industrial processes. Dry ice blasting is CO2 neutral.

• Is investing in this environmentally friendly technique supported by the government?

Yes, it is. In The Netherlands the tax authorities allow a 100% write-off in the first year (VAMIL regulation). Furthermore, entrepreneurs are allowed to lower their taxable profit with 40% of the total investment in the equipment (MIA regulation)!

These regulations combined allow a total write-off of 140% in the year of investment! More information can be found on the site of Senternovem.

• Why is dry ice blasting technically superior to other blasting techniques?

Due to the special properties of the blasting medium even extremely sensitive surfaces (printed circuit boards, car upholstery, polished rubber and plastic molds, etc.) can be cleaned without damaging the substrate. In many applications the use of water, sand or glass particles would be disastrous.

Is dry ice blasting of interest for your organization?

Vector49 can give you advise on the many applications. Subsequently, a test in your company is the simplest and best method to assess if dry ice blasting works for you too.

Vector49 will assist you in calculating the best option for you: investing in your own equipment or using our cleaning services.