It is green, clean and mess-free. But there are more reasons why dry ice is a preferred cleaning solution for the food and beverage industry, as Leicestershire-based Ice Edge explains.
Cleaning machinery in food and beverage factories is not a straight-forward task. Using water is dangerous due to the likelihood of it interfering with electrical elements and the risk of leftover liquid stagnating and harbouring germs. Harsh chemicals can contaminate food products with potentially devastating consequences and other methods.
Food companies are now catching on to the benefits that dry ice cleaning can bring them. The process works by propelling 3mm pellets of dry ice (CO2 at great speed onto a contaminated surface. The pellets are made through a process of taking liquid CO2 and expanding it to produce a snow-like substance. When these pellets are propelled by a compressed air gun at the contaminated surface, the speed and the extreme cold temperature (–79ºC) cause a micro-thermal shock, which breaks the bond between the coating and the substrate.
The dirty layer then freezes so rapidly that it weakens and breaks away from the surface, leaving a clean finish. The dry ice immediately vaporises, leaving only the coating, which can be easily swept away.
Dry ice cleaning company, Ice Edge, is a forerunner in the industry and ensures its service is as eco-friendly as possible. Established early in 2009, the company is run by experienced dry ice blasting professionals and specialises in serving the food and beverage industry. It has already received a number of requests. Using recycled CO2 (generated as a bi-product from an alternative manufacturing process), the company’s dry ice cleaning process does not produce or release additional harmful gases and, therefore, does not directly contribute to the greenhouse effect.
With increasing pressure on companies to use environmentally conscious suppliers, Ice Edge can help to satisfy clients’ ‘green’ credentials and to reduce carbon footprints.
“With concerns for the environment at an all-time high it is inevitable that companies want to ensure they are being responsible when it comes to essential processes such as cleaning,” says Ice Edge operations director, Tremain Jones. “Our intention is to provide a second-to-none service that has minimum impact on the environment, allowing companies to satisfy their CSR requirements.”
Ice Edge buys its dry ice pellets from Air Liquide UK and sources its high pressure equipment from Kärcher. Although the company has worked with a variety of clients including town councils, heritage societies and industrial factories, it is gaining a strong name for itself among food companies.
Food companies that have already taken advantage of Ice Edge’s dry ice cleaning service include an unnamed company that is one of the UK’s most prolific food manufacturing companies, which commissioned Ice Edge to clean its conveyor hood and chimney. The most challenging aspect of this procedure was that the elements needed cleaning within a minimum shutdown period to ensure that production was in no way affected. As Ice Edge is able to clean in situ with no contaminants, the company accepted the task and got to work on the ambitious project.
Ice Edge completed the clean well within the shutdown time allocated and before production commenced so that no output was lost. No other cleaning process could have achieved the job in this time while boasting the green and mess-free credentials, argues Ice Edge. With most other processes, dismantling and closure of the production line would have been essential for the clean.
Due to the superior clean achieved by the dry ice process, it will not be necessary to repeat the procedure for a number of years. In this project, the machinery to be cleaned was brought back to a practically new state of cleanliness.
With the majority of industrial cleaning methods, it is often difficult to reach awkward crevices of machinery, meaning that parts of the equipment may be missed. With Ice Edge’s procedure, on the other hand, 100% of the equipment is reached and cleaned. Because there is no need to dismantle machinery or equipment while the process is being undertaken, many businesses can be fully functional while cleaning takes place, avoiding downtime.
The result is a perfectly clean, hygienic surface; hygienic because the cleaning process avoids using caustics and acids and does not cause surface erosion and etching as typical abrasive blasting does.
“Sanitation is critical for the food and beverage industry,” says Tremain. “Dry ice cleaning is the ideal method as it’s much safer than conventional water cleaning, which can compromise safety and damage machinery. Dry ice blasting on the other hand cleans around wiring and all plumbing without damage or safety fears. There is no cool down or dry off time and using ice blasting gives such a thorough clean that there is a much longer period between cleans.
“There are no limits with dry ice cleaning,” adds Tremain. “The equipment is portable, the procedure safe and quick and the applications manifold. It is only a matter of time before dry ice is used exclusively for cleaning in the food and drink industry. The process is inexpensive, quick, easy and, most importantly, does not pose any threat of revenue loss which, for most large corporations in the food and beverage industry and otherwise, is by far the biggest plus.”
Contact Ice Edge T +44 1858 565 886 www.cleanwithdryice.co.uk