What is Dry Ice?
Dry ice is pure, solid carbon dioxide (CO2). As a gas, CO2 exists naturally in our environment.� It's called "dry ice" because it does not melt.� Dry ice goes directly from a solid to a gas in a process called sublimation.
Dry ice keeps items colder for much longer than traditional �wet ice� because dry ice is extremely cold, -109 degrees F (-78.5� C).� Dry ice sublimates into carbon dioxide gas instead of melting, leaving no liquid mess to clean up which is why dry ice blasting is a popular and environmentally friendly way to clean.
How to Make Dry Ice - Manufacturing Dry Ice
Making Dry Ice is Really RecyclingDry ice is made from pure carbon dioxide that is a (recycled) byproduct of other industrial processes such as the manufacture of ethanol. The gaseous carbon dioxide (CO2) is first pressurized and refrigerated to form liquid CO2, which then is allowed to expand in an atmospheric chamber.
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View How to Make Dry Ice video at right
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When the CO2 changes from a liquid to a gas, there is an extreme drop in temperature. This causes some of the gas to freeze, yielding both solid (snow-like) CO2 and the gas form (vapor) of CO2. The "snow" is then hydraulically pressed into dry ice blocks and pellets.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Can you make dry ice at home?
The quick answer is "no."� There is no practical or inexpensive method to make enough dry ice at home to ��
use it for freezing.� People have tried making dry ice "samples" involving a small CO2 tank and heavy gloves,
but not only is this potentially dangerous, it results at best in very small quantities of "snow" which will disappear very quickly. Such methods are NOT RECOMMENDED for safety reasons.
Making dry ice requires a source of CO2 [carbon dioxide] which comes from industrial processes such as ethanol plants. � Carbon dioxide is a gas.� It can be put under pressure and converted to liquid carbon dioxide [LCO2] which must be kept under pressure in a tank to remain liquid. As liquid CO2 is exposed to normal air temperatures, some of it immediately turns back to a colorless gas [CO2], and some of it freezes into "snow" which can be pressed into dry ice pellets or blocks using hydraulic pressure and a dry ice pelletizer or dry ice block press.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Recycling CO2 in the Dry Ice Process
The first recycling recovers the CO2 from its source industrial process. The second recycling in the manufacture of dry ice occurs when the CO2 vapor produced during the production of dry ice "snow" is captured and recycled using a recovery system. This recycling maximizes the yield of dry ice from each pound of liquid CO2 input. This is the most cost-effective way to produce dry ice, a cost savings we pass on to our dry ice customers.You can see these recycling processes during dry ice manufacture by watching the video at the right. It shows how we make dry ice at Continental Carbonic Products, Inc. Continental Carbonic Products is proud of our carefully-engineered "green" processes to conserve energy and CO2 resources by recycling the original CO2 feedstock into dry ice, and recycling CO2 vapor in our own dry ice manufacturing process.
Forms of Dry Ice
Continental Carbonic produces dry ice in the following forms:
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High Density Dry Ice Pellets
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Dry Ice Rice Pellets
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Dry Ice Standard
Pellets
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Cut Blocks of Dry
Ice
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 Cut blocks of dry ice are available wrapped in poly or brown kraft paper. |
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Block of Dry Ice
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Dry ice can be further processed as necessary to meet your needs. Processing dry ice includes cutting blocks into custom sizes and packaging both cut blocks and dry ice pellets in various ways. See our Dry Ice Sales page for more information.
We use insulated containers for dry ice transport and storage. The containers are available in a variety of sizes and styles to help minimize sublimation losses. To assure timely shipping of dry ice, Continental Carbonic has a fleet of trucks for customer deliveries.
Benefits of Diamond Certified Dry Ice by Continental Carbonic
 Dry ice pellet shipping container being filled while resting on newly-patented "shaker" device resulting in reduced product shrink and fewer shipping containers per order. |
True and Honest Weights
You get more for your money with Continental Carbonic, because we weigh your dry ice at the latest possible opportunity before delivery. Our competitors may charge you a standard weight or what your dry ice weighed when produced, regardless of how long it may have been stored at the factory. Our �True and Honest Weight� and state-of-the-art containers save our customers as much as 20% or more.
Newly-Patented Process Gives Better Value
Continental Carbonic uses a newly-patented process in loading dry ice pellet shipping containers, to put more dry ice and less air volume into the shipping container. Reducing the amount of air in the shipping container reduces the sublimation rate of the dry ice pellets. This also means fewer shipping containers for larger orders, saving customers valuable floor space. This newly-patented innovation is the latest Continental Carbonic Products achievement in increased productivity and better efficiency, which means better dry ice value for you.
Superior Shipping Containers
Continental Carbonic introduced stainless-steel-lined containers for dry ice usage in 1997, at more than twice the cost of conventional all-poly boxes traditionally used for dry ice shipping. These food-grade dry ice containers reduce sublimation losses by as much as 10% over all-poly containers. All food-grade containers are pressure washed and sanitized prior to filling.
For more information on dry ice shipping or shipping containers, please visit our dry ice shipping page.
Reliable Sources
Six dry ice production facilities and 32 dry ice locations throughout our service area allow us to meet your dry ice and liquid CO2 requirements - on time, every time.
Videotaped Quality Control
Consistent quality is a hallmark of our company. From regular testing of liquid CO2 purity to digital video recording of dry ice production, we go the extra mile to make sure you receive the highest quality dry ice and liquid CO2 possible.
Competitive, stable pricing
We price our dry ice competitively up front without unexpected add-on charges (e.g. Hazmat fees) and offer flexibility in length and terms of pricing arrangements.
Dry Ice Safety
- Never let dry ice touch your bare skin�always handle it with gloves.
- Dry ice displaces oxygen in the air, so always use it in a well-ventilated area.
- When transporting dry ice in a vehicle, roll down the window to assure adequate ventilation, especially if you feel short of breath.
- If you're using dry ice in a confined space, open the door and air out the area before entering.
- Never place dry ice in a tightly sealed container or vessel, because it converts back to gas and creates its own pressure.
- When shipping frozen products with dry ice, notify the carrier prior to shipment.
- Read more about Dry Ice Safety
Dry Ice Uses
Dry ice is a versatile product that has a number of commercial and consumer uses:
- To remove floor tiles
- To remove skin imperfections
- In the poultry industry
- In the baking industry
- To lengthen the life of wet ice
- To make fog in the entertainment industry
- To shrink metal
- To retard chemical catalysts
- To improve porosity in oil wells
- To pack ice cream on trips
- To purge fuel tanks
- To freeze brand livestock
- To store food during power outages
- For low-temperature testing
- As a mosquito attractant for traps
- To keep party kegs cold
- To pack trophy game or fish on the way home
- By airline caterers to keep food chilled
- By blood banks for shipping
- To blast clean rubber and plastic injection molds and food processing equipment
- By the concrete industry to prevent heat buildup
- To freeze unstable ground
- To germinate food
- To freeze water lines without shutoff valves
- To blast clean fire-damaged buildings
