Dry Ice Production

CO2 is one of the very few gases that can have a solid state of aggregation – dry ice. Even though dry ice is a product made of carbon dioxide it has to be produced artificially as it cannot be found and mined in nature.

Carbon dioxide – Component of our environment

CO2 is not only a component of our atmosphere but can also be found in various layers of earth and rock. While the concentration of CO2 in the world surrounding atmosphere is only about 400 ppm, what is equivalent to 800 gigatons of carbon or 3,000 gigatons of carbon dioxide, the amount of CO2 contained in rock and earth layers is estimated to equal around 65,000 gigatons of carbon – partly located in Germany.

In our environment photosynthesis is highly important: by breathing, every human consumes oxygen and converts roughly four percent of it to carbon dioxide. Simultaneously, trees and plants produce oxygen as a by-product of photosynthesis. This balance is most fragile and the effects and changes of the concentration of carbon in our atmosphere are focus of recent research and studies concerning climate change.

Dry ice – stages of production

Oknal produces dry ice for the most various purposes. Its advantages are highly obvious as it is non-poisonous, non-combustible, as well odour- as tasteless, and can completely evaporate. Thus, dry ice seems to be the perfect product for cooling goods in catering trade since it reaches temperatures of -79°C, but is also employed for cleaning in industrial facilities.

Production:

Firstly, carbon dioxide needs to be put under high pressure in order to liquefy it. The reduction of pressure in turn results in the evaporation of parts of the carbon dioxide and withdrawal of heat. The remaining snow-like carbon dioxide, too cooled to down to evaporate, reaches temperatures of -78.5°C and can be further processed into blocks of dry ice or into pellets of various granulations.

Its durability depends on its surrounding temperature: in a common freezer dry ice shrinks to roughly 90% after about 24 hours. In order to reduce the sublimation we strongly recommend to use special insulating containers. For further questions please do not hesitate to contact us as we are specialised in the production and processing of dry ice.