Carbon dioxide (CO2) pellet cleaning is a form of abrasive blasting, in
which hard pieces of frozen CO2 are shot at a surface with air or other
gases. It is replacing some sandblasting and beadblasting operations.
CO2 pellets can strip paints and remove grease and oil. Some parts may
be sensitive to thermal changes from the pellets and should be tested first.
Thin parts may be damaged by pellet impact. The pellets can be generated in
different sizes and propelled at various speeds to increase cleaning rates
or reduce surface damage.
The advantage of the CO2 pellets is that they sublimate on contact with
the material to be cleaned. This leaves the operator with only the soil to
The sublimation of CO2 pellets does not release new CO2, a greenhouse
warming gas. Instead, it uses CO2 that is derived from other chemical processes.
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All SAGE material, Copyright© 1992,
Research Triangle Institute
18 March 1995