At Linde Gas & Equipment, our focus is on helping you do business more productively. With a full range of atmospheric, process, industrial, and specialty gases, we help facilitate a wide range of daily processes that impact our lives

Among our range of products is Dry Ice. We provide dry ice for many uses, including critical applications in various industries, such as food, aerospace, manufacturing, and more. We understand that each of our customers has unique needs, and whatever industry you’re in, Linde is committed to providing the dry ice products needed for your processes. 

What Is Dry Ice?

Dry ice is a cool, condensed, and solid form of carbon dioxide. This gas is non-flammable, non-toxic, and extremely cold, so much so that it will not melt. It will convert back into its gaseous form through sublimation. Considering dry ice's freezing temperature, taking appropriate safety precautions and avoiding potential cold burns or frostbite from improper handling is important.

How Is Dry Ice Used?

With more than 80 years of experience, the technicians and engineers at Linde Gas & Equipment can transform dry ice from the simple commercial refrigerant of the 1920s into a wide range of formats and cut sizes for numerous applications.

Dry ice is best known for its cooling properties, but it also has unusual industry applications, such as dry ice blasting, a non-abrasive way to clean industrial equipment. It can also play a role in creating carbonation effects in drinks and fog for special effects and facilitating certain chemical reactions and processes in industrial settings.

How Is Dry Ice Manufactured?

Dry ice is the solid form of carbon dioxide (CO2), a gas that is normally present in our atmosphere. Creating dry ice involves a process called “fractional distillation.” First, carbon dioxide gas is pumped into a chamber where it is pressurized and purified, removing any impurities and moisture. The purified gas is cooled and compressed to create a liquid form of carbon dioxide.

Next, the liquid carbon dioxide is released through a valve that lowers its pressure. As a result, the liquid carbon dioxide rapidly expands and cools until it reaches a temperature of -109.8°F (-78.5°C). At this temperature, the carbon dioxide sublimates and forms solid carbon dioxide, also known as dry ice. The dry ice produced can then be shaped into pellets or blocks. Dry ice has several distinctive properties:

→ It transitions from a solid back into a gas without going into a liquid phase.

→ When it sublimates and gaseous CO2 releases, it can displace oxygen in confined spaces.

→ It takes up less volume for the same mass as regular ice.

What Are the Applications of Dry Ice?

Dry ice has several practical applications across various industries, including:

→ Food processing and storage

→ Healthcare

→ Pharmaceutical and biotech

→ Medical products

→ Metallurgy

→ Construction

→ Blast cleaning

→ Research 

→ Shipping 

→ Indoor agriculture

Dry ice is light and ships well, helping preserve perishable goods, facilitating cleaning processes, and enhancing entertainment experiences. More specifically, dry ice can be helpful in the following situations:

→ It assists in cryotherapy to treat various skin conditions, alleviate muscle pain, and remove warts.

→ By producing carbon dioxide, it can attract and trap insects to help control insect populations.

→ It can act as an extinguishing agent for Class C fires by displacing oxygen.

→ It can flash-freeze food items like fish to keep it fresher for longer.

→ Dry ice assists in metal fitting and shrinking.

Linde Dry Ice Products

Linde Gas & Equipment offers high-quality dry ice products that meet diverse industry needs. Our dry ice manufacturing uses state-of-the-art processes to ensure product consistency, purity, and reliability.

We offer dry ice products in three forms — pellets, slices, and blocks. Each shape brings unique benefits, and which form to use will depend on factors such as the application's specific requirements and whether you require efficient cooling, sustained sublimation, or precise dosing.

Depending on the product's thickness, 5 to 10 pounds of dry ice can last approximately 18 to 24 hours. This amount of dry ice will fit into a container of up to 15 quarts for transportation. 

Dry Ice Pellets

A convenient alternative to a solid block, dry ice pellets are smaller and easier to use. This form provides increased surface coverage, efficiency in handling, and uniform temperature distribution when appropriately spread. It is often the choice for cleaning with dry ice blasting. Linde Gas & Equipment offers dry ice pellets in these weights that can be cut to size for your operations:

→ Dry ice-blasting rice in a 1/8-inch diameter

→ Dry ice regular nuggets in a 5/8-inch diameter

Dry Ice Slices

Dry ice slices are smaller portions of block dry ice and can be cut to fit specialized equipment or process needs. Their uniform shape and ability to be stacked facilitates food or other perishables preservation through consistent cooling. Linde Gas & Equipment offers dry ice slices in weights that we can cut to size for your operations:

→ 10-inch x 10-inch x 2-inch slice

→ 10-inch x 5-inch x 2-inch slice

→ 5-inch x 5-inch x 2-inch slice

→ 5-inch x 5-inch x 1-inch airport slice

Dry Ice Block

Dry ice blocks are typically used to refrigerate or freeze items for extended periods. Linde Gas & Equipment offers dry ice blocks in the following weights that we can cut to size for your operations:

→ Full blocks of 10-inches x 10-inches x 10-inches

→ ½ blocks of 10-inches x 10-inches x 5-inches

→ ¼ blocks of 5-inches x 5-inches x 5-inches

Learn More About Our Dry Ice Products

Dry ice products are a versatile and important tool in many industries. With the ability to maintain cold temperatures and undergo sublimation, dry ice is a trusted resource for preserving perishable goods, facilitating safe and efficient cleaning processes, and many more applications. The diverse forms, like blocks, slices, and pellets, allow this product to accommodate diverse businesses' needs.

Linde Gas & Equipment has a proven record of providing supply reliability, experience, and ongoing support. We are committed to helping our customers be successful, and our technicians and experts are available after the sale to help troubleshoot process challenges. Contact Linde for a customized quote today. Let us show you how we can deliver the right solutions for your business application.