Dry Ice Cleaning for Power Equipment
Minimize downtime and prevent unexpected shutdowns
Why power plants are switching from water and manual cleaning
Dry ice blasting cleans electrical equipment dry — no moisture, and often without taking it offline.
- Moisture risk on live and electrical equipment
- Extended shutdowns for drying before restart
- Chemical runoff and disposal concerns
- Abrasive media can wear windings and insulation
- Hand scrubbing carbon, oil and dust buildup
- Dry process — safe on electrical equipment
- Often clean online, with less downtime
- Non-abrasive — protects windings and insulation
- No solvents or secondary waste — CO₂ sublimates
- No drying time — faster return to service
What it cleans
- Motors & generators
- Stator & rotor windings
- Insulators & bushings
- Switchgear
- Transformers
- Bus bars
- Turbines
- Heat exchangers
- Cable trays
- Control cabinets
- Substation equipment
- …and more
See it in action below ↓
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Power Generation
Dry ice cleaning eliminates the need for water or chemicals and ensures safe, efficient cleaning of critical equipment
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Power Generation
Dry ice cleaning improves equipment reliability and reduces unplanned downtime and maintenance-related waste
Find your setup in 4 questions
Get a machine, compressor guidance, a dry ice plan and an estimated starting price.
What are you mainly cleaning?
Your typical job scale?
Air compressor?
How often will you use it?
Your recommended setup
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Machine
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Air compressor
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Dry ice plan
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Best for
Estimated starting price
Getting set up is simple
Four steps from delivery to your first blast — plus what to have on hand.
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1
Connect air
Connect a compatible compressor and clean, dry compressed-air line to the machine.
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2
Load dry ice
Load the compatible dry ice pellets into your machine.
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3
Blast
Dry ice cleans on impact, lifting carbon, oil, dust and other buildup.
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4
Back in service
No water and no secondary blasting media left behind.
What you'll need to run it
Air compressor
AI10 Micro: 27–70 CFM
AI30 / AI30 Plus: 71–141 CFM
AI50: 175 CFM minimum; 200–400 CFM recommended
Always confirm sustained airflow at the required working pressure, not compressor horsepower alone.
Shop compressors → Air compressor guide → AI30 + 20HP system →
Clean, dry compressed air
Use a clean, dry compressed-air supply for stable blasting performance. Air-treatment requirements vary by machine, compressor type, humidity and operating conditions.
AI10 does not require a separate air dryer for basic operation, while higher-flow or humid-air setups may require additional moisture removal or cooling.
Dry ice
Use fresh dry ice compatible with your selected machine. Buy it locally, or produce dry ice on demand for regular industrial use.
How many cleanings until it pays for itself?
Cleaning equipment in place — where site procedures and equipment conditions allow — can reduce outage time and labor. Use the assumptions below to estimate potential payback.
Estimated payback
4 cleanings
Based on the assumptions below, the AI30 may recover its equipment cost in about 4 cleanings through estimated outage-time and labor savings.
Dry ice cost is estimated at $1.50/lb. Actual local pricing may vary.
Equipment shutdown · manual scrubbing · drying before restart · potentially longer service windows
Clean in place where permitted · dry cleaning process · no secondary blasting media · potentially faster return to service
Estimates vary by equipment, contamination level, job size, outage value, labor cost, local dry ice price and operating conditions. This calculator is a planning tool only and does not guarantee savings or payback. Follow your site's safety procedures and equipment requirements for all cleaning work.
Huaneng Yingkou Power Plant
Previously, we had to shut down and disassemble generators and switchgear for cleaning. After introducing the dry ice blasting machine, we can now clean dust and grease safely without shutdown, with no residue and excellent results, significantly improving maintenance efficiency.
— Mr. Wang, Equipment Supervisor
Frequently asked questions
Can I clean equipment while it's energized?
Dry ice blasting is dry and non-conductive, and many facilities clean certain equipment online to avoid outages. Whether that's appropriate depends on the asset and voltage — always follow your own electrical safety procedures, LOTO and site rules before any live cleaning.
Will it damage windings, insulation or bushings?
No. Dry ice is non-abrasive — the pellets sublimate into gas on impact, lifting carbon, oil and dust without removing base material. Unlike sand or grit media, it won't wear windings, insulation or insulator surfaces.
Is there any moisture or residue risk?
No. The process adds no water and leaves no secondary residue — the CO₂ simply sublimates into gas. That means no drying time and less risk to electrical equipment than water or chemical washing.
Do I need an air compressor?
Yes — it's sold separately. AI30 / AI30 Plus need 71–141 CFM at 87–116 PSI (10 HP+, 150 gal tank); AI50 needs an industrial screw compressor at 200–400 CFM. No compressor yet? See the AI30 + 20HP system.
Where do I get dry ice?
Buy fresh 3 mm pellets from a local CO₂ supplier before each job, or make your own on demand with an AIP50 pelletizer and storage box.
Which model is right for my site?
AI30 for motors, panels and switchgear; AI30 Plus for reaching around large or hard-to-access equipment; AI50 for generators, turbines, heavy carbon and large-area work. Not sure? Use the setup finder above.
Ready to bring dry ice cleaning to your site?
Pick your machine, or talk to us about the right setup for your equipment and outage schedule.
- ✓ 1-year warranty
- ✓ Free freight shipping
- ✓ US-based after-sales support
