What does "thermal shock effect" and "online cleaning" mean in the context of dry ice cleaning?

Dry ice cleaning utilizes the unique properties of dry ice particles, combining the concepts of thermal shock effect and online cleaning to achieve an efficient, environmentally friendly, and controllable cleaning process. The principles of these two cleaning methods are briefly described below.

Thermal Shock Effect: During the dry ice cleaning process, the thermal shock effect is evident at the contact points between dry ice particles and the cleaned surface. When dry ice particles impact the surface, the pressure change caused by the impact leads to the immediate sublimation of some dry ice particles, releasing energy. This momentary energy conversion helps to remove dirt from the surface, making the cleaning more effective. Most contaminants have weaker bond strength in a heated state, making them easier to remove, with a cleaning speed 3-5 times faster than in a cool state.

Online Cleaning: Dry ice cleaning is typically performed on-site, and the sublimation of dry ice particles upon impact eliminates the need to collect and recover waste. Hence, it allows for direct online cleaning. Online cleaning refers to the process where machines or molds do not need to be disassembled, and the dirty parts can be cleaned directly, saving downtime and the time and effort required for disassembly and reassembly. In contrast, using sandblasting involves the issue of sand particle recovery, making it unsuitable for online cleaning and incurring additional manpower and time costs.