Cutting Edge Cleaning and Remediation Technology

Horton Technical Associates, Inc., in association with Bob Fidler Services, Inc., offers a waterless, environmentally friendly, and cutting-edge technology that is ideally suited for commercial and industrial cleaning applications and for mold remediation.

Our technology is Dry Ice Blasting

Dry ice blasting is similar to sand blasting, hydro jet blasting, plastic bead blasting, or soda blasting. Like these other cleaning technologies, we accelerate our cleaning material using a pressurized air stream.

The big difference is, instead of abrasive materials that may leave behind toxic residue, we use dry ice (or solid Carbon Dioxide).

With dry ice blasting, solid carbon dioxide (CO2) particles impact a soiled or contaminated surface and immediately turn into a gas (e.g., they sublimate).

The integrated effects of the particles’ impact energy, extremely rapid heat transfer between the dry ice material and the surface being cleaned, and the rapid expansion of the dry ice volume as it transitions into a gaseous state create a “micro-explosion” at the point of impact. This effect literally blasts the contaminant off of the substrate.

Since the dry ice vaporizes, our cleaning process does not generate secondary waste. So instead of worrying about sand, water, plastic beads, or other chemical residue, the only thing we have to deal with is removal of the contaminating material.

And since the temperature of dry ice is well below freezing, our cleaning process sterilizes as it cleans. This makes Dry Ice Blasting an ideal candidate for mold remediation applications.

Dry Ice Blasting is NOT a new technology. As a cleaning process, the technology has been available for more than 20 years, and it has been certified and approved for industry and commercial use by the EPA, the FDA, the USDA, and OSHA.

What makes our capability different?

Unlike dry ice cleaning systems you can buy off the shelf or through a distributor, we have made some significant engineering changes to our nozzle materials and designs. We have also modified some major components of the system to increase its flexibility and utility as a cost-effective cleaning technology.

What are results have we achieved?

·    In September 2006, our team was given 2 weeks to clean the heat exchangers, galley, and crew quarters of the USS Pecos. We completed the entire job in 3 days.

·    In November 2005, our team went to Midlothian Texas and American National Power (ANP). The job was to clean a 178 megawatt, natural gas power turbine – one of the largest turbines in the country. The month before, a team in Switzerland attempted to use Dry Ice to clean the same type of generator, but failed to achieve satisfactory results. With our technology and modifications, we finished the job in 2 and one-half days, and then we cleaned some additional machinery at the power plant.

Dry Ice Cleaning and Blasting – contact HTA to learn how you can take advantage of this cutting edge technology. Click here to view a presentation on dry ice blasting.