Dry Ice Blasting for Refineries & Petrochemical Plants

Experience the Fastest, Safest, Most Environmentally Friendly Way to Remove the Most Difficult Refinery & Petrochemical Adherents

Heat Exchanger ID Tube Cleaning
Cleaning petrochemical and refinery equipment quickly to remove a wide variety of adherents with predictable execution can be a challenge on a good day, whether in place (in situ), during shutdowns and turnarounds, or during emergency maintenance.

Nasty adherents are difficult to clean, and hydroblasting, sandblasting and other abrasive media create hazards, collateral damage, and typically require an unacceptably long period of downtime for cleanup.

Dry ice blasting, which can also be used in combination with more abrasive blasting methods, offers an effective solution for cleaning complex equipment and facilities quickly and efficiently with minimal cleanup, downtime, environmental impact, and overall cost.

Blasting Applications

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Clean in Place (In-Situ)

Clean in Place (In-Situ)

Prevent equipment downtime and productivity loss with dry ice blasting for preventive maintenance.

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Shutdowns & Turnarounds

Shutdowns & Turnarounds

Dry ice blasting is ideal for deep cleaning, predictable execution and critical path timelines.

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Emergency Maintenance

Emergency Maintenance

Blasting gets you up and running quickly with equipment cleaned with less downtime and disruption.

Dry Ice Blasting Guide Cover

Why Use Dry Ice Blasting?

Learn why so many industries turn to dry ice blasting as an efficient and environmentally friendly solution for the most challenging cleaning projects as well as when sponge blasting and more abrasive blasting methods are a better alternative.

Download the Guide

Adherent Removal

Polar Clean blasting services remove adherents from the following:

Finned tube fan units

Fan Units

Designed with fins to improve heat transfer and enhance efficiency, finned tubes are difficult to clean with conventional methods. IO fans also have their own set of unique cleaning needs. Each type is more effectively cleaned with dry ice blasting to ensure optimal heat reduction.

Petrochemical plant

Reactors

Cleaning reactor internals, which include scallops, screens, vessels, trays, and walls, demands a high level of expertise. Residues and contaminants in any of these parts can significantly hamper a reactor’s performance. Many plants clean reactors in-house, but dry ice blasting offers greater precision up to 10x faster.

Reactor screen before and after dry ice blasting

Catalysts

Over time, platinum catalyst beads can cause blockages, especially when they get stuck in reactor screens. These blockages not only decrease efficiency but can also pose operational risks. Regular checks and dry ice blasting are effective at keeping screens clean and the beads circulating.

 

Radiant tubes before and after dry ice blasting

Boilers

Dry ice blasting is ideal for cleaning radiant tubes and heat exchangers in both process gas and waste heat boilers. With the proper permits, confined space training, PPE, and experience, convection sections can be thoroughly cleaned out.

Petrochemical steam turbine

Steam Turbines

For onsite power plants, aluminum oxide (ALOX) blasting is often the preferred abrasive blasting method, but sponge blasting can also be used when better dust control and/or somewhat less abrasive blasting is required. Learn more >

Electric motor before and after dry ice blasting

Electrical

Dry ice blasting is delicate but effective enough to clean all circuitry, electrical motors, generator windings, switch gears, transformers, and wiring to prevent equipment damage, shorts and even fires.

 

Additional equipment cleaned with blasting services:

  • Booms
  • CCR platformers
  • Compressor casings
  • Compressor stands and structure
  • Compressors
  • Conveyors
  • Furnaces
  • Nets
  • Ovens
  • Perforated belts
  • Production and storage vessels
  • Tanks
  • Thermal Oxidizers
  • Tools
  • Transformers
  • Turbines
  • Weld seams

Dry Ice Blasting Benefits

No other cleaning method is faster, safer, more meticulous, more cost-effective, and more environmentally friendly for cleaning in refineries and petrochemical plants, especially when performed by an experienced dry ice blasting partner like Polar Clean. With decades of experience with refinery and petrochemical turnaround and emergency response cleaning, Polar Clean provides safe, reliable and effective solutions for your cleaning challenges.

  • No secondary contaminants
  • Chemical-free process
  • Enhanced worker safety
  • Environmentally responsible
  • Harmless to humans, animals, marine life, and vegetation
  • Increased productivity
  • Non-abrasive
  • Reduced cleaning time
  • No secondary waste stream
  • Non-conductive
  • Non-flammable
  • Proprietary custom tools for cleaning IDs and convection section
  • Reduced exposure to hazardous cleaning chemicals
  • Reduced labor requirements
  • Reduced water and sanitation costs
  • Safe to use around electrical equipment

Petrochemical Blasting Case Studies

Reactor Cleaning Case Study

Read More

Improved Heat Transfer Case Study

Read More

The Polar Clean Difference

Polar Clean maintains scrupulous safety practices and participates in tailored safety programs through a variety of elite safety networks:

  • ISNetworld® Prequalification and Monitoring
  • Avetta® Compliance Certified
  • First, Verify® Vendor Prequalification
  • ComplyWorks Risk Management
  • DISA Drug, Alcohol and Safety Compliance Solutions

Additional qualifications:

  • Qualified for nationwide emergency response
  • Hundreds of successful refinery and petrochemical projects
  • Tenured and highly-skilled technicians
  • Mastery of process includes numerous proprietary solutions
  • Fully equipped service vehicles utilized onsite
  • Experience and certifications for work at heights, in confined spaces, and with the use of respiratory equipment
  • Full containment and control of air flow to limit or stop the release of pollutants into the air and surrounding environment

Contact us to learn more about refinery and petrochem blasting services