Dry Ice Storage

Dry ice is solid carbon dioxide, usually produced in 10-inch by 10-inch blocks weighing about 55 pounds. It is also available in cut blocks & nuggets, its smaller size is much convenient but dissipate at a much faster rate. According to the scientists, incase dry ice is not kept at the temperature of minus 109°C, a block begins to convert back into gaseous form at a rate of about 10 pounds per 24 hours.

The best place to store and transport dry ice is an ice chest. However, one should not try and store dry ice in the refrigerator freezer or in an airtight container as sublimation of Dry Ice to Carbon Dioxide gas may cause any airtight container to expand or possibly explode. The container in which dry ice is stored must be insulated because, the thicker the insulation, the slower it will sublimate. Another thing that should be taken care of at the time of storing dry ice is that it should never be stored in unventilated rooms or cellars, since, the sublimated Carbon Dioxide gas can sink to low areas and replace oxygenated air and result in suffocation if breathed exclusively.

For temporary storage (app. 12 hrs.) of dry ice, it should be wrapped in paper (newspaper, paper bag, etc.) or towels for safety and placed ice in an insulated container. The insulation also will extend the life of the dry ice. In order to keep the rate of sublimation at the lowest level, dry ice should be stored in specially designed insulated boxes/containers, which are fabricated from materials, like, polyethylene, glass-fiber or polypropylene; the container should not be opened and closed frequently and the open space in the storage container should be filled up with wadded paper to limit dead space and slow the sublimation process.

The temperature of dry ice is minus 109.3°, hence, it should be handled with great care. If dry ice comes in contact with bare skin briefly it is harmless, but prolonged contact with the skin freezes cells and causes injury similar to a burn. Since this gas is heavier than air and accumulates in low areas of the space, one should not enter or place face near any pits, sump areas or other confined low spots in the room. It is recommended that some kind of protective cloth or leather gloves must be worn whenever touching it and cover the exposed skin , also the usage of safety glasses and face shield when breaking up block ice is highly recommended.