Dry ice where to buy

Dry ice is available in many grocery and general merchandise stores. While larger chains, such as Costco and Walmart, are likely to carry it, some smaller chains may not have it in stock. Turning to a dry ice supplier provides a direct and reliable source of dry ice. The amount of dry ice needed for an application depends on many factors, including product weight, packaging, and length of use. These considerations also vary based on the exact application. For example, the quantity needed for keeping things fresh vs.

Partnering with a dry ice specialist can help you determine how much dry ice is required for a particular application. Dry ice is generally priced by weight, but the exact cost varies from one retailer to the next.

Some retailers also offer discounts on bulk purchases. Several factors—such as packaging, air pressure, outside temperature, and thickness of insulation—affect how long dry ice lasts, making the exact length of time difficult to estimate. Speaking with a dry ice expert, such as those at CryoCarb , can help you determine how long your dry ice will last. Dry ice finds use in a wide range of retail and commercial applications.

Common use cases include:. Dry ice comes in several different forms. Depending on the form requested, it may be packaged and shipped in Styrofoam coolers, ice chests ranging in size from picnic coolers to pound containers. Retail dry ice is usually put in a small, disposable Styrofoam container. At CryoCarb, we provide pellets in 3mm and 16mm sizes and 5 pound blocks. Commercial shipping containers range fromm pounds to 1, pounds. When exposed to elevated ambient temperatures, dry ice sublimates into vapor.

While the process cannot be stopped entirely, keeping the dry ice inside of an insulated cooler with minimal empty space stored in a cold area helps to slow it. Purchasing the dry ice as close to when needed as possible also helps minimize the amount lost before use. When fully sublimated, dry ice does not leave behind any waste material that requires disposal. Simply leaving the dry ice in the cooler in a ventilated area allows it to return to gaseous form safely.

Buy dry ice in block form. Performing school experiments and creating fog effects both require blocks of dry ice.

Dry ice also comes in pellet form but is mainly used for dry ice blasting to clean surfaces, or for medical transportation. Though prices vary based on amount and location, it generally tends to be cheap.

Since dry ice is much colder than traditional freezing containers Do not handle dry ice with bare hands, always remember to wear gloves. The thicker insulated your cooler or ice chest is, the slower the dry ice will sublimate.

Open and close the container as little as possible to slow down the sublimation process. You can also fill the open space in the cooler with wadded paper to limit dead space and slow down sublimation as well. Since dry ice is extremely cold, your freezer will shut off to keep foods from over-freezing. Put the cooler in your car and roll down the windows. Remember, dry ice is carbon dioxide and is harmful if inhaled in large quantities.

Fresh air is especially important if you are transporting dry ice for longer than 15 minutes. Being in a poorly ventilated area with dry ice can cause rapid breathing and headaches and can be lethal if breathed over long periods. Part 2. Wear leather gloves and long sleeves when opening or pouring dry ice. Though brief contact is harmless, prolonged contact with skin can freeze the cells and burn you in a manner similar to fire.

An oven mitt or towel can also work, but it will not offer the same protection as gloves. Treat dry ice like you would a hot frying pan by keeping your skin out of contact. Treat dry ice burns as you would typical burns. If your skin is only red, it will heal in time. If your skin blisters or comes off, treat the area with antibiotic ointment and wrap with a bandage.

Consult a doctor immediately in cases of extreme burns. Keep unused dry ice in well-ventilated rooms. Storing large quantities of dry ice in airtight areas can create an oxygen deficient atmosphere. A locked storage shed in your backyard will have good air circulation and won't be in danger of suffocating people or animals.

If you're having trouble finding a good place to keep dry ice, ask a chemistry teacher at your school if there is a safe place to store dry ice in the chemistry lab. Make sure you store dry ice away from young children and pets. Open doors and windows in a room where dry ice has spilled. The dry ice will continue sublimating but will need to be able to mix with the air more easily. Dry ice is heavier than oxygen and will accumulate in low areas of the spill area.

Avoid putting your face near pits or other low, confined areas as these places will have the highest concentration of carbon dioxide. Leave dry ice in a well-ventilated area at room temperature to dispose of it. If you find yourself with extra dry ice, remember that it is constantly undergoing sublimation and simply needs to be left alone in order to evaporate.

Your backyard porch is a good place to dispose of dry ice. Make sure it is safely out of reach of others for at least 24 hours. You can also use a fume hood to dispose of dry ice. A fume hood is a ventilated enclosure where harmful chemicals can be used or kept. Your school chemistry lab may have a fume hood where you can leave the excess dry ice.

Be sure you ask a teacher first before doing so. Part 3. Do not store dry ice in a completely airtight container. The sublimation of dry ice to carbon dioxide will cause the container to expand and possibly explode. Dry ice can cause a violent eruption if packed too tightly.

Some people have been brought up on felony criminal charges for purposely confining dry ice until it explodes, creating a dry ice "bomb. Avoid keeping dry ice in cellars, basements, cars, or other poorly ventilated areas. The carbon dioxide from the dry ice will gradually begin to replace oxygen and can cause suffocation if breathed exclusively.

Try not to leave dry ice unattended. Even though no one may be around, spills and other accidents can occur if not under strict supervision. Don't leave dry ice on tiled or solid surfaced counter tops as the extreme cold could crack it.

Do not dispose of dry ice in the sewer, sink, toilet, or garbage disposal. You will likely freeze the water in the pipes and may even cause them to rupture. The extreme compactness of a pipe will also cause dry ice to expand quicker and may cause an explosion.

Not to the point where you're going to cause a problem. We offer 9mm pellets on a FREE next day delivery as standard and rice ice. Rice ice is a finer grade of dry ice, preferred by chefs.

As the ice is more refined it is ideally suited for making ice creams, adding to food. However, it is also used in drinks and cocktails. All our products are designed to support 9mm pellets and rice ice. Looking for bulk deliveries? We supply dry ice in ANY quantity. The smallest dry ice pack is 2.

We can supply packs over kg in size on a nationwide next day service. There will be some weight loss of dry ice during transportation; please specify the delivery date at the final checkout. If your event requires additional smoke effects, please select our larger pack sizes. Please read our important delivery details regarding your shipment.

Our Enhanced Delivery option gives you a top-up of ice which will extend the product life, this is usually better value than paying for timed deliveries! For our trade customers please use the ice pour to extend the ice life. Please note we also offer a great Price Match guarantee service so you can be assured of the highest quality food grade dry ice at the best price! Please note that the weights we sell are based on what we fill. So a 10kg box will be packed with about 11kg of dry ice, however when it reaches you the following day it may weigh 8 - 9.

Please consider this when deciding on the amount you need, if in doubt phone us, we will be glad to help. Dry ice has a short shelf life. The more ice you order the longer it lasts. Typically it can lose around 2kg per day. The 2. However, for smaller more subtle effects the dry ice can last for days.

We ship dry ice in thick polystyrene boxes and our 10kg and larger sizes will last for days depending on how you store the ice.

We recommend keeping the ice unopened in the packaging until it is required and to store the box in a safe cold place. Once ice has been used put the lid on the remaining product and place in a cold location. Dry ice is a perishable product - it starts to evaporate from the moment we pack it into one of our transport boxes, so you need it delivering as close to the time you need it as possible.

This is a great challenge for us to ensure we give you what you want when you want it. This is how we solve this problem:. Our website allows you to specify weeks in advance the day you want the product delivered on. This means you can place your order well in advance, we will not pack the ice until the last moment and will put extra ice in to help with the delivery time to you. We use the best thick-walled shipping boxes in the industry and this allows us to minimise the loss of dry ice both in transit and when it is with you.

Sometimes our customers need timed morning or weekend deliveries which attract a premium surcharge. We can now offer our Enhanced Delivery. We will deliver the ice a day earlier than you require using the next day standard delivery. We overfill the box to more than compensate for the extra day, the result is more ice on the day you need it.

We can offer Enhanced Delivery Tuesday through Friday with the intention that it is used the following day at your convenience. We use the best overnight couriers for the majority of our deliveries, they offer increasingly reliable services with tracking information to follow your delivery.

And our packaging is designed to work with their handling systems to arrive in optimum condition with you. Weekday orders are dispatched FREE within 24hrs and are sent via courier on a next day service. Monday to Friday. All orders for next day delivery Monday to Friday need to be made by 3.

Please note that goods must be signed for unless you specify alternative delivery instructions in the comments box at the time of placing your order. The courier operates 9. If you would like your order for a designated time or a Saturday delivery, these are offered with a nominal charge at the checkout.

If you require ice for a Monday delivery please order via email info chillistick. We dispatch the ice on Friday but overfill your order to ensure you have the desired quantity on Monday. We deliver the ice a day earlier than you require using the reliable next day standard delivery. We will overfill the box to more than compensate for the extra day, the result is more ice on the day you need it and a more reliable delivery method.

We offer Enhanced Delivery Tuesday through Friday with the intention that it is used the following day at your convenience. Chillistick will supply you with tracking information once your order has been dispatched.

Important: - please specify the date you require your ice at the checkout. Chillistick supply CS9. Additional hardware when purchased also comes complete with instructions. Please follow these guidelines below The first published observation of dry ice was in by French chemist Charles Thilorier. He noted the formation of dry ice when a container of liquid carbon dioxide was opened. This snow is compressed and extruded at around psi to form pellets, slices and blocks of dry ice.

Dry ice density is around 1. The best container is the polystyrene box that the dry ice was shipped in. Do not store dry ice in an airtight or glass container. For this reason always store dry ice in a well ventilated area - avoid unventilated rooms such as cellars, boat holds and walk-in freezers. Note: you can store dry ice in domestic non-walk-in freezers provided the dry ice is kept in the polystyrene packaging. The freezer will reduce heat transfer into the box and prolong the life of the ice.

Some surfaces left in direct contact with Dry Ice may be damaged by the extreme cold. Adhesives may become brittle and break. So please do not let dry ice into contact with kitchen tiles, or other surfaces which are susceptible to damage from the cold.