"Supersonic Abrasive Iceblasting Apparatus"

Inventor: G.S. Settles

PSU Inv. Disc. No. 1459

Licensing Contact: Richard M. Weyer

Issued U.S. Patent No. 5,785,581

Abrasive blast cleaning is a century-old process that has seen few changes in the underlying technology since its inception. The traditional approach uses high pressure air to accelerate solid abrasive particles usually sand - to high speeds, which then impact the surface being cleaned. This process, along with cryogenic blasting, have several drawbacks, as do the alternative techniques that have been developed.

A Penn State researcher has developed a highly effective system that blasts fine crystals of ice particles capable of removing a variety of undesired surface coatings (enamel paint, grease, dirt, . . .) from a substrate. The practicality of the system is really a function of two key design elements: the ability to create frozen particles at the nozzle, and the ability to accelerate the micron-sized particles to supersonic speed through a blasting nozzle.