What are the advantages and disadvantages of using ice as a coolant insted of dry ice?

Answer 1

Dry ice is the name given to http://www.answers.com/topic/carbon-dioxide when it is in a solid state. Carbon dioxide is found in the earth's atmosphere; it is a gas that humans http://www.answers.com/topic/exhale and plants use for http://www.answers.com/topic/photosynthesis. This chemical compound is http://www.answers.com/topic/colorless, odorless, http://www.answers.com/topic/tasteless, and about 1.5 times as dense as air. Carbon dioxide turns from gas to an http://www.answers.com/topic/opaque white solid (dry ice) while under pressure and at low temperatures, turning solid at −78.5°C. As a solid, its temperature is much lower than the normal ice and at -78.5 deg. C, it sublimates, that is it turns directly to gas from solid. The low temperature and 'direct sublimation to a gas' makes dry ice a very effective coolant, since it is colder than ice and leaves no moisture as it changes state. It is an important http://www.answers.com/topic/refrigerant for keeping foods cold and preventing http://www.answers.com/topic/bacterial-growth during http://www.answers.com/topic/shipment. Thus food remains preserved for many days and do not get destroyed during transportation. As the solid CO2 sublimates rather than melts, large quantities of dry ice can be put into shipping containers without having to take into account volume of melting water that accumulates when ice is used as a refrigerant. Besides above, since Dry ice is a natural refrigerant, it is being tried by scientist world over if it could replace the use of HCFC (Hydro-Chloro-Floro-Carbon) gases as refrigerant specially in the developing countries. The use of dry as as refrigerant will thus slow down the harm that is being caused to OZONE layer by HCFCs and also help to reduce Global warming.

Answer 2

Advantages:

- readily available

- no pollutants or harmful fumes

- no carbon dioxide gas entering the atmosphere

Disadvantages:

- not as cold as dry ice

- leaves a puddle of water behind (dry ice sublimates directly to gas)

Answer 3

The main reason is that there would be no moisture. CO2 goes straight from solid to gas, so there would be no liquid or dampness to ruin surrounding materials. It is also reasonably safe to use, non-toxic, so can be safely used around people.

Answer 4

Easy to store and move around with as they are solid.