Abstract: An apparatus for creating ice pellets having a rotationally mounted drum, a cryogenic component for cooling the outer surface of the drum, a fluid droplet applicator for transferring droplets to the outer surface of the drum, and a particle removal blade for removing solidified particles from the drum surface. Methods are also disclosed for creating ice pellets including transferring fluid droplets to a rotating drum having an outer surface sufficiently cold to cause solidification of the droplets during a period of drum rotation. Upon solidification, the particles are removed and made available for subsequent use. Such subsequent use includes disposing the apparatus in a pressurized vessel, collecting the pellets, and feeding the same, under pressure, to the ambient environment.

Abstract: An apparatus for creating ice pellets having a rotationally mounted drum, a cryogenic component for cooling the outer surface of the drum, a fluid droplet applicator for transferring droplets to the outer surface of the drum, and a particle removal blade for removing solidified particles from the drum surface. Methods are also disclosed for creating ice pellets including transferring fluid droplets to a rotating drum having an outer surface sufficiently cold to cause solidification of the droplets during a period of drum rotation. Upon solidification, the particles are removed and made available for subsequent use. Such subsequent use includes disposing the apparatus in a pressurized vessel, collecting the pellets, and feeding the same, under pressure, to the ambient environment.

Abstract: An ice blasting cleaning system including an ice maker that creates ice particles, at least one separator that separates snow from the ice particles, a hopper into which the ice particles enter, and a blasting gun that receives the ice particles and propels them toward the surface to be cleaned. The separator may be for example, an air blower, an ice breaker plate set at a steep angle, a heated or a cooled ice breaker plate, or a rotating brush. The present invention also includes an ice blasting cleaning method for cleaning a surface using ice particles as the cleaning agent. The method includes creating ice particles and snow, separating the ice particles from the snow, the ice particles entering a hopper, and propelling the ice particles toward the surface to be cleaned.

Abstract: An ice blasting cleaning system including an ice maker that creates ice particles, a hopper into which the ice particles enter, at least one mist nozzle that introduces a mist of water and air into the hopper, and a blasting gun that receives the ice particles and propels them toward the surface to be cleaned. In one embodiment, the ice maker includes a sizer that determines the size of the ice flakes produced. An ice blasting cleaning method includes the steps of creating ice particles that enter a hopper in which they are sprayed with mist and propelling the ice particles toward the surface to be cleaned.