| Chemicals |
|
Liquid carbon dioxide is a good solvent with the advantage of being dry,
therefore not damaging to water-sensitive materials or forming difficult-to-separate
aqueous solutions. Dissolved in water, carbon dioxide can be used as a substitute
for mineral acids. |
| Beverage packaging |
|
Carbon dioxide is injected into chilled beverages in a high-pressure ‘mixing bowl’
prior to packaging in cans or bottles. When the pressure is released by opening
the container, the beverage fizzes as dissolved carbon dioxide comes out of solution. |
| Beverage dispensing |
|
Carbon dioixde is used to carbonate beer, lager and soft drinks by dissolving the
gas into the drink prior to dispensing. |
| Electronics |
|
Carbon dioxide has a number of uses in this field including particle removal and wafer cleaning. |
| Fire extinguishers |
|
Carbon dioxide extinquishes flames by a combination of cooling and exclusion of air
from fires. Large in-situ fire extinguishing systems are fed by liquid carbon dioxide. |
| Foamed plastics |
|
Carbon dioxide is dissolved in pressurised molten plastic. When the pressure is released,
the gas comes out of solution, forming small bubbles that create the foam. |
| Fog machines |
|
Carbon dioxide is used to produce special effects for film and TV. |
| Food chilling |
|
Liquid carbon dioxide is especially suited to blender chilling applications and flour
chilling in pneumatic conveyors. |
| Food processing |
|
Certain components can be extracted from food by immersing them in liquid carbon dioxide.
An example is the extraction of flavouring agents from hops in the brewing industry. |
| Medical |
|
The presence of carbon dioxide in a respired atmosphere stimulates deeper and faster breathing.
This phenomenon is utilised in both the treatment of human and respiratory problems
and in the euthanasia of animals and insects. |
| Metals |
|
Carbon dioxide can be used in the hardening of cores used in foundry sand moulding techniques. |
| pH control/swimming pools |
|
Carbon dioxide can be used to reduce the pH of aqueous solutions. Carbon dioxide is safer to
handle than mineral acids and is self-buffering so does not allow over-acidification.
A common application is pH control of swimming pools. |
