We are familiar with some of the traditional uses of carbon dioxide (CO2)such as putting the fizz in soft drinks, use in breweries, food freezing/chilling applications etc. Most of the recent growth in CO2 uses has come from the need for higher quality products, cleaner and faster work processes and from the ability of science and engineering to handle and manipulate the states of CO2.
But just when you think you have heard it all, someone comes up with yet another use for CO2. The fact CO2 can be made commercially available in its 3 physical states of gas, liquid and solid helps create applications for this versatile compound. gasworld explored some of the latest uses for CO2 within our industry.
Fumigation
Vermin are increasingly being spotted on board aircraft but cant be found and removed by conventional methods, the entire aircraft can be gassed or fumigated with CO2 to ensure 100% eradication. A recent Swiss case was where a passenger lost a snake on an Airbus A320 and the whole plane was fumigated for 12 hours with 3,500kg of CO2.
Food Preparation
Mass catering and delivering them safely in the right condition has been made easier with CO2. A novel Cook and Chill process using liquid CO2 has streamlined food preparation for hospitals in Germany. Patients meals are prepared in advance as normal and placed in special storage trolleys the tops of which are then filled with liquid CO2 in the kitchens. This allows the food to be held and where required transported perfectly at a maximum of +5C until a preset time is reached when the food is heated and served.
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