How to Keep Dry Ice Fogging
Halloween is approaching! Learn how to keep the fog effect going longer through the blog below.
Halloween is that time of year when dry ice comes out in all its theatrical glory. The spooky aura of Halloween calls for some equally spooky fog to complete the look for your Halloween decorations. Whether you are hosting an indoor Halloween party or are transforming your front yard into the haunted house of a mad scientist, dry ice is your answer. Before you run away with imagining your theatrical effects, one must also consider the technicalities. Below we’ll look at the question of how to keep dry ice fogging.
Materials
To begin, gather your materials. You will need three items: dry ice, hot water, and a container of your choice. To determine how much dry ice you need, you’ll need to think in terms of pounds of dry ice and how many hours your festivities will last. Dry ice, which is frozen carbon dioxide, sublimates at about 5-10 pounds every 24 hours when left in an insulated cooler. For the best fogging results, you’ll want to buy dry ice pellets. If you buy a block of dry ice, you can break it into smaller pieces. As for why the water must be hot for the fogging to work and what type of container might be best to use, read on for further discussion.
Method
The best way to keep dry ice fogging for the longest amount of time is still somewhat a matter of trial and error. However, some have discovered methods to do just this. One method is to use a pound of dry ice for every half-gallon of hot water. Another version is to add one cup of dry ice to every gallon of hot water. You can experiment a bit to find a happy medium.
The reason you’ll want to use hot water instead of cold water is that sublimation will happen a lot more when the temperature between the dry ice and the water is greater. Cold water is still warmer than dry ice (-109.3 degrees F,) but it will produce less fog than hot water would. Even so, hot water will cause the dry ice to dissipate faster than the cold water, so you will need to re-add both dry ice and hot water to the concoction more frequently.
Presentation
As for presentation, the dark, night sky is your limit for what you can do. To make the fog flow further, aim a fan on a low setting behind the sublimating dry ice. This carbon dioxide fog is heavy, and can make a convincing ground-covering mist. Another way of utilizing this vaporous element is to place the water and dry ice in a bowl inside a cauldron or jack-o-lantern.
Dry Ice For All Your Needs
Dry Ice Corp is the largest regional supplier of dry ice and related products in the Northeastern United States. Our dry ice is fresh and delivered right to your doorstep. We are happy to help you determine the best way to ship your goods, whether you have a huge amount of cookies or a single pie, and help you select the perfect amount of dry ice for the job. Give us a call at (201) 767-3200 or contact us online for a quote. To connect with us online, be sure to follow us on Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, and Twitter.
