Dry Ice Blasting Cleans Petroleum Rail Wagons Without Chemicals or Water

🚛 The Client: Tüpraş – Turkey’s Leading Refinery

Founded in 1972, Tüpraş is Turkey’s only refining company and the largest industrial organisation in the country. With four major refineries located in Kocaeli, Izmir, Kırıkkale, and Batman, the company processes over 28 million tonnes of crude oil annually, making it the 7th largest refinery operator in Europe.

Tüpraş relies on a large fleet of railway wagons to transport heavy petroleum products on a demanding and continuous schedule.

🧼 The Challenge: Clean 149 Rail Wagons for the First Time

Over the years, thick contamination and residue had accumulated on the company’s 149 petroleum transport wagons, which had never been cleaned in over a decade.

Tüpraş needed a cleaning solution that would:

• Comply with strict safety and environmental standards,
• Avoid the use of flammable or hazardous chemicals,
• Be effective in removing ten years of built-up petroleum sludge,
• And minimise downtime for the wagons.

Traditional cleaning methods, particularly those involving water, solvents, or abrasive blasting, posed fire risks within refinery zones and were ruled out.

❄️ The Solution: Cold Jet’s Dry Ice Blasting Technology

After trialling various methods, Tüpraş selected Cold Jet’s Aero 40FP dry ice blasting system. The decision was based on a successful pilot at their Izmit plant, which proved dry ice blasting could:

• Effectively remove petroleum buildup,
• Operate without water or chemicals,
• Leave no secondary waste, and
• Be used safely in hazardous environments.

Dry ice blasting works by accelerating dry ice pellets with compressed air. Upon impact, the dry ice sublimates instantly, lifting contaminants without damaging the underlying surface or leaving residue.

🛠️ The Execution: Large-Scale Industrial Cleaning

Tüpraş partnered with Akat Cevre, an industrial cleaning service provider, to carry out the project. The cleaning was performed at the Kırıkkale refinery using:

• 4 Aero 40FP units
• 2 custom scaffolds
• 13 technicians
• Operating two shifts, six days a week
• Over 230,000 kg of dry ice used in total

The entire project took six months to complete, during which all 149 wagons were deep cleaned for the first time in their service history.

✅ The Results: Cleaner Equipment, Safer Processes

Cold Jet’s dry ice cleaning solution delivered several key outcomes for Tüpraş:

✅No fire risk from chemicals or water

✅ Faster turnaround for returning wagons to service

✅ Reduced long-term maintenance on cleaned wagons

✅ Zero secondary waste

✅ Environmentally safe and EPA-compliant

By investing in dry ice cleaning, Tüpraş was able to restore full operational use of its wagons and align with both safety and sustainability goals.

♻️A Sustainable Cleaning Method for Petroleum Logistics

This case demonstrates how dry ice blasting is an ideal solution for routine railcar maintenance and heavy industrial cleaning. Not only does it reduce operational downtime, but it also supports a cleaner, safer refinery environment—a win for both productivity and the planet.