Dry ice question -- transporting in a cooler

[milovany]

So we'll probably try the dry ice solution for the blackberry dilemma (previous thread).  I just read this on dryiceinfo.com and have a question about it:

 

PICK-UP TIME AND TRANSPORTING
Plan to pick up the Dry Ice as close to the time it is needed as possible. It sublimates at 10%, or 5 to 10 pounds every 24 hours, whichever is greater. Carry it in a well-insulated container such as an ice chest. If it is transported inside a car or van for more than 15 minutes make sure there is fresh air. After 15 minutes with Dry Ice only in its paper bag in the passenger seat next to me, I started to breathe faster and faster as though I were running a race. I couldn't figure out why I was so out of breath until I saw the car air system was set in the re-circulated position, not fresh outside air.

 

Does it mean that if transporting in a vehicle outside a cooler to make sure the van is well-ventilated?  But it is safe to have the dry ice inside the cooler in the van without the windows down all the time?  Or even in the cooler should the windows be down?  (I kind of can't imagine having the windows down the entire 4+ hour drive home, so may have to come up with a different option if that's what this means).

 

Thanks for any info!

Signed,

A dry ice newbie

[lailasmum]

It's just that you need that level of ventilation because of the the carbon dioxide it lets off. I know here you wouldn't allowed to drive away with it in a car or the boot of a hatchback car. You need a open backed trailer or a car with a separate area like some that have an enclosed trunk separate from the main car. You'd need high ventilation the entire time. No way around it, it's just too dangerous no to.I know we have a travel coolbox that you plug into the car that has a habit of freezing anything we put in it, it's too good at it's job, they're not all that expensive and would probably do a good job at keeping something frozen  if you also added some insulation and had air con on.

[Annie G]

If you're running your air conditioner, you're drawing outside air.  (Unless you have an old van with a 'max air' setting, which recirculates inside air)   Drawing outside air means that some of the inside air has to leave- usually be vents designed for that purpose. Otherwise, you'd be just filling your car with more air and the pressure would be sky-high. 

 

Don't use the max air setting if you have it.  Don't buy way more dry ice than you need. But other than that, I really think you'll be fine. 

 

I find the claim that in 15 minutes the guy was already having difficulty breathing a little hard to believe.   

 

We've made trips with dry ice in a hatchback and been just fine.  We have a trunk in our vehicle now so that's what we use, but we've done this for a long time in our hatchback. But we drive Chevys- not airtight  at all!  

 

Four hours is a very short ride. In a cooler, you're not going to have much sublimation.  And you need very little dry ice to keep your fruit frozen for four hours. I'm guessing one or two pounds. Really, not a concern.  

[City Mouse]

Because the grocery store is so far away, we use dry ice frequently in warmer months. It just gets dumped in with the frozen food in the bag and then we stick it in a cooler.

Last month, a friend brought us to gallons of Blue Bell ice cream that was on dry ice in the back of her van for three hours. Oh how I miss Blue Bell.

We have never had any problems.

And playing with the dry ice when you are done can be a lot of fun (and a good science lesson)

This friend did mention that one time she dropped some dry ice in her fish tank to watch it bubble and fog. bad idea! All her fis died due to lack of oxygen.

[Tap]

You wouldn't have to drive with the windows down the entire time, just periodically, maybe every 10 minutes or so, roll one down for a minute to replace all the air and roll it back up. 

 

If you have a moon roof, leaving it open a smidge would be fine, or just turn your air vent on recirculate while you are driving.  Pay extra attention to getting drowsy. If you start to get tired at all when you are driving, roll the windows down to replace the air. 

[Kerileanne99]

Yeah, really for that amount and that distance you will be fine. Especially in a cooler...although of course you don't put dry ice in an airtight container. Regular coolers will be fine.

Do bring in air periodically by putting down the windows for a minute or so. CO2 is heavier than air so having the windows open for a minute will really help to circulate fresh air.

[milovany]

Thanks all!

[KatieJ]

We did a 700 mile road trip with lots of meat products on dry ice in the back of our suburban. There was way too much to have it all in a cooler, so it was packed in card board boxes and then under blankets.  It was summertime so we would have had the a/c on the whole trip. We were all fine.