a silly question...? Re: CO2

a silly question...?

this is a re-post from the 'sailboat' section.

any comments would be appreciated. please respond with your post to that section.

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If one is using dry ice as a refrigerant in one's 40 foot sailboat (and "one" is) ... what happens to the off-gased carbon dioxide?

Obviously the volume of DI being used would be a factor, but let's assume that the amount involved would fill two large coolers.

Is it a threat to the crew?

Should a CO2 monitor be installed?

Thanks.

 

Serious Response

This is not a silly question, but a seriousness problem. The CO2 given off by melting dry ice is heavier than air and it will tend to sink into the hull and displace oxygenated air. Having a CO2 sensor onboard is a good idea, however it should not be considered to provide sufficient security to allow the safe use on dry ice on a boat.

If you do not want to take my word for the potential danger, here are a few informative links that address the issue:
http://www.sailnet.com/collections/...oll_cat=Cabins&Coll_name=Cabins and Interiors
http://www.occc.com/abc/application-sub.htm
http://www.sciencedaily.com/encyclopedia/dry_ice
http://www.painenterprises.com/safetydryice.html
http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Dry ice

If you need to keep frozen food frozen and you can afford the cost, weight or power consumption of a refrigeration system, then I recommend using salt water ice. With the proper salt concentration, the freezing point can be lowered below 32 F, so it will keep your food frozen until all the salt water ice melts.

Regards;
Mike Schooley