Long Lasting Dry Ice Pack: How to Keep Shipments Cold for Days

Shipping frozen goods isn’t just about throwing ice into a box—it’s about choosing the right refrigerant and packing it correctly so your products arrive safely. أ long lasting dry ice pack offers extreme cold without messy meltwater and can keep shipments frozen for days when used properly. In this comprehensive guide you’ll learn what makes dry ice packs so effective, how to select and handle them, and what innovations are shaping cold chain logistics in 2025. Whether you’re shipping seafood, vaccines or gourmet desserts, this article will help you maintain quality and reduce waste.

Understand why long lasting dry ice packs outperform traditional ice packs for frozen shipments.

Choose the right quantity and format of dry ice using easy formulas and tables.

Compare dry ice packs with gel packs and phasechange materials to pick the ideal cooling medium.

Follow safety and regulatory guidelines to avoid hazards and comply with UN 1845 متطلبات.

Explore 2025 الابتكارات in smart sensors, sustainable materials and AI-driven cold chain logistics.

Get answers to common questions about duration, reuse and carrier acceptance of dry ice packs.

What Makes a Long Lasting Dry Ice Pack So Effective for Shipping?

When your product must stay frozen from pickup to delivery, dry ice delivers reliable performance. الجليد الجاف هو الشكل الصلب من ثاني أكسيد الكربون and sublimates (يتحول مباشرة من الصلبة إلى الغاز) at −78.5 °C. This sublimation absorbs heat and maintains extremely low temperatures without leaving moisture. Traditional water ice melts around 0 °C and leaves condensation; gel packs freeze around −18 °C and leak liquid if punctured. الجليد الجاف, على النقيض من ذلك, produces no liquid, making it ideal for pharmaceuticals and electronics. It’s so cold, in fact, that it can burn skin if touched without gloves.

Sublimation and Cooling Capacity

When a long lasting dry ice pack begins to warm, هو - هي sublimates directly into carbon dioxide gas, امتصاص الحرارة من محيطها. Because there is no liquid phase, sensitive products remain dry. Dry ice maintains temperatures down to −78.5 °C—far colder than gel packs or water packs. The cooling power comes from the latent heat of sublimation: for every kilogram of dry ice that sublimates, roughly 571 kJ of heat is absorbed. This means a small amount of dry ice can provide considerable cooling capacity. في الممارسة العملية, 5-10 رطل (2.27–4.54 kg) of dry ice will keep a shipment frozen for roughly 24 ساعات. Doubling the weight roughly doubles the duration, although environmental factors, insulation and void space also play roles.

Advantages Over Traditional Ice

Traditional ice and gel packs serve chilled shipping but struggle with deep freeze temperatures. Dry ice packs offer several advantages:

From this comparison it’s clear that long lasting dry ice packs are best for shipments requiring deep freeze temperatures and zero moisture. Gel packs remain useful for chilled goods (2-8 درجة مئوية) or when regulations make dry ice impractical, but they can’t match the extreme cold and duration of dry ice packs.

RealWorld Example

Consider a gourmet ice cream company shipping premium pints nationwide. During summer the ice cream must remain below −20 °C for 48 ساعات. Using gel packs alone, the company experienced melting and product loss. Switching to long lasting dry ice packs improved outcomes: أ 10 lb shipment with 15 lb of dry ice maintained the required temperature for 72 ساعات, even when ambient temperatures exceeded 30 درجة مئوية. Customer complaints dropped, and shipping costs decreased because the company could use ground shipping instead of costly air freight.

Practical Tips and Suggestions

Select the correct format: Blocks of dry ice sublimate slowly, making them ideal for long trips. Pellets offer rapid cooling but vaporize faster. Sheets distribute CO₂ evenly and are easy to handle.

Avoid overcooling: If your product shouldn’t freeze (على سبيل المثال, certain pharmaceuticals), consider gel packs or phasechange materials instead. Dry ice may damage items not meant to be frozen.

Combine with highquality insulation: A welldesigned insulated box slows sublimation and extends hold times. Prechill containers to reduce thermal shock.

Minimize void space: Use filler materials or cut sheets to fit snugly around products. Empty gaps accelerate sublimation.

دراسة حالة: A biotech company shipped gene therapy samples requiring −60 °C storage. By combining customcut dry ice sheets with vacuum insulated panels, the company maintained target temperatures for 60 ساعات, reducing dry ice consumption by 30%. This efficiency saved shipping costs and minimized CO₂ emissions.

How to Choose the Right Long Lasting Dry Ice Pack for Different Shipments?

Selecting a long lasting dry ice pack isn’t onesizefitsall. Shipment weight, مدة العبور, ambient conditions and regulatory limits determine how much dry ice you need. Overusing dry ice wastes money and increases hazards; underusing it risks product loss. This section provides simple formulas, tables and guidelines to help you make informed decisions.

Estimating the Required Dry Ice Quantity

According to industry guidelines, the amount of dry ice needed is roughly proportional to product weight and transit time. ال cryogenic dry ice pack guide suggests 5-10 رطل (2.27–4.54 kg) من الجليد الجاف لكل 24 ساعات العبور. To calculate a baseline amount:

dry_ice_weight (رطل) = product_weight (رطل) × transit_days × 0.5

مثال: أ 10 lb shipment traveling for 3 days requires about 15 رطل من الثلج الجاف (10 رطل × 3 × 0.5). Adjust the result upward in hot weather or downward in cooler climates.

Dry Ice Quantity Table

The table below summarizes recommended dry ice amounts for typical shipment sizes and durations. These values include an extra safety margin for warm ambient temperatures.

Factors Affecting Dry Ice Requirements

Product Weight and Density: Heavier or highdensity products absorb more heat, requiring more dry ice.

مدة العبور: Longer journeys need more dry ice. Always plan for possible delays.

درجة الحرارة المحيطة: Shipments in hot climates or during summer need extra dry ice.

جودة العزل: Thick, highperformance insulated containers reduce the dry ice needed.

Package Design: Poorly designed containers allow too much heat in; precool containers and minimize void space.

Format and Packaging Considerations

Dry ice comes in various formats—blocks, الكريات, nuggets, slices and sheet packs. Large blocks sublimate slowly and are ideal for longdistance shipments. Pellets and nuggets provide rapid cooling but evaporate quickly and are best for short hauls or prechilling. أوراق are flexible pads filled with dry ice particles encased in breathable cells; they distribute cooling evenly and can be trimmed to fit any container.

نصيحة: For shipments requiring both rapid and sustained cooling, layer different formats—place pellets above the products for quick temperature drop and blocks below for extended duration.

Customizing Dry Ice Packs for Your Box

Long lasting dry ice packs can be cut and configured to fit oddly shaped containers. على سبيل المثال, a laboratory shipping irregularly sized diagnostic devices used customcut dry ice sheets that filled void spaces and maintained uniform temperatures, reducing sublimation loss by 15%. To replicate this:

Measure the internal dimensions of your insulated container.

Cut the dry ice sheet with a serrated knife while wearing insulated gloves and goggles.

Place products in the center and surround them with the dry ice sheet, ensuring vents are clear to allow CO₂ gas to escape.

RealWorld Example: A clinical trial site shipped biologic samples across a desert region. By tailoring dry ice sheets to the box interior and prechilling the container, they maintained samples below −40 °C for 48 hours while reducing dry ice weight by 20%. This saved shipping costs and simplified compliance documentation.

Comparing Long Lasting Dry Ice Packs with Gel Packs and PhaseChange Materials: وهو الأفضل?

Cold chain shippers often ask whether dry ice, gel packs or phasechange materials (PCMS) offer the best solution. Each refrigerant serves a distinct purpose. This section compares long lasting dry ice packs with alternatives so you can match the refrigerant to your shipment.

الجليد الجاف مقابل. حزم هلام

حزم هلام are flexible pouches filled with refrigerant designed to maintain refrigerated temperatures (2-8 درجة مئوية). They are best for 24–48 hour chilled shipments and are not heavily regulated. Advantages include lower cost per unit and ease of handling, but they can leak if punctured and are often nonrecyclable. حزم الثلج الجاف, على النقيض من ذلك, يسلم extremely low temperatures and longer duration. لكن, they are classified as hazardous material (و 1845) and require special handling and documentation.

When to choose dry ice:

Your product must remain frozen (below −20 °C) لأكثر من 24 ساعات, مثل الآيس كريم, frozen meat or temperaturesensitive biologics.

Moisture would damage the product (على سبيل المثال, الإلكترونيات, اللقاحات).

You can comply with regulations and have trained staff to handle hazardous materials.

When to choose gel packs:

Your product needs to stay cool but not frozen (2-8 درجة مئوية), such as dairy, cheese or certain pharmaceuticals.

Shipment durations are short (24-48 ساعة).

You want minimal regulatory requirements.

الجليد الجاف مقابل. PhaseChange Materials (PCMS)

Phasechange materials are engineered substances that maintain a specific temperature (على سبيل المثال, +5 °C or +20 درجة مئوية) during melting and solidifying. They are used for sensitive biologics requiring narrow temperature bands. PCMs deliver predictable temperatures with less risk of freezing or overheating but are more expensive and require preconditioning at target temperatures. Dry ice remains unmatched for ultracold conditions but lacks the precision of PCMs.

When to choose PCMs:

You need a precise temperature range—for example, +2 درجة مئوية إلى +8 °C for clinical samples, أو +15 درجة مئوية إلى +25 °C for chemical reagents.

Your shipment will travel through climates that could freeze or overheat your product; PCMs buffer against extremes.

Hybrid solutions: Many companies layer dry ice with gel packs or PCMs. على سبيل المثال, you might place dry ice at the bottom to maintain freezing while using a PCM panel above to prevent supercooling of temperaturesensitive products. Improved insulation technologies, such as vacuum panels, further reduce the amount of dry ice needed.

Summary Comparison Table

RealWorld Scenario

A meal kit company ships dinners across the country. For fresh ingredients, it uses gel packs because the kits need to stay between 2 °C and 8 °C and must not freeze. For frozen components like ice cream addons, the company inserts a long lasting dry ice pack at the bottom and places gel packs on top. This hybrid approach maintains ideal temperatures across compartments and meets regulatory guidelines.

Best Practices for Using Long Lasting Dry Ice Packs: أمان, Packing and Regulation

While dry ice packs deliver exceptional cooling, they come with hazards and regulatory obligations. Dry ice can burn skin, release large volumes of carbon dioxide gas and cause pressure buildup if sealed improperly. علاوة على ذلك, dry ice is classified as a hazardous material (و 1845) and must be shipped according to specific guidelines. Following best practices protects both your staff and your products.

إرشادات السلامة

ارتداء معدات الحماية: Dry ice’s extreme cold can cause frostbite. Always use insulated gloves and safety goggles when handling dry ice.

Ensure adequate ventilation: CO₂ gas can displace oxygen in confined spaces and pose asphyxiation risks. Handle dry ice in ventilated areas and avoid placing it in airtight fridges or freezers.

Use ventilated containers: Packages must allow CO₂ gas to escape to prevent pressure buildup. Never seal dry ice in plastic bags or airtight coolers.

Avoid direct ingestion: Dry ice can cause internal injuries if swallowed. Keep it away from children and pets.

Educate personnel: Provide training on proper handling, emergency response and disposal.

Dispose of dry ice safely: Allow dry ice to sublimate in a wellventilated area. Never dispose of it in sinks or drains, as extreme cold can damage plumbing.

متطلبات التعبئة والتغليف ووضع العلامات

Shipping dry ice requires compliance with regulations set by agencies such as the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the U.S. وزارة النقل (نقطة). Key requirements include:

Vent for CO₂ release: Packaging must allow venting of carbon dioxide gas.

Use strong containers: Choose fiberboard, plastic or wooden boxes that can withstand pressure changes and temperature fluctuations. Avoid plastics that become brittle at low temperatures.

Mark packages clearly: Label boxes with the proper shipping name “Dry Ice, 9, UN 1845,” the names and addresses of the shipper and consignee, and the net weight of dry ice in kilograms.

Apply hazard labels: Place a Class 9 hazard label on two sides of the package.

Observe quantity limits: Maximum dry ice per package is typically 200 كجم للشحنات الجوية; carriers may impose additional restrictions.

التوثيق: للشحنات الجوية, include a note on the air waybill stating the presence and weight of dry ice. When shipping dry ice with dangerous goods, include a shipper’s declaration.

Packing Process

Precondition containers: Chill insulated boxes or shippers before adding dry ice to reduce initial sublimation.

Layer correctly: Place dry ice above the product so cold air can sink and envelop the shipment. If using multiple formats, place pellets or sheets near the product and blocks further away.

Secure the payload: Use cardboard inserts or foam spacers to prevent movement as dry ice sublimates.

Leave vents open: Do not tape or seal vent holes in insulated containers.

Check carrier policies: Not all carriers accept dry ice; verify guidelines with FedEx, DHL or other providers.

مثال: A seafood exporter shipping frozen salmon to Asia packs the fish in polystyrene boxes with vents, inserts 33 lb of dry ice for a 48hour journey and labels the box with UN 1845 والوزن الصافي. The company includes an air waybill noting the presence of dry ice and uses a data logger to record temperatures. The shipment arrives fully frozen, and regulators approve the documentation.

Innovations Shaping Long Lasting Dry Ice Packs in 2025

صناعة سلسلة التبريد تتطور بسرعة. Innovations in materials, sensors and packaging are improving safety, الكفاءة والاستدامة. Here’s what’s new in 2025.

Sustainable Materials and Recycling

Manufacturers are investing in plantbased foams, recycled polyester and biodegradable fabrics for dry ice pack shells. These eco-friendly materials reduce waste and appeal to environmentally conscious consumers. عبوات ثلج جافة قابلة لإعادة الاستخدام also minimize singleuse plastic waste and offer long-term cost savings.

Growth of Insulated Shipping Boxes

Demand for temperaturecontrolled packaging is booming. ال insulated shipping boxes market is expected to grow from USD 3.8 مليار في 2025 إلى USD 8.5 مليار من قبل 2035, و 8.5 % معدل النمو السنوي المركب. This growth is driven by sectors such as food, pharmaceuticals and ecommerce that require durable, reusable and sustainable packaging solutions. Vacuum insulated panels and shockresistant designs improve thermal performance and reduce the dry ice needed.

Smart Sensors and IoT Monitoring

Cold chain operators are deploying IoT-enabled sensors and RFID tags that provide realtime temperature and humidity data. These sensors alert shippers when temperatures deviate from the required range, enabling corrective action. Some dry ice pack manufacturers embed builtin temperature indicators that change color if the pack warms above a set threshold. AI algorithms analyze sensor data to optimize dry ice quantity and adjust packing based on predicted environmental conditions.

Automation and Customization

Advances in manufacturing enable automated filling and precise dosing of dry ice into pack sheets. Customizable sizes and shapes allow companies to match dry ice packs to specific containers, reducing void space and improving efficiency. Augmented reality training tools simulate dry ice handling scenarios, increasing employee awareness of hazards.

AI Integration and Sustainability Initiatives

Looking beyond 2025, AI will optimize dry ice usage, ensuring shipments contain the ideal amount of cooling material based on realtime data. Manufacturers are exploring methods to reduce the carbon footprint of dry ice production and to recover CO₂ for reuse. Combining renewable energy for CO₂ capture with automated production could make dry ice more sustainable and affordable.

2025 Latest Developments and Trends

The long lasting dry ice pack industry is at the intersection of technology, sustainability and market demand. Here are some notable trends:

CO₂ supply constraints and market growth: Dry ice demand is increasing about 5 % per year, but CO₂ supply has grown only 0.5 % سنويا, causing periodic shortages and price volatility. رغم هذا, ال global dry ice market is projected to rise from USD 1.54 مليار في 2024 إلى USD 2.73 مليار من قبل 2032.

Hybrid cooling solutions: Shippers are layering dry ice with gel packs and PCMs to reduce reliance on dry ice during supply crunches, improving sustainability. Improved insulation and vacuum panels further reduce dry ice usage.

Sectorspecific innovations: Meat processors are using thinner dry ice slices and pellets for rapid cooling; pharmaceutical companies are adopting barrier technologies to prevent supercooling and integrating realtime monitoring. Industrial users are investing in local pelletizing equipment to ensure supply.

Regulatory focus on sustainability: Governments and carriers are tightening rules on waste and emissions. Carriers may limit dry ice shipments, pushing companies toward reusable and ecofriendly alternatives.

Market expansion of reusable dry ice packs: Businesses are adopting reusable dry ice packs for cost savings and environmental benefits. New designs offer longer cooling duration (حتى 72 ساعات) and durability for multiple cycles.

الأسئلة المتداولة

سؤال 1: How long does a long lasting dry ice pack keep items frozen?
A wellpacked long lasting dry ice pack can maintain freezing temperatures for 24 ل 72 ساعات, depending on the amount of dry ice, insulation quality, ambient conditions and container design. Follow the table above to estimate your needs and always include a safety margin.

سؤال 2: Can I reuse a dry ice pack?
Most dry ice packs are singleuse because once the dry ice sublimates, the pack loses its cooling power. لكن, reusable versions exist where you can refill the pack with dry ice or use durable shells designed for multiple cycles.

سؤال 3: Is shipping with dry ice allowed on all carriers?
لا. FedEx and DHL accept dry ice shipments, but some carriers, such as UPS or the U.S. Postal Service, have restrictive policies. Always check carrier guidelines before shipping and ensure you comply with labeling and documentation requirements.

سؤال 4: How do I prevent product movement as dry ice sublimates?
Use cardboard inserts or foam spacers to secure items inside the container. As dry ice diminishes, the internal volume changes, so securing your payload prevents damage.

سؤال 5: What should I do with leftover dry ice?
Let dry ice sublimate in a wellventilated area; never dispose of it in trash bins, المصارف أو المراحيض. Do not use hot water to accelerate sublimation, as rapid gas release can cause frostbite or pressure buildup.

ملخص وتوصيات

ملخص: A long lasting dry ice pack is a powerful tool for maintaining ultralow temperatures without moisture, making it ideal for frozen shipments. Dry ice sublimates directly into gas, absorbing heat and delivering cooling capacity far beyond traditional ice or gel packs. Properly sizing the dry ice pack to your shipment and using highquality insulation ensures hold times of 24 ل 72 ساعات. لكن, dry ice is a hazardous material (و 1845) and requires careful handling, vented packaging and compliance with labeling requirements. Innovations in sustainable materials, IoT monitoring and automation are making dry ice packs safer and more efficient.

الخطوات التالية القابلة للتنفيذ:

تقييم احتياجات الشحن الخاصة بك: Determine whether your products require frozen (−20 °C) أو باردة (2-8 درجة مئوية) conditions and select the appropriate refrigerant.

Calculate dry ice quantity: Use the formula and table provided to estimate the amount of dry ice needed and adjust for transit time and ambient conditions.

Invest in quality insulation: Choose insulated boxes with low thermal conductivity and prechill them to prolong the life of your dry ice.

Comply with regulations: Train staff on hazardous material handling, ensure packages vent properly and include required markings and documents.

Explore innovations: Consider using reusable dry ice packs with smart sensors for realtime monitoring and sustainability benefits.

Stay informed: Monitor market trends and supply constraints to adjust your logistics strategies as demand and regulations evolve.

حول Tempk

في Tempk, we specialize in advanced cold chain solutions that help you deliver perishable goods safely and sustainably. ملكنا long lasting dry ice packs are engineered to maintain ultralow temperatures for up to 72 hours while using ecofriendly materials and smart sensor options. We also offer reusable options to reduce waste and operational costs. With decades of experience in cold chain logistics and a commitment to innovation, we support clients in food, الأدوية, and biotech industries worldwide. Contact us to learn how our solutions can optimize your shipments.

دعوة إلى العمل: Ready to enhance your cold chain? Reach out to our experts today for personalized recommendations on long lasting dry ice packs and other cooling solutions.