If you ship frozen goods, dry ice pouches help you stay compliant, sauber, and consistently cold. They contain pellets or blocks while letting CO₂ escape, so your product stays frozen and handlers stay safe. This guide shows how to size, Pack, Etikett (UN1845), and choose alternatives for 24–72 hour lanes in 2025.
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When to use dry ice pouches for frozen lanes and how they differ from gel and PCM pouches
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How many dry ice pouches you really need for 24–72 hours without overpaying
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How to label and vent correctly under UN1845 and IATA PI 954 In 2025
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When to pick gel or PCM instead to avoid hazmat steps on chilled routes
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Trends for 2025 that affect materials, acceptance checklists, und Nachhaltigkeit
What are dry ice pouches and when should you use them?
Kurze Antwort: Dry ice pouches are vented, tear‑resistant bags or sleeves that hold solid CO₂ inside an insulated shipper so gas can escape while your goods stay frozen. Use them when you need multi‑day frozen control (≤ −18 °C), safer handling, and tidier packouts than loose pellets.
In practice: The pouch separates refrigerant from product, reduces mess, and improves placement around the payload. Some teams also use insulated “thermal pouches” with gel or dry ice to extend hold time in mailers and totes. Always confirm that the “pouch” you buy is meant to contain Trockeneis and not the product.
Dry ice pouches vs. gel packs vs. PCM pouches
Fazit: Dry ice pouches deliver ultra‑cold headroom; gel and PCM hold narrower, warmer ranges with simpler booking. Dry ice sits near −78.5 °C, while typical gel hovers around 0–5 °C and PCM bricks can target −20 °C or +5 °C as needed. Use dry ice pouches for deep‑frozen lanes and hot routes.
| Refrigerant Option | Typical Range | Best For | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry ice pouches | ~ −78.5 °C | 24–96 h frozen | Requires venting and UN1845/Class 9 by air; highest cooling capacity. |
| PCM pouches (Z.B., −20 °C or +5 °C) | −25 °C to +7 °C | 12–36 h frozen or chilled | Tighter control without DG paperwork on many services. |
| Gelpackungen | 0–5 °C | Overnight chilled | Easy, wiederverwendbar, but not for long frozen holds. |
Practical tips when you’re new to dry ice pouches
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Never seal CO₂ in. Use porous or vent‑path pouches; never heat‑seal the bag.
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Pre‑condition. Hard‑freeze product and pre‑cool the shipper to reduce early load.
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Distribute mass. Several smaller pouches around the payload beat one big brick.
Real‑world snapshot: A bakery shipping ice‑cream cakes switched from loose pellets to dry ice pouches and cut cleanup while keeping hold time steady by controlling total kilograms and vent paths.
How many dry ice pouches do you need for 24–72 hours?
Schnelle Regel: Start with ~2.5–5 kg per 24 H for a 10–15 L shipper in warm weather, then tune by lane test. Split across 2–4 dry ice pouches to increase cold surface area and stability.
Why it works: Dry ice absorbs a large amount of heat as it sublimates; planning by surface area and ambient, not just liters, yields more reliable results.
| Dauer | Mild (≤22 °C) | Warm (23–30 °C) | Heiß (≥31 °C) | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 H | 1–2 kg | 2–3 kg | 3–4 kg | 1–2 dry ice pouches per 12 L shipper. |
| 24 H | 2.5–4 kg | 4–6 kg | 6–7 kg | Add side pouches to boost surface area. |
| 48 H | 5–7 kg | 7–10 kg | 10–12 kg | Upgrade insulation or pouch count. |
| 72 H | 7–9 kg | 10–13 kg | 13–16 kg | Validate in peak‑summer conditions. |
Placement and venting for dry ice pouches
Place dry ice pouches at the bottom and sides, center the payload, then top with another pouch. Keep liners open and the outer box vent‑capable; avoid fully taped seams or airtight coolers. Mark net dry ice mass in kilograms.
Practical, user‑ready tips
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Hot lane? Add a thin −20 °C PCM next to the product; push dry ice pouches outward.
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Mixed SKUs? Separate with a rigid inner to prevent crushing and cold spots.
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Receiving notes. Include a slip noting “packaged with dry ice” and the net kilograms.
Case in brief: Two 2.5 kg dry ice pouches plus a thin −20 °C PCM held a 48‑hour ice‑cream shipment under −18 °C despite a 2‑hour depot delay.
Welche 2025 rules apply to dry ice pouches, and how do you pass acceptance?
Core rule for air: Markieren “Dry ice” or “Carbon dioxide, solide,” UN1845 und die net dry ice weight (kg) on the same face as the Class 9 Etikett. Packaging and pouches must Entlüftung. Shipper’s Declaration is often not required when used with non‑DG goods, but acceptance checklists still apply.
Passenger vs. Ladung: Baggage typically caps dry ice at 2.5 kg per passenger with airline approval and vented packaging; cargo follows PI 954 and operator variations. Treat passenger carriage as a different regime.
Fast compliance checklist for dry ice pouches (copy/paste to SOP)
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Use purpose‑built dry ice pouches; do not seal CO₂ in plastic.
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Keep liners open; ensure the outer is vent‑capable.
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Markieren UN1845, proper name, Und Netz kg; apply Class 9 Etikett.
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Book a service that accepts dry ice; add AWB details as required.
Dry ice pouches or alternatives: which fits your lane?
Pick dry ice pouches when you must keep product frozen end‑to‑end, transit exceeds 36 Std., or ambient peaks above 30 °C. Pick PCM pouches for tight bands (−20 °C or +5 °C) without DG paperwork. Pick gel for day‑of or overnight chilled deliveries.
Two‑minute lane check (self‑assessment)
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Must the payload stay frozen solid?
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Will transit exceed 36 hours door‑to‑door?
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Will ambient exceed 30 °C on route?
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Does your carrier accept UN1845 on your service?
If you checked 3+ boxes, design around dry ice pouches; otherwise trial a PCM‑first packout.
2025 developments and trends for dry ice pouches
What’s new: Operators refreshed acceptance job aids to emphasize venting, label size, and net‑kg visibility. Packaging vendors expanded paper‑based “dry ice bags” and insulated thermal pouches; compostable gels are maturing as short‑haul alternatives when dry ice is limited.
Latest at a glance
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Clear “no sealed plastic” guidance in acceptance checklists reduces rejection risk.
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Eco‑pouch options cut waste while improving moisture control inside boxes.
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Dual‑strategy shippers win: dry ice pouches for hot interstate routes, PCM pouches for short, regulated lanes.
Market insight: Growth in frozen e‑grocery and biologics is pushing mixed refrigerant strategies and better insulation, with validated packout geometry shown to matter as much as total kilograms.
Frequently Asked Questions about dry ice pouches
Q1: Are dry ice pouches the same as vacuum‑sealed ice bags?
NEIN. Dry ice pouches must vent gas to be safe and compliant; vacuum‑sealing CO₂ is unsafe.
Q2: Can I put dry ice pouches inside a poly liner?
Yes—keep the liner open so CO₂ can escape; the outer package must also vent.
Q3: How much dry ice do I need for 48 Std.?
Planen ~5–9 kg for a small cooler in warm weather, split across multiple pouches. Validate on your lane.
Q4: What labels go on a box with dry ice pouches?
Apply UN1845, the proper name, net kilograms, und a Klasse 9 label on the same face.
Q5: Do dry ice pouches work for food shipments?
Ja. They prevent direct contact with pellets and reduce mess, ideal for dry ice pack for shipping food scenarios. Use vented packaging and gloves.
Summary and recommendations for dry ice pouches
Erinnern: Dry ice pouches make frozen shipping cleaner and safer by containing pellets while allowing CO₂ to vent. Pass acceptance by marking UN1845 with net kilograms and using vent‑capable outers. Size by route, ambient, and surface area rather than liters alone.
Nächste Schritte: Map your lane time and ambient, start at 2.5–5 kg per 24 H, split across multiple dry ice pouches, and run one trial. Standardize your SOP and labels, then adjust ±1 kg based on data.
Über Tempk
We help food, Pharma, and biotech teams choose validated shippers, Größe dry ice pouches or PCMs accurately, and translate 2025 acceptance rules into easy checklists. Our edge is practical calculators, real lane testing, and fast‑to‑pack SOPs that reduce claims and cost.
CTA: Share your box size, lane, and target temps—get a free, lane‑specific packout and label kit today.
