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Dry Ice Pack Sheet Dimensions Explained – 7”×13” & Other Sizes

Dry ice pack sheets are flexible blankets filled with high purity carbon dioxide pellets that freeze to – 78 °C and then gradually sublimate, releasing cold gas to keep products frozen. These sheets are constructed from polyethylene film and non woven cloth and remain pliable down to about – 60 °C. The dimensions of each sheet influence how well it lines a cooler, how many cells it holds and how long it keeps contents frozen. Typical commercial sheets measure between 13 × 14 polegadas e 18 × 20 polegadas, while consumer sized sheets for lunch boxes often measure around 7 × 13 polegadas and contain about 12 células. Choosing the right size sheet helps you balance cold time, weight and cost.

Dry ice pack sheets

Common sheet sizes and cell counts – including 7”×13” consumer sheets and larger 18”×20” professional blankets

How to calculate how many sheets you need using a simple sizing formula and product weight

Differences between sheets, blocos, pellets and gel packs so you can pick the best refrigerant

Safety and labeling rules when shipping with dry ice, drawn from 2025 regulamentos

Emerging trends for 2025–2030, including sustainable materials and onsite sheet presses

Why do dry ice pack sheet dimensions matter?

They affect how the sheet fits your cooler

Dry ice pack sheets must conform to the walls of your container. Lençóis grandes (por exemplo, 13 × 14 inches to 18 × 20 polegadas) line bigger insulated boxes and can wrap around multiple sides, forming a cold blanket. Menor 7 × 13 inch sheets are ideal for lunch bags or small parcel shipments. Quando congelado, these flexible blankets bend without cracking, enabling them to fill voids and provide even thermal coverage. A sheet’s length and width also dictate its cell count, which usually ranges from 12 para 24 células, and each cell contains a small amount of CO₂ pellets.

They determine how long the sheet stays cold

A larger surface area allows more CO₂ pellets per sheet. Market averages show each dryice sheet contains 0.8 - 1.4 libras of CO₂. Because the sublimation rate is around 5 - 6 pounds per 24 horas, bigger sheets with more CO₂ last longer than small pads. Por exemplo, um 13 × 14 inch sheet may keep frozen food solid for about 24–48 hours at 25 °C. Por outro lado, um 7 × 13 inch sheet might offer about 12–24 hours of cold time and is best used with other refrigerants or in combination with gel packs.

They influence shipping weight and cost

Dryice pack sheets are lighter than blocks or loose pellets. Because they lie flat and cover the cavity walls, they reduce dimensional weight charges by 20–35 percent compared with bulk dry ice. No entanto, adding more sheets increases net CO₂ weight. Each sheet weighing roughly 1 pound means that ten sheets raise the package weight by about 10 libras. Carriers like FedEx limit dry ice to 200 kg (≈440 lb) por pacote, so sizing decisions directly affect how many parcels you need.

How to calculate the number of sheets you need

Use o 2025 sheet sizing formula

A straightforward formula helps you determine how many dry ice pack sheets are required:

Sheets needed=product weight (Libra)×0.45×transit dayssheet weight (Libra)\texto{Sheets needed} = \frac{\texto{product weight (Libra)} \vezes 0.45 \times \text{transit days}}{\texto{sheet weight (Libra)}}Sheets needed=sheet weight (Libra)product weight (Libra)×0.45×transit days​

O 0.45 factor reflects the efficiency of dry ice pack sheets and the typical sublimation rate. Sheet weight defaults to one pound because most commercial sheets hold around 0.8–1.4 pounds of CO₂.

Exemplo: If you ship 15 libras of ice cream over two days, multiply 15 lb × 0.45 × 2 days = 13.5 libras de gelo seco. Dividing by a 1 pound sheet weight yields roughly 14 folhas. Use a larger sheet size (por exemplo, 13 × 14 inch, 24 células) for large coolers or two smaller 7 × 13 inch sheets for small boxes.

Account for ambient temperature and insulation

The formula assumes an ambient temperature around 25 °C and moderate insulation. Warmer weather, poor insulation or shipping delays may require extra sheets. Enhancing insulation with vacuum insulated panels (VIP) can cut the number of sheets by sobre 40 percent. Por outro lado, shipping sensitive pharmaceuticals may demand a safety margin because temperature spikes can damage them. Always prechill the product and container to reduce initial thermal load.

Consider sheet flexibility and cutting

Some manufacturers design sheets with perforations so that you can cut between cells. TechniIce sheets, por exemplo, comprise 24 cells per sheet and measure 25 centímetros × 39 cm (≈20 × 13½ inches). The cells can be separated to fit any cooler shape. Se você precisar de um 7 × 13 inch pad, you can cut a 13 × 14 inch sheet into smaller segments. Always cut along sealed edges to prevent CO₂ pellet loss.

Sheet dimension & modelo Typical cells Approx. CO₂ weight Practical benefits
7 × 13 polegadas (consumidor) 12 células ≈0.8 lb Fits lunch boxes, small packages and can be stacked easily.
13 × 14 polegadas (standard) 24 células ≈1.0–1.2 lb Lines medium coolers and mealkit boxes; can be cut down.
18 × 20 polegadas (industrial) 36 cells or more ≈1.4 lb Suited for large shipments; provides longer cold times per sheet.
25 centímetros × 39 cm (TechniIce HDR) 24 células ≈800–900 g Multiply sheet stays frozen longer and can be cut to size.

Practical tips for your shipment

Measure your container: Determine interior length, width and height. Select a sheet size that covers at least two sides. Por um 10 liter cooler, one 13 × 14 inch sheet per 7 liters offers optimal coverage.

Pre freeze for 24 horas: Dry ice sheets freeze faster than blocks but still require time. Techni Ice recommends freezing for at least 24 hours at –18 °C for maximum performance.

Ventive seu contêiner: Never seal a cooler airtight; Co₂ deve desabafar. FedEx warns that sealed packaging can rupture because dry ice releases gas. Use fiberboard or plastic boxes with vent holes.

Real world example: A meal kit company shipping 10 pounds of frozen meals on a two day route used fourteen 13 × 14 inch dry ice sheets (aprox. 14 libras) according to the sizing formula. By upgrading to vacuum insulated panels and repositioning the dry ice sheets along the container walls, the firm reduced usage to eight sheets and cut shipping costs by 25 percent.

Dry ice pack sheets vs blocks, pellets and gel packs

Dry ice can be supplied in sheets, blocks or pellets. Each form has advantages for different coldchain applications.

Temperature range and hold time

Dry ice sheets, blocks and pellets share the same temperature range (–78 °C to –20 °C). No entanto, sheets hold temperature for 24–48 hours, sobre 20 percent longer than blocks or pellets. Pacotes de gel, por contraste, maintain 0–5 ° C. for chilled shipping. Because sheets have a large surface area and line the product, they provide more uniform cooling and slower sublimation.

Flexibility and ideal use cases

Folhas: Highly flexible and can be cut to fit odd shapes. Melhor para comida congelada, pharmaceuticals and biologics that require uniform cold for 48 horas.

Blocos: Rígido, heavy and best used as a cold sink at the top of a load. They last 18–30 hours.

Pellets: Flowable, making them ideal for short air legs and quickfill applications. Sublimation rate similar to blocks.

Pacotes de gel: Contain waterbased gel and keep items chilled (não congelado). Hold time ranges 12–36 horas.

Para a ponta: Combine a single block on top of your load with dryice sheets along the sides. This hybrid approach extends run time by em volta 12 percent without adding much weight.

Step by step: packing with dry ice sheets

Pre chill your product – Freezing or chilling the items prior to packing reduces heat load and slows sublimation.

Freeze the sheets thoroughly – Place sheets in a freezer for at least 24 horas. Ensure all cells are fully hydrated (if using wateractivated sheets) and expand each cell by gently massaging them.

Line the cooler walls – Place a frozen sheet along each wall and, se possível, across the bottom. For large boxes, overlap sheets slightly.

Center the load – Position your products in the middle of the cooler and minimise empty space to reduce convective heat.

Add top cold sink – For long journeys, place a block of dry ice or an additional sheet on top.

Insert a temperature logger – Use a data logger to record temperature and comply with FDA and GDP rules.

Ventilação & rótulo – Loosely close the cooler to allow CO₂ gas to escape. Mark the package with "Gelo seco" ou "dióxido de carbono, sólido,” UN 1845 and the net weight.

Wear protective gear – Cryogenic gloves and ANSIrated eye protection prevent frostbite and eye injury.

Safety and regulatory considerations (2025 Atualizações)

Packaging and venting

FedEx 2025 job aid emphasizes that Liberações de gelo seco co₂ gás and can rupture sealed containers. Use fiberboard, plastic or wooden boxes with vent holes; avoid steel drums and sealed plastic bags. A layer of polystyrene foam works well as insulation but must not be airtight. O maximum amount of dry ice per package is 200 kg (≈440 lb).

Marking and labeling

Regulations require that packages containing dry ice display:

Nome de envio adequado (Dry Ice or Carbon Dioxide Solid)

E 1845 identification number

Peso líquido de gelo seco em quilogramas

Shipper and recipient names and addresses

The hazard label (Aula 9 diamante) must be at least 100 mm × 100 milímetros. Do not write inside the diamond border. Carriers like FedEx provide free labels and specify minimum font sizes depending on package weight.

Comply with DOT, Regras da FDA e da operadora

The U.S. Departamento de Transporte (PONTO) can impose fines up to USD 17,062 per mislabelled dryice shipment. FDA’s Food Code requires prepared meals containing dry ice to carry a “Releases CO₂” statement. FedEx increased its dryice surcharge to USD 8.00 em 2025, so account for this fee when budgeting. OSHA highlights frostbite hazards below – 60 °C and recommends mandatory PPE training.

2025 market insights and sustainability trends

Where to buy and how much they cost

The dry ice sheet market spans industrial gas suppliers, cold chain specialists, e commerce platforms and carrier depots. Industrial gas suppliers (por exemplo, Airgas or Linde) sell sheets bulk for around USD 1.60–1.90 per pound, which suits pharma lanes. Coldchain specialists offer flexible, sub –60 °C sheets for USD 1.80–2.25 per pound. Ecommerce marketplaces cobrar USD 2.00–2.40 per pound but provide convenience and smallorder quantities. Carrier depots may add a USD 8 hazmat fee.

Cutting cost and carbon

Modern cold chain strategies integrate technology and better insulation. Usando Forros VIP reduces required dry ice by about 40 percent. Signing carbon capture CO₂ contracts can lower Scope 3 emissions by 50 percent. AI load planning software trims unused dry ice by em volta 11 percent. Combining sheets and blocks saves 12 percent compared with sheets alone. A case study in the Tempk article describes a meal kit brand pairing reusable VIP boxes with sheets, which cut coldchain spend by 29 percent and boosted on time frozen arrival to 99.4 percent.

Market outlook 2025–2030

Global dry ice demand is growing at 7.8 percent compound annual growth as e grocery and direct to consumer frozen foods surge. The fastest growing form is flexible sheet packs because they support soft coolers and lightweight shipping. Future trends include on site mini sheet presses (produzindo >50 lb/h) in urban hubs, reusable VIP loops that recycle 90 percent of insulating panels and AI integrated route data that automatically adjusts sheet quantity. According to the article, expect speechenabled schema markup and AI algorithms to be integrated into 60 percent of cold chain apps by 2027.

Perguntas frequentes

Q1: How long do dry ice pack sheets keep food frozen?
No 25 ° C ambiente, a standard dry ice sheet (≈1 lb of CO₂) keeps items frozen for 24–48 horas. Adding about 5 libras de gelo seco extends cold time by roughly six hours. Prechilling and insulating the container improve hold time.

Q2: Are dry ice sheets TSA approved for air travel?
Sim, but you must follow airline rules. The TSA limits dry ice to 5.5 libras (≈2.5 kg) in checked baggage. The sheet counts toward that total. Pack in a vented cooler and inform the airline during checkin.

Q3: Do sheets cost more than blocks?
Sheets typically cost about 15 percent more per pound than blocks. No entanto, because they reduce dimensional weight charges by 20–40 percent, overall shipping costs may be lower.

Q4: Can I reuse dry ice pack sheets?
The CO₂ pellets sublimate completely, but some manufacturers allow you to refill the envelope. Others sell refill kiosks. For gelbased sheets like Techni Ice, you can hydrate and refreeze them repeatedly.

Q5: What protective gear do I need?
Usar luvas criogênicas rated to –80 °C and ANSI Z87.1 eye protection. Avoid direct skin contact, as frostbite can occur within seconds.

Resumo e recomendações

Dryice pack sheets offer a flexible and efficient way to keep goods frozen during transport. Typical sheet sizes range from pequeno 7 × 13 inch consumer pads com 12 cells to grande 18 × 20 inch industrial blankets, while multi ply models such as Techni Ice HDR measure 25 centímetros × 39 cm (≈20 × 13½ inches) and can be cut to size. Use o sheet sizing formula to calculate the number of sheets needed based on product weight and transit days. Lembre -se de vent your package, label it with UN 1845 and net weight, and comply with carrier restrictions like the 200 kg maximum per package. Em 2025 e além, innovations such as VIP insulation, AI load planning and carboncapture CO₂ sourcing will make coldchain shipping more sustainable.

ACTO ACEDIVO PRÓXIMO PASSOS

Measure your container and choose a sheet size that lines its walls.

Calculate the number of sheets using the formula (product lb × 0.45 × transit days ÷ sheet lb).

Atualizar isolamento with VIP liners or reflective wraps to reduce dry ice usage.

Train your staff on proper labeling and PPE to avoid costly fines.

 

Contact Tempk’s specialists to optimise your cold chain plan; they can recommend the right sheet size, insulation and shipping schedule.

Sobre Tempk

We have spent 15 anos developing coldchain equipment that helps businesses ship perishables colder, cheaper and greener. Our dry ice pack sheets, VIP liners and reusable insulated boxes are engineered for sub –60 °C flexibility e food safe CO₂ purity ≥99.5 %. Com 32 depots across the U.S., we deliver sheets within two hours to 92 percent of businesses. We are committed to sustainability through carboncapture partnerships and reusable packaging.

Chamado à ação

Ready to ship with confidence? Book a 15 minute consultation with our coldchain experts and find out how our dryice pack sheets and insulation solutions can save you time, money and emissions.

 

Diagram: typical dry ice pack sheet layout

Below is an illustrative diagram showing a 7 × 13 inch dry ice sheet with 12 cells arranged in a 3×4 grid. The long side measures 13 inches and the short side 7 polegadas. Each cell contains frozen CO₂ pellets.

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