Several supply chains have been severely damaged by the COVID-19 epidemic, with the dry ice supply chain being one of the most severely hit. The need to transport and store vaccines at extremely low temperatures of –70°C has resulted in a significant demand for dry ice, placing an unparalleled burden on its supply. The pandemic's drop in oil prices has worsened matters by further interfering with the manufacture of dry ice. CO2 is a byproduct of oil refineries and is necessary for producing dry ice. Refinery outputs declined with falling oil prices, leading to decreased CO2 supplies and, ultimately, a decline in dry ice production.
Dry ice is critical for vaccine logistics and is vital in food processing facilities such as wineries, meat processing plants, and bakeries. Dry ice also aids in maintaining critical temperatures under these conditions, minimizing spoiling during manufacturing, delaying fermentation by decreasing yeast development, and preventing bacteria formation. Furthermore, dry ice is necessary for cooling in lab settings, especially those with rotary evaporators, to guarantee correct solvent vaporization. This means many businesses face severe issues due to the continuous dry ice scarcity.
Recirculating chillers have historically been used by laboratories experiencing dry ice scarcity. These chillers offer an option but also have some significant disadvantages. At lower temperatures, the cooling capability of chillers decreases substantially, requiring the usage of substantial and expensive units to suit specific demands. Reaching the correct temperature might take anywhere from thirty minutes to an hour. Since water has a high freezing point and can freeze within, it is rarely used as a cooling liquid for chillers since it is heavy and unwieldy, complicating logistics.
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Through the development of its EcoChyll X1 and Hydrogen systems, Ecodyst has created creative answers to these problems. These cutting-edge cooling solutions offer dependable, adequate substitutes for conventional chillers and dry ice. North Carolina State University assistant professor Vincent Lindsay emphasizes the benefits of moving to the EcoChyll X1: "Since we switched to the EcoChyll X1, we can now avoid using dry ice for evaporating compounds. Sometimes there is no more dry ice in the building, and so that accelerates our research quite a bit. We don't have to wait for dry ice to arrive; we can just keep working."
Ecodyst's EcoChyll X1 and Hydrogen systems provide several significant advantages. In contrast to chillers, which take a long time to achieve operating temperatures, Ecodyst's systems cool quickly, allowing for uninterrupted production. These systems are reliable in various applications because they maintain constant cooling efficiency across a wide temperature range. Integrating them into laboratory environments is easier because Ecodyst's designs are lighter and more compact than conventional chillers. By eliminating the requirement for substantial amounts of coolant liquids, these systems lessen the operational difficulties and possible hazards related to coolant management.