Dry ice in chest ice cream idea

[Marshalscienceguy]

I was going to try and start a business of selling ice cream. I figured out where to get the permits and everything however having an issue figuring out how to store the ice cream. I was going to try normal ice in a chest but I was afraid it would melt too quickly. I was going to try adding Dry ice to the ice chest and I looked up a video saying you can do this in an ice chest if you put a barrier. However I would be planning to keep move any ice cream I don't sell back to the freezer for storage and leave the chest with dry ice in my garage. I read that if inhaled dry ice can make you suffocate. So is this a reasonably safe idea? Any advice?

[Acme]

You should be OK with the chest in the garage because the air volume of the garage has sufficient oxygen and won't be displaced by the small volume of Co₂ sublimated from the dry ice in the chest. Just don't stick your head in the chest for prolonged periods. (Warning: I'm no expert; I just pretend to be one online. )

[Moontanman]

I used dry ice every Halloween, as long as you don't confine your self with it in an airtight room you should be fine..

[Phi for All]

I was going to try adding Dry ice to the ice chest and I looked up a video saying you can do this in an ice chest if you put a barrier. However I would be planning to keep move any ice cream I don't sell back to the freezer for storage and leave the chest with dry ice in my garage.

 

A radiant barrier is still a good idea for your chest. It will protect your investment by making the dry ice last longer.

 

The barrier is sold in rolls, but you may be able to get sheets of it cheaper. You won't need a $60 roll but if you're going to do this for any length of time, I'd definitely figure out how to make your chest more efficient.

[hypervalent_iodine]

If your chest is insulated and has an insulated lid (not one that is locked in place; something like a good quality cooler would work provided it just sits on top and you don't lock the lid down with any clips), it should be fine to keep in your garage, though it obviously won't last as a solid forever in there and you will want to make sure that your garage has some airflow. As others have noted, don't confine yourself in a small, closed room with it, don't go in elevators with it and try to keep it away from your face (or your face away from it).

 

There's also the risk of cryo burns to consider, but that one should be fairly obvious. It might be worth investing in some cryo gloves or similar if you plan on having to use your hands to pull ice cream in and out of a chest full of dry ice all the time. Alternatively, it may work out cheaper for you in the long run to buy a portable vending freezer of some kind (though the initial expense would be quite high).