FOR DRINKS: Place wrapped dry ice in bottom of cooler. Separate drinks from the dry ice to prevent them from freezing and possibly exploding by: Covering the dry ice with layers of newspaper or cardboard. This will create air pockets that insulate against the extreme cold.
Packing a cooler to keep perishables frozen is only slightly different from how you would pack it if keeping food cool. It is recommended to have dry ice at the bottom and top of your perishables, whether frozen food or the fruits of a hunting expedition.
Dry ice is most effective when it is placed in the bottom of the cooler, cover with a couple of paper grocery bags, then pour one bag of ice over the top. The ice will freeze solid and anything sitting on the bed of ice will freeze or stay solidly frozen for a couple of days.
Definitely not a good idea. As CO2 sublimates it gets larger. And your cooler will burp CO2. Enough gets into the cabin you'll pass out. Too much, and it doesn't take a lot, is fatal. Windows down you're probably okay. Also don't turn your cooler into a CO2 grenade by trying to super seal it.
In a cooler, you should place ice at the top. While it's true that cold air sinks and hot air rises, the ice will cool the air around it, and placing it at the top allows the cold air to flow downwards, keeping the contents of the cooler cooler for longer.
Place ice bags over as much of the body as you can. Ice packs against the neck, under the arms, and in the groin area, where large blood vessels lie close to the skin surface, will help quickly cool down a victim of heatstroke.
Dry ice will last approximately 24 hours when stored in a styrofoam cooler. However, this period only applies to a regular-sized cooler holding up to 2 dry ice blocks. The dry ice will last about 3-4 days in large styrofoam with more dry ice blocks.
Packages must NOT be air tight and must allow for venting and the release of carbon dioxide gas. When in checked baggage, the package must be marked "Dry ice" or "Carbon dioxide, solid" and marked with the net quantity of dry ice, or an indication that it is 2.5 kg (5.5 lbs) or less.
The night before your picnic, simply place your cooler in a room-temperature spot in your home and fill it with ice. The next day, pour out any accumulated water and refill it with more ice. The cooler will stay cold longer, and your popsicles should remain frozen until you're ready to eat them.
Do not store dry ice in refrigerators, freezers, or ultra-low freezers. To dispose of dry ice, place it in a Styrofoam cooler in a well-ventilated area at room temperature; the remainder of the ice will sublimate away. Never dispose of dry ice in a trash can.
Covering your cooler with a blanket or sleeping bag will help preserve all ice longer. Dry ice can be used in combination with cubed or blocked water ice.
All rotomolded Igloo coolers (Sportsman & Yukon Lines) are dry ice compatible. The rugged rotomolded construction and extra thick insulation of your rotomolded Igloo cooler support the use of dry ice.
The dry ice should not be removed from the manufacturer plastic bags and should be placed as is in thermally insulated containers for transport, and kept at the lowest possible temperature to maintain the solid and avoid generation of Carbon Dioxide gas.
The Tundra® and Roadie® Hard Coolers and YETI TANK® Ice Buckets are all dry ice compatible, however, Hopper® Soft Coolers are not. When used in conjunction with a YETI Hard Cooler, dry ice can keep food and drinks cold and frozen longer than regular ice.
Remember to ventilate – As dry ice sublimates, or turns into vapor, it gives off carbon dioxide gas. This isn't immediately harmful, but without proper ventilation, in a vehicle with closed windows, for example, it can cause shortness of breath and even unconsciousness in extreme cases.
Checked Bags: Yes
You also can pack frozen perishables in your carry-on or checked bags in dry ice. The FAA limits you to five pounds of dry ice that is properly packaged (the package is vented) and marked.
Wrap dry ice blocks/slabs in newspaper, or place smaller pieces in a brown paper bag. This will help make it last longer by insulating it and slowing down sublimation. It will also prevent you and others from accidentally touching dry ice with bare hands while getting stuff out of the cooler.
To put it another way, if stored properly (that is, in an insulated cooler…see below), dry ice sublimates (turns from solid form to gas form) at a rate of about 5-10 pounds every 24 hours. That means that if you need about 15 pounds of dry ice for the next day, you need to buy 20-25 pounds the day before.
Use Larger Bricks: Larger bricks will last longer since they take longer to sublimate. So, avoid the temptation of breaking up your blocks to extend the lifespan of your dry ice. If you break them up, make sure to wear proper protection and never touch dry ice with your bare skin.
Dry ice must be stored in a Styrofoam chest, insulated cooler, or a special cooler designed for the storage of dry ice. The cooler must then be located in a well ventilated place, such as the open lab. NEVER store coolers in closets, cabinets, refrigerators, or walk in coolers/cold rooms.
Finally, if convenience is your number one priority and you don't need to achieve anything more than a long weekend of cold contents then it will certainly be easier to keep your gel packs at the bottom of the cool box. This saves having to move items around so much.
Layer items with ice packs or bags of ice. Start with a layer of ice packs or ice on top of the insulation. Place drinks and items you'll use frequently on top of this layer. Add another layer of ice packs or ice, and then put in perishable items like fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and meats.