GB758530A - Improvements relating to the cleaning of air compressors of the centrifugal type - Google Patents

Abstract

758,530. Centrifugal compressors; gas turbine plant. NAPIER & SON, Ltd., D. Nov. 2, 1954 [Nov. 10, 1953], No. 31188/53. Classes 110(1) and 110(3) In a compressor of the centrifugal or combined centrifugal and axialflow type, stationary injection nozzles are circumferentially spaced arround the whole periphery of the air inlet passage, and directed somewhat across the direction of air flow through the passage, and cleaning liquid is delivered through the nozzles in the form of a jet or jets during operation of the compressor so as to impinge on and sweep over the surfaces of the impeller and other parts. A centrifugal compressor for supercharging or scavenging an internal combustion engine is driven by an exhaust gasturbine and draws in air through an air cleaner D. The air cleaner has an annular inlet D<SP>2</SP> and an annular outlet D<SP>3</SP>, between which is an annular chamber D<SP>1</SP> substantially filled with air cleaning material. A fibrous lining E is provided within the outlet D<SP>3</SP> and within the passage leading thereto from 'the chamber D<SP>1</SP>, and on both sides of a wall D<SP>5</SP> separating the outlet D<SP>3</SP> from a transfer passage D<SP>4</SP> leading to the inlet eye B' of the compressor. A ring manifold F is attached by lugs F<SP>2</SP> and bolts F<SP>1</SP> to the wall D<SP>5</SP> and has a series of nozzle openings (not shown) which are inclined about 30 degrees to the axis of the rotor shaft. A cleaning liquid which may be a light oil, such as white spirit, with or without a small proportion of a liquid detergent, is delivered under pressure, as from a pressurized reservoir, through a tube F<SP>4</SP> to the manifold F and injected through the nozzle opening into the compressor while the latter is working under full load. The cleaning liquid passes from the compressor to the cylinders of the internal combustion engine, where it is burnt, the foreign matter cleaned from the compressor surfaces passing out with the exhaust gases. During the cleaning operation, the engine goven- or automatically cuts down the fuel supply to compensate for the fuel value of the cleaihing liquid. Additional cleaning liquid may be injected directly into the diffuser passages. According to the Provisional Specification, the air cleaner may be combined with or replaced by a filter.