US3400017A - Turbine engine cleaning - Google Patents
Turbine engine cleaning Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US3400017A US3400017A US624966A US62496667A US3400017A US 3400017 A US3400017 A US 3400017A US 624966 A US624966 A US 624966A US 62496667 A US62496667 A US 62496667A US 3400017 A US3400017 A US 3400017A
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- engine
- abrasive
- cleaning
- mixture
- air intake
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
Links
Classifications
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F01—MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; STEAM ENGINES
- F01D—NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES
- F01D25/00—Component parts, details, or accessories, not provided for in, or of interest apart from, other groups
- F01D25/002—Cleaning of turbomachines
Definitions
- This invention relates to a method for cleaning gas turbine engines. More particularly, this invention relates to a method for cleaning certain internal components of a turbine engine without the need of removing the components from the engine. The method of this invention finds special application in the cleaning of the air compressor section of a regenerative gas turbine engine.
- an object of this invention is to provide a method of cleaning certain internal components of axial or radial compressor type gas turbine engines.
- a further object is to provide a method of cleaning in 'ice which the components of the engine which need to be cleaned do not have to be removed from the engine.
- Yet another object is to provide a cleaning method which is simple and economical to perform and which is highly effective in cleaning the air compressor and diffuser area of a regenerative gas turbine engine.
- the method of this invention comprises the steps of introducing solid particles of a material into the air intake system of the engine, passing the solid particles through a portion of the engine wherein they will gain velocity, impinging the particles on the component to be cleaned and then vaporizing the particles and removing the vapor from the engine.
- the cleaning action in the method of this invention is apparently caused by the abrasion action of the particles on the surface to be cleaned. Furthermore, the method is highly effective since the particles are forced into the components in exactly the same manner as are dirt particles. Therefore, the abrasive action occurs in the same location where the dirt particles have accumulated. In order to achieve good cleaning action it is necessary that the particles have sufiicient momentum when they strike so as to remove the dirt deposits and yet not damage the components. It has been found that particles having diameters in the range of about 1 mil to mils provide the most satisfactory cleaning action. Final particle size selection will depend primarily on the hardness and volatility of the particle material. The preferred particle size of the solid is from about 5 to 50 mils.
- the cleaning material be readily vaporized so that it can quickly be expelled from the engine without damaging any of the seals or other intricate parts thereof.
- This vaporization requirement is especially important with respect to regenerative gas turbine engines.
- the air entering the engine passes through the air compressor section and then into the regenerator which is a component having many small passages, much like an automobile radiator, and an elaborate system of seals.
- the cleaning material must initially be in solid form so as to provide abrasive cleaning action, it must also be capable of being vaporized so that it may pass through the regenerator without damaging it. It will be understood that a material can be used which will liquefy and then be vaporized.
- a material which sublimes that is, passes directly from the solid to the vapor state is preferred.
- the material whether the material sublimes or first passes through the liquid state, it must vaporize, under essentially atmospheric pressure, at a temperature not in excess of 400 F., that is, a temperature of 400 F. or less.
- a preferable material is one that will vaporize at a temperature in the range of about 100 F. to 275 F.
- a further requirement for the cleaning material is that it leaves no carbonaceous residue or ash which would itself hinder engine performance.
- the method of this invention has been used to clean many regenerative gas turbine engines having radial air compressors which were mounted in automobiles.
- the turbine engine was started and the engine was allowed to idle thereby operating the air compressor at about 20,000 rpm.
- the air intake filter was removed and dry ammonium carbonate powder was poured into the air intake whereupon it was sucked into the air compressor and diffuser area of the engine.
- the quantity of cleaning agent used is not critical and will vary depending on the condition of the engine. In general, it has been found that between one and two pints of ammonium carbonate are sufilcient.
- the rate of addition of the cleaning agent to the engine is not critical and excellent results have been obtained when two pints of ammonium carbonate are introduced over a period of about one minute. After the ammonium carbonate was added, the engine was allowed to continue idling for a period of about fifteen minutes so as to allow the carbonate to vaporize and be expelled from the engine via the exhaust system.
- a method for cleaning the internal components of a turbine engine which comprises the steps of cranking the engine until it becomes self-sustaining, forming a mixture of air and solid abrasive by introducing solid particles of an abrasive into the engine air intake system, said abrasive being selected from the group consisting of ammonium carbonate, ammonium bicarbonate, ammonium chloride, naphthalene, camphor and mixtures of the foregoing, propelling said mixture by means of said engine through a portion of said engine and impinging the abrasive on the internal components of that portion, increasing the temperature of said mixture as it passes through said engine portion by maintaining said engine in a selfsustaining condition, and controlling the particle size of the abrasive introduced into said air intake so that the abrasive is vaporized in said engine after impinging upon said engine portion.
- a method for cleaning the internal components of a regenerative gas turbine engine which comprises the steps of cranking the engine until it becomes self-sustaining, forming a mixture of air and solid abrasive by introducing solid particles of an abrasive into the engine air intake system, said abrasive being selected from the group consisting of ammonium carbonate, ammonium bicarbonate, ammonium chloride, naphthalene, camphor and mixtures of the foregoing, propelling said mixture by means of said engine through a portion of said engine and impinging the abrasive on the internal components of that portion, increasing the temperature of said mixture as it passes through said engine portion by maintaining said engine in a self-sustaining condition, and controlling the particle size of the abrasive introduced into said air intake so that the abrasive is vaporized before it is impinged upon said regenerator.
- ammonium bicarbonate has a particle size diameter in the range of about 5 to mils.
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Cleaning In General (AREA)
- Detergent Compositions (AREA)
Description
Claims (1)
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US624966A US3400017A (en) | 1967-03-21 | 1967-03-21 | Turbine engine cleaning |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US624966A US3400017A (en) | 1967-03-21 | 1967-03-21 | Turbine engine cleaning |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US3400017A true US3400017A (en) | 1968-09-03 |
Family
ID=24504055
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US624966A Expired - Lifetime US3400017A (en) | 1967-03-21 | 1967-03-21 | Turbine engine cleaning |
Country Status (1)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US3400017A (en) |
Cited By (11)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3830660A (en) * | 1972-11-30 | 1974-08-20 | Phillips Petroleum Co | Method for operating a compressor |
US3833346A (en) * | 1971-07-26 | 1974-09-03 | J Wirth | Abrading aid containing paraffin and an inhibitor |
US4808235A (en) * | 1987-01-20 | 1989-02-28 | The Dow Chemical Company | Cleaning gas turbine compressors |
US5002078A (en) * | 1989-08-11 | 1991-03-26 | Lang And Co., Chemisch-Technische Produkte Kommanditgesellschaft | Method of and cleaning agent for the cleaning of compressors, especially gas turbines |
US5679174A (en) * | 1995-10-27 | 1997-10-21 | Chromalloy Gas Turbine Corporation | Process and apparatus for cleaning gas turbine engine components |
US6000412A (en) * | 1998-02-13 | 1999-12-14 | Atlantic Richfield Company | Method for cleaning deposits from a tank using a surfactant composition |
US20080258121A1 (en) * | 2007-04-23 | 2008-10-23 | Hasan Farooq | Fire Retardant Composition |
US20100223788A1 (en) * | 2009-03-05 | 2010-09-09 | Staroselsky Alexander V | Method of maintaining gas turbine engine components |
EP3213827A1 (en) * | 2016-03-01 | 2017-09-06 | General Electric Company | Dry detergent and method for cleaning gas turbine engine components |
EP3213828A1 (en) * | 2016-03-01 | 2017-09-06 | General Electric Company | System and method for cleaning gas turbine engine components |
US10107110B2 (en) | 2013-11-15 | 2018-10-23 | United Technologies Corporation | Fluidic machining method and system |
Citations (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2699265A (en) * | 1950-04-26 | 1955-01-11 | Ideal Capsules Ltd | Machine for making pleated metal foil capsules |
US2701220A (en) * | 1953-12-22 | 1955-02-01 | Corning Glass Works | Method of cleaning glassworking tools |
GB810889A (en) * | 1957-01-16 | 1959-03-25 | Du Pont | Improvements in or relating to the scrubbing of the interior surfaces of cooling zones |
US3074822A (en) * | 1960-04-22 | 1963-01-22 | Dudley Develbiss C | Method for cleaning gas turbines |
-
1967
- 1967-03-21 US US624966A patent/US3400017A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Patent Citations (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2699265A (en) * | 1950-04-26 | 1955-01-11 | Ideal Capsules Ltd | Machine for making pleated metal foil capsules |
US2701220A (en) * | 1953-12-22 | 1955-02-01 | Corning Glass Works | Method of cleaning glassworking tools |
GB810889A (en) * | 1957-01-16 | 1959-03-25 | Du Pont | Improvements in or relating to the scrubbing of the interior surfaces of cooling zones |
US3074822A (en) * | 1960-04-22 | 1963-01-22 | Dudley Develbiss C | Method for cleaning gas turbines |
Cited By (20)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3833346A (en) * | 1971-07-26 | 1974-09-03 | J Wirth | Abrading aid containing paraffin and an inhibitor |
US3830660A (en) * | 1972-11-30 | 1974-08-20 | Phillips Petroleum Co | Method for operating a compressor |
US4808235A (en) * | 1987-01-20 | 1989-02-28 | The Dow Chemical Company | Cleaning gas turbine compressors |
US5002078A (en) * | 1989-08-11 | 1991-03-26 | Lang And Co., Chemisch-Technische Produkte Kommanditgesellschaft | Method of and cleaning agent for the cleaning of compressors, especially gas turbines |
US5679174A (en) * | 1995-10-27 | 1997-10-21 | Chromalloy Gas Turbine Corporation | Process and apparatus for cleaning gas turbine engine components |
US6000412A (en) * | 1998-02-13 | 1999-12-14 | Atlantic Richfield Company | Method for cleaning deposits from a tank using a surfactant composition |
US20080258121A1 (en) * | 2007-04-23 | 2008-10-23 | Hasan Farooq | Fire Retardant Composition |
US20100223788A1 (en) * | 2009-03-05 | 2010-09-09 | Staroselsky Alexander V | Method of maintaining gas turbine engine components |
EP2226467A3 (en) * | 2009-03-05 | 2013-10-16 | United Technologies Corporation | Method of maintaining gas turbine engine components |
US8776370B2 (en) | 2009-03-05 | 2014-07-15 | United Technologies Corporation | Method of maintaining gas turbine engine components |
US10107110B2 (en) | 2013-11-15 | 2018-10-23 | United Technologies Corporation | Fluidic machining method and system |
US10954800B2 (en) | 2013-11-15 | 2021-03-23 | Raytheon Technologies Corporation | Fluidic machining method and system |
EP3213828A1 (en) * | 2016-03-01 | 2017-09-06 | General Electric Company | System and method for cleaning gas turbine engine components |
US20170254218A1 (en) * | 2016-03-01 | 2017-09-07 | General Electric Company | System and Method for Cleaning Gas Turbine Engine Components |
CN107143389A (en) * | 2016-03-01 | 2017-09-08 | 通用电气公司 | Dry type detergent for clean gas turbine engine component |
CN107143388A (en) * | 2016-03-01 | 2017-09-08 | 通用电气公司 | System and method for clean gas turbine engine component |
EP3213827A1 (en) * | 2016-03-01 | 2017-09-06 | General Electric Company | Dry detergent and method for cleaning gas turbine engine components |
US10323539B2 (en) * | 2016-03-01 | 2019-06-18 | General Electric Company | System and method for cleaning gas turbine engine components |
CN107143389B (en) * | 2016-03-01 | 2020-05-22 | 通用电气公司 | Dry detergents for cleaning gas turbine engine components |
CN107143388B (en) * | 2016-03-01 | 2020-08-04 | 通用电气公司 | System and method for cleaning gas turbine engine components |
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: FIDELITY UNION TRUST COMPANY, 765 BROAD ST., NEWAR Free format text: MORTGAGE;ASSIGNOR:CHRYSLER CORPORATION;REEL/FRAME:003832/0358 Effective date: 19810209 Owner name: FIDELITY UNION TRUST COMPANY, TRUSTEE,NEW JERSEY Free format text: MORTGAGE;ASSIGNOR:CHRYSLER CORPORATION;REEL/FRAME:003832/0358 Effective date: 19810209 |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: CHRYSLER CORPORATION, HIGHLAND PARK, MI 12000 LYNN Free format text: ASSIGNORS HEREBY REASSIGN, TRANSFER AND RELINQUISH THEIR ENTIRE INTEREST UNDER SAID INVENTIONS AND RELEASE THEIR SECURITY INTEREST.;ASSIGNORS:FIDELITY UNION BANK;ARNEBECK, WILLIAM, INDIVIDUAL TRUSTEE;REEL/FRAME:004063/0604 Effective date: 19820217 |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: CHRYSLER CORPORATION Free format text: PARTES REASSIGN, TRANSFER AND RELINQUISH THEIR ENTIRE INTEREST UNDER SAID PATENTS ALSO RELEASE THEIR SECURITY INTEREST.;ASSIGNOR:MANUFACTURERS NATIONAL BANK OF DETROIL (CORPORATE TRUSTEE) AND BLACK DONALD E., (INDIVIDUAL TRUSTEE);REEL/FRAME:004355/0154 Effective date: 19840905 |