Apparatus and method for cleaning internal channels of an article

A method for cleaning internal channels of a gas turbine engine component, comprising:

• providing a gas turbine engine component, said component comprising at least one internal channel, said at least one internal channel comprising at least one inlet port and at least one exit port;
• providing a cleaning apparatus, said apparatus comprising
• a. a cleaning fluid comprising a liquid;
• b. a reservoir containing said fluid, said reservoir comprising
• i. an interface adapted to accommodate attachment of said reservoir to said gas turbine engine component, said interface comprising a manifold adapted to allow fluid communication between said reservoir and said at least one internal channel of said engine component,
• ii. a cleaning fluid inlet connected to a source of said cleaning fluid, and
• iii. a cleaning fluid outlet,
• c. a transmitter of vibrational energy projecting into said reservoir, said transmitter comprising a transmitter tip;
• and
• d. a source of vibrational energy coupled to said transmitter, said vibrational energy comprising a frequency and a wavelength;
• attaching said engine component to said apparatus at said interface;
• transmitting vibrational energy from said source of vibrational energy through said transmitter to said article;
• adjusting an energy transmission distance extending from said transmitter tip to a desired reference point on said article according to the equation d=nλ/4, where d is said energy transmission distance, λ is said wavelength, and n=1,3,5,7,9, . . . and
• flowing said cleaning fluid from said fluid source through said reservoir and said at least one internal channel of said article, and out through said cleaning fluid outlet.

An apparatus for cleaning internal channels in an article, said apparatus comprising:

• a cleaning fluid;
• a reservoir containing said cleaning fluid, said reservoir comprising an interface adapted to accommodate attachment of said reservoir to an article comprising at least one internal channel, said at least one channel comprising at least one inlet port and at least one exit port, said interface comprising an orifice to allow fluid communication between said reservoir and said at least one internal channel of said article;
• a transmitter of vibrational energy adjustably projecting into said reservoir;
• and
• a source of vibrational energy coupled to said transmitter, said vibrational energy comprising a frequency and a wavelength.

An apparatus for cleaning internal channels of a gas turbine engine component, said apparatus comprising:

• a cleaning fluid comprising water;
• a reservoir containing said water, said reservoir comprising
• an interface adapted to accommodate attachment of said reservoir to a gas turbine engine component comprising at least one internal channel, said interface comprising an orifice to allow fluid communication between said reservoir and said at least one internal channel of said engine component, a cleaning fluid inlet connected to a source of said cleaning fluid, and
• a cleaning fluid outlet to expel excess cleaning fluid;
• a fluid circulator coupled to said source of said cleaning fluid;
• a transmitter of vibrational energy projecting into said reservoir, said transmitter comprising a transmitter tip;
• and
• a source of vibrational energy coupled to said transmitter, said vibrational energy comprising a frequency and a wavelength;
• wherein said transmitter is adjustably projecting into said reservoir to define an energy transmission distance, said energy transmission distance extending from said transmitter tip to a desired reference point on said article, and said energy transmission distance is related to said wavelength of said vibrational energy through the equation
• d=n λ/4;
• where d is said energy transmission distance, λ is said wavelength, and n=1,3,5,7,9, . . . .