US 2020/0370443 A1Published application

System and methods for selective cleaning of turbine engine components

AssigneeGeneral Electric Company

InventorsNicole Jessica Tibbetts, Andrew James Jenkins, Bernard Patrick Bewlay, Evan Jarrett Dolley, John Watt, Christopher Perrett, Vincent Gerard Lauria

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Abstract

System for selectively contacting a cleaning composition with a surface of a turbine engine component is presented. The system includes a cleaning apparatus and a manifold assembly. The cleaning apparatus includes an upper portion and a lower portion defining a cleaning chamber configured to allow selective contact between the cleaning composition and a surface of the first portion of the turbine engine component. The upper portion includes a plurality of fill holes in fluid communication with the cleaning chamber, and the lower portion includes a plurality of drain holes in fluid communication with the cleaning chamber. The manifold assembly is configured to selectively circulate the cleaning composition from a reservoir to the cleaning chamber via the plurality of fill holes, and recirculate the cleaning composition from the cleaning chamber to the reservoir via the plurality of drain holes. Methods for selectively cleaning a turbine engine component is also presented.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A system for selectively removing a deposit from a surface of a turbine engine component, comprising:

a cleaning apparatus, comprising:
an upper portion;
a lower portion coupled to the upper portion about a first portion of the turbine engine component so as to form a cleaning chamber having the first portion disposed therein, the cleaning chamber configured to allow selective contact between a cleaning composition and a surface of the first portion of the turbine engine component requiring cleaning, and
a sealing mechanism sealing the cleaning chamber about the first portion such that the cleaning composition does not come into contact with a second portion of the turbine engine component arranged relative to the upper and lower portions, wherein the upper portion comprises a plurality of fill holes in fluid communication with the cleaning chamber, and the lower portion comprises a plurality of drain holes in fluid communication with the cleaning chamber;
and
a manifold assembly in fluid communication with the plurality of fill holes and the plurality of drain holes, the manifold assembly configured to selectively circulate the cleaning composition from a reservoir to the cleaning chamber via the plurality of fill holes, recirculate the cleaning composition from the cleaning chamber to the reservoir via the plurality of drain holes, and recirculate the cleaning composition through the cleaning chamber until the desired amount of cleaning is effected.

3 more elements

A method for selectively removing a deposit from a surface of a turbine engine component, comprising:

applying a cleaning cycle to the surface of the turbine engine component, the cleaning cycle comprising sequentially contacting the surface of the turbine engine component with an alkaline composition, a first acid composition;
a first alkali metal permanganate composition;
and a second acid composition;
coupling an upper portion of a cleaning apparatus to a lower portion of the cleaning apparatus about a first portion of the turbine engine component so as to form a cleaning chamber having the first portion disposed therein, sealing the cleaning chamber about the first portion, wherein the first portion is an area of the surface of the turbine engine component requiring cleaning;
selectively contacting the first portion of the surface of the turbine engine component with a second alkali metal permanganate composition;
and
selectively contacting the first portion of the surface of the turbine engine component with a cleaning composition having a viscosity of at least 104 poise, the cleaning composition comprising a third acid composition, an active compound, and a thickening agent,
wherein the step of coupling the upper portion to the lower portion comprises arranging a second portion of the turbine engine component relative to the upper and lower portions such that the second alkali metal permanganate composition and the cleaning composition do not come into contact with the second portion during the step of recirculating the cleaning composition through the cleaning chamber.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/987,967Filed 7 Aug 2020
Priority: 13 Jun 2017
Published: 26 Nov 2020
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification24 codes

F01D 25/002
Component parts, details, or accessories, not provided for in, or of interest apart from, other groups: cleaning of turbomachines
B08B 3/04
Cleaning by methods involving the use or presence of liquid or steam: cleaning involving contact with liquid
B08B 3/08
Cleaning involving contact with liquid: the liquid having chemical or dissolving effect
B08B 3/14
With additional treatment of the liquid or of the object being cleaned, e.g. by heat, by electricity or by vibration: removing waste, e.g. labels,…

Family

Application15/620,935Division · filed 13 Jun 2017
Application16/987,967Division
US 10,830,093 B2Related patent
US 11,286,808 B2Related patent
US 2018/0355751 A1Published application
US 2020/0370443 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.