System and method for cleaning gas turbine engines

A method for cleaning gas turbine engines, the method comprising:

• positioning a cleaning system proximate to a gas turbine engine;
• controlling a delivery system of the cleaning system to direct a cleaning medium from a cleaning medium reservoir towards one or more components of the gas turbine engine for cleaning the one or more components of the gas turbine engine;
• and
• controlling a removal system of the cleaning system to apply a vacuum pressure to the gas turbine engine for moving the cleaning medium through the gas turbine engine.

A gas turbine engine cleaning assembly, the gas turbine engine cleaning assembly comprising:

• a gas turbine engine, comprising:
• a high pressure system, the high pressure system comprising a high pressure compressor rotatably coupled to a high pressure turbine by a high pressure shaft;
• a low pressure system, the low pressure system comprising a low pressure compressor rotatably coupled to a low pressure turbine by a low pressure shaft;
• and
• a fan, the fan comprising a fan disk and a plurality of fan blades circumferentially spaced apart from each other on about the fan disk, the fan disk being rotatable, rotation of the fan being selectively coupled to rotate with the low pressure shaft;
• and
• a cleaning system, the cleaning system comprising:
• a cleaning medium reservoir for storing a cleaning medium;
• a delivery system configured to direct the cleaning medium from the cleaning medium reservoir towards one or more components of the gas turbine engine for cleaning the one or more components of the gas turbine engine;
• an external drive system, the external drive system being configured to rotate the fan of the gas turbine engine during cleaning of the one or more components of the gas turbine engine;
• and
• a removal system configured to apply a vacuum pressure to the gas turbine engine for moving the cleaning medium through the gas turbine engine.