Removal of carbonaceous material from gas turbine cavities
AssigneeUnited Technologies Corporation
InventorsBronislaw J. Granatek, Lawrence D. Hall
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An improved method of cleaning carbonaceous matter from enclosed cavities in gas turbine engines is comprised of providing inlet and exit gas ports to the cavity, carefully heating the structure having the cavity to above 470.degree. C. and providing air at controlled temperature, flow, and pressure. The temperature, pressure and flow is controlled during the process to induce flow through cavities which are fully blocked initially, and to avoid over pressurization of cavities which are not adapted to sustain substantial pressure.
Claims9
In the cleaning of a gas turbine engine structure having a substantially closed cavity containing carbonaceous matter and other residue, the improvement comprising:
- providing at least one gas entrance port and at least one gas exit port, the ports being located to allow gas to flow through the length of the cavity;
- heating the structure to a temperature sufficient to cause the carbonaceous material to oxidize at a substantial rate but insufficient to cause metallurgical or deformation damage to the structure;
- supplying air in controlled quantity and pressure to the gas entrance port to cause the air to flow through the length of the cavity to the gas exit port;
- the quantity being sufficient to oxidize the carbonaceous material upon becoming heated to about the temperature of the structure, but insufficient to substantially cool the structure;
- and the air having a pressure sufficient to produce the desired steady state flow through the cavity containing the carbonaceous matter, but insufficient to cause permanent distortion of the structure if flow in the cavity is blocked;
- terminating the supply of air;
- cooling the structure;
- and, closing the entrance and exit ports.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.