# US 5,707,453 A · Method of cleaning internal cavities of an airfoil

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- Number: US 5,707,453 A
- Document ID: US5707453A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/653,139
- Filed: 1996-05-24
- Granted: 1998-01-13
- Earliest claimed: 1994-11-22
- Assignees: United Technologies Corporation
- Inventors: Brian J. Shurman; Peter J. Draghi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5707453A

## CPC

- F02B 77/04: Cleaning of, preventing corrosion or erosion in, or preventing unwanted deposits in, combustion engines
- B08B 3/12: by sonic or ultrasonic vibrations
- B08B 9/00: Cleaning hollow articles by methods or apparatus specially adapted thereto
- F01D 25/002: {Cleaning of turbomachines}
- F05D 2230/80: Repairing, retrofitting or upgrading methods
- F02B: INTERNAL-COMBUSTION PISTON ENGINES; COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL (gas-turbine plants F02C; hot-gas or combustion-product positive-displacement engine plants F02G)
- B08B: CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL
- F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D)
- F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS

## Abstract

A cleaning method for gas turbine engine airfoils includes a step of immersing an ultrasonic agitator, such as a welding horn, into a tank with a cleaning solution and a step of directing the ultrasonic agitator onto the portion of the airfoil having the crust layer. A subsequent step of high pressure water jet spray removes the crust debris. The cleaning method of the present invention significantly increases the power density of the ultrasonic cleaning.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for cleaning internal cavities of an airfoil of a gas turbine engine, said airfoil having internal cavities, a portion of said airfoil having a crust layer in an internal cavity thereof, comprising:
immersing said airfoil in a liquid cleaning solution in a manner such that said liquid cleaning solution fills said internal cavities;
immersing an ultrasonic agitator into said cleaning solution, wherein said ultrasonic agitator is a welding horn;
positioning said ultrasonic agitator adjacent said airfoil; and
focusing intensified ultrasonic energy on said portion of said airfoil having a crust layer thereon.

### Claim 2

A method for cleaning internal cavities of an airfoil of a gas turbine engine, said airfoil having internal cavities, said airfoil having a crust layer in an internal cavity thereof, comprising:
performing a general cleaning of said airfoil by any conventional method;
identifying any portion of said airfoil having a remaining crust layer;
immersing said airfoil in a liquid cleaning solution so that said liquid cleaning solution fills said internal cavities;
immersing an ultrasonic agitator into said cleaning solution, wherein said ultrasonic agitator is welding horn;
positioning said ultrasonic agitator adjacent said airfoil;
focusing intensified ultrasonic energy on said identified portion of said airfoil having a crust layer thereon.