Apparatus and method for cleaning airfoil internal cavities
AssigneeUnited Technologies Corporation
InventorsRamon M. Velez, Jr., Peter J. Draghi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a method and a device for cleaning internal passageways within a component, such as a component to be used in an engine. The device for cleaning the internal passageway includes a first probe having a longitudinal axis and at least one nozzle oriented at an angle, preferably perpendicular, to the longitudinal axis. In a preferred embodiment, the first probe has two nozzles, both oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and offset 180 degrees from each other. The device further includes a second probe having a longitudinal axis and a nozzle in a tip end, which nozzle is oriented along the longitudinal axis. Preferably, the first and second probes are connected to a common manifold.
Claims8
A device for cleaning internal passageways in an airfoil portion of an engine component, said device comprising:
- a first probe extending into a first internal passageway closest to a leading edge of said airfoil portion;
- a second probe extending into a second internal passageway closest to a trailing edge of said airfoil component;
- said first probe having a first longitudinal axis and at least one nozzle perpendicular to said first longitudinal axis.
A method for cleaning internal passageways within a turbine engine component, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a device having a first means for dispensing a cleaning fluid, which device has a longitudinal axis and at least one nozzle oriented substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis;
- inserting said first means into a first internal passageway via an opening in a root portion of said turbine engine component;
- dispensing a cleaning fluid through said at least one nozzle at a pressure sufficient to clean surfaces of said first internal passageway;
- said device providing step comprising providing a device having a second means for dispensing said cleaning fluid, which second dispensing means has a longitudinal axis, a tip end, and a nozzle in said tip end oriented along said longitudinal axis of said second dispensing means;
- inserting said second dispensing means into a second internal passageway;
- dispensing said cleaning fluid through said nozzle in said second dispensing means at said pressure sufficient to clean internal surfaces of said second internal passageway;
- said step of inserting said first dispensing means comprising inserting said first dispensing means into an internal passageway closest to a leading edge of said component;
- and
- said step of inserting said second dispensing means comprising inserting said second dispensing means into an internal passageway near a trailing edge of said component.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.