Cleaning and liquid contact with solids – Processes – Hollow work – internal surface treatment
Patent
1997-12-05
1999-02-09
Warden, Jill
Cleaning and liquid contact with solids
Processes
Hollow work, internal surface treatment
134 2218, 134 23, 134 32, 134 33, B08B 302
Patent
active
058688609
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method for washing objects, such as turbine compressors, through which large volumes of air flow when said objects are at work and which therefore become soiled by and coated with contaminants carried in the air. This soiling of the objects can result in higher fuel consumption, higher temperatures and higher emissions with an associated general lowering in efficiency.
DESCRIPTION OF THE BACKGROUND ART
The soiling and coating of such objects by air-borne contaminants, e.g. as occurs in the operation of gas turbine compressors, results in diverse impairments and losses which, however, can be reduced at least partially by cleaning the compressor internally, ie by carrying out a so-called compressor wash. A large number of different types of washing systems are available to this end, a common factor of these systems being the consumption of large quantities of liquid, many of which liquids present a health hazard and are detrimental to the environment.
A conventional method of washing an aircraft engine for instance is to spray cold water into the engine through a hose having a diameter of about 2.5". This means that very large quantities of water are injected (300-400 l per engine) and has the following further drawbacks: wash. a poor result, since the ability of water to wash away grease coatings is very limited (because of the large quantities of liquid required, the use of special washing liquids or detergents is uneconomical).
The object of the present invention is to eliminate the aforesaid and other drawbacks and to provide conditions for the lean use of resources and for obtaining an effective compressor wash, and to reduce the use of liquids that present a hazard to health and to the environment, and to enable turbine motors to be cleaned effectively with far less quantities of liquid while using an environmental-friendly liquid to this end.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which
FIG. 1 illustrates washing of aircraft engines that include guide vanes;
FIG. 2 illustrates washing of aircraft engines that do not include guide vanes;
FIG. 3 illustrates a washing system that is controlled remotely from the aircraft cockpit; and
FIG. 4 illustrates paths or routes travelled by dirt particles/liquid droplets through a gas turbine engine.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The inventive method, is implemented by spraying small quantities of finely-divided liquid onto and through the object to be washed. The liquid is finely-divided to a degree such that when the liquid is sprayed against and through the object, the liquid particles will follow the same routes as those earlier taken by the air-borne contaminants through the object. Finely-divided liquid is sprayed onto and through the object in quantities corresponding to 0.5-60 l/min. and at an overpressure that lies in the range 50-80 bars with the liquid particle size (diameter) lying in the range of 250-120 .mu.m(1 .mu.m=10.sup.-3 mm), and with particle velocities within the range of 100-126 m/sec., these values to be compared with corresponding values in present-day systems working with pressures of 3-10 bars, particle sizes of 150-950 .mu.m and particle velocities in the range of 25-45 m/sec.
The novel method is thus based on a totally new principle. Because the liquid particles are given a size and velocity which together overcome the centrifugal effect, all accessible surfaces of the object will be cleaned effectively and efficiently.
The inventive object washing method, particularly when applied in "compressor washes" affords the following advantages, among others: in accordance with the inventive method.
The reduction in the quantity of liquid required is advantageous, among other things because large quantities of water subject the turbine blades, for instance, to harmful mechanical loads.
Practical tests have shown that the liquid which best satisfies current environmental requirement
REFERENCES:
patent: 3623668 (1971-11-01), Freid
patent: 4196020 (1980-04-01), Hornak et al.
patent: 4377420 (1983-03-01), Granatek et al.
patent: 4995915 (1991-02-01), Sewell et al.
patent: 5011540 (1991-04-01), McDermott
patent: 5193976 (1993-03-01), Kolen et al.
patent: 5385014 (1995-01-01), Rathbun
Chaudhry Saeed
Gas Turbine Efficiency AB
Warden Jill
LandOfFree
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