The present disclosure is directed to a method for in-situ (e.g. on-wing) cleaning one or more components of a gas turbine engine. The method includes injecting a dry detergent into the gas turbine engine. Further, the dry detergent contains a plurality of detergent particles having varying particle sizes. More specifically, the plurality of detergent particles includes a first set of particles having a median particle diameter within a first micron range and a second set of particles having a median particle diameter within a second micron range. Further, a median of the second micron range is larger than a median of the first micron range. In addition, the method includes circulating the dry detergent through at least a portion of the gas turbine engine so as to clean the one or more components thereof.

The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for in-situ (e.g. on-wing) cleaning of gas turbine engine components. The method includes injecting a dry cleaning medium into the gas turbine engine at one or more locations. The dry cleaning medium includes a plurality of abrasive microparticles. Thus, the method also includes circulating the dry cleaning medium through at least a portion of the gas turbine engine such that the abrasive microparticles abrade a surface of the one or more components so as to clean the surface.

A cleaning system comprising: (a) one or more pumps; (b) one or more foamers; and (c) one or more cleaning reservoirs including one or more cleaning solutions; wherein the one or more foamers combine a fluid and the cleaning solution to form a foamed solution so that the solution is introduced into a system to be cleaned.

An insert apparatus for protecting a curved inner surface within a passageway from abrasion during an abrasive machining operation is disclosed. In various embodiments, the insert apparatus includes a shield having a shell shaped to match a curved portion of the curved inner surface of the passageway and a shaft having a first end connected to the shell and a second end connected to a member configured to maintain the shaft within the passageway and the shell positioned against the curved inner surface during the abrasive machining operation.

Water-jet cleaning system and a method of cleaning a heat exchanger. The equipment includes a rotary tool having a lance with at least two degrees of freedom. The lance's movements relative to openings defined in the heat exchanger face plate are controlled via a smart indexing controller. The controller includes an electronic communication device that is specifically programmed to selectively activate various components of the rotary tool and a water delivery system. The programming utilizes an observed, learned, or uploaded pattern of the heat exchanger tube openings to selectively rotate the lance relative to the rotary tool's mounting assembly or linearly move the lance towards or away from the mounting assembly. The controller moves the lance to align a nozzle thereon with a selected opening in the face plate and then delivers a high pressure water jet therethrough.

A system and method for cleaning of heat exchanger tubes including an assembly, an indexer, and a communication device provided with specialized software and programming. The indexer includes orthogonally arranged first and second arms. A trolley and sensors are provided on the indexer arms. One or more lances are provided on the trolley to deliver water jets into the openings. Sensors measure displacement as the trolley is moved relative to the heat exchanger's face plate. An operator controls the system from a distance away using the communication device. During setup, the pattern of the face plate is learned and mapped utilizing information from the sensors as one of the inputs. This information is utilized to help navigate the face plate during a subsequent cleaning operation. A kit for retrofitting existing X-Y indexers is also disclosed.

A system, apparatus and method of cleaning tubes of a heat exchanger or a tube bundle that includes disengaging the heat exchanger or bundle from a use-position in a process or a plant; moving the heat exchanger or bundle to a cleaning station remote from the use-position; positioning the heat exchanger or tube bundle in front of a cleaning apparatus; providing water jet cleaning equipment on the cleaning apparatus; responding to programming in a computing device and controlling the water jet cleaning equipment and a cleaning operation; providing a pattern of tube openings defined in an end plate of the heat exchanger or bundle to the computing device; actuating the water jet cleaning equipment with the computing device; and manually or automatically performing a cleaning operation with the water jet cleaning equipment under control of the programming of the computing device and by following the provided pattern of tube openings.

An impeller manufacturing method includes: integrally forming an impeller by an additive manufacturing method using a metal powder, the impeller including a disk which has a disk shape about an axis, a plurality of blades which are formed on a surface facing a first side in an axial direction of the disk with gaps therebetween in a circumferential direction about the axis, and a cover which covers the plurality of blades from the first side in the axial direction; processing the integrally formed impeller by a hot isostatic pressing; and causing a polishing fluid containing abrasive grains to flow through a flow path formed between the disk, the cover, and the blades in the impeller after the processing with the hot isostatic pressing and while pressurizing the polishing fluid to perform fluid polishing.

Water-jet cleaning system and a method of cleaning a heat exchanger. The equipment includes a rotary tool having a lance with at least two degrees of freedom. The lance's movements relative to openings defined in the heat exchanger face plate are controlled via a smart indexing controller. The controller includes an electronic communication device that is specifically programmed to selectively activate various components of the rotary tool and a water delivery system. The programming utilizes an observed, learned, or uploaded pattern of the heat exchanger tube openings to selectively rotate the lance relative to the rotary tool's mounting assembly or linearly move the lance towards or away from the mounting assembly. The controller moves the lance to align a nozzle thereon with a selected opening in the face plate and then delivers a high pressure water jet therethrough.

A system and method for cleaning of heat exchanger tubes including an assembly, an indexer and a communication device provided with specialized software and programming. The indexer includes orthogonally arranged first and second arms. A trolley and sensors are provided on the indexer arms. One or more lances are provided on the trolley to deliver water jets into the openings. Sensors measure displacement as the trolley is moved relative to the heat exchanger's face plate. An operator controls the system from a distance away using the communication device. During setup, the pattern of the face plate is learned and mapped utilizing information from the sensors as one of the inputs. This information is utilized to help navigate the face plate during a subsequent cleaning operation. A kit for retrofitting existing X-Y indexers is also disclosed.