Wands for gas turbine engine cleaning

Abstract

Wands are used as parts of cleaning systems to conduct cleaning agents into gas turbine engine cores. Wands according to the present disclosure include inlet assemblies adapted to connect to cleaning agents, dispensers adapted to discharge cleaners into gas turbine engines, and conduits that extend from the inlet assemblies to the dispensers.

Claims

1. A wand adapted for use with a gas turbine engine to clean the gas turbine engine, the wand comprising an inlet assembly configured to be coupled to a liquid source, a dispenser configured to discharge liquid into the gas turbine engine core, a conduit that extends from the inlet assembly to the dispenser that is adapted to carry liquid from the inlet assembly to the dispenser, and an inlet filler configured to selectively expand from a stowed configuration in which the inlet filler is collapsed to a use configuration in which the inlet filler extends away from other components of the wand, the inlet filler including a plurality of inflatable bladders that expand when filled with a gas and at least one web panel that extends between the inflatable bladders to provide a structure sized to fill an air inlet associated with a gas turbine engine core and block liquid from leaking away from the gas turbine engine core.

2. The wand of claim 1, wherein the inlet filler includes a biasing member adapted to bias the inlet filler toward the stowed configuration.

3. The wand of claim 2, wherein the biasing member is an elastic band that extends around an outer edge of the rest of the inlet filler such that the elastic band engages edges of the air inlet when the inlet filler is expanded to the use configuration within the air inlet.

4. The wand of claim 1, wherein the at least one web panel is formed to include apertures sized to allow air to pass through the air inlet to the gas turbine engine core during dry motoring of the gas turbine engine core when the inlet filler is expanded to the use configuration within the air inlet.

5. The wand of claim 4, wherein the apertures are spaced apart from the outer edge of the inlet filler such that liquid pooling adjacent the outer edge is blocked from leaking away from the gas turbine engine core.

6. The wand of claim 1, wherein the conduit includes a first tube configured to carry the liquid and a second tube configured to carry pressurized gas to the inflatable bladders.

7. The wand of claim 6, wherein the conduit includes a third tube configured to carry a cleaning agent from the inlet assembly to the dispenser.

8. The wand of claim 7, wherein the dispenser is an aeration dispenser configured to mix liquid from the first tube, foaming cleaner from the second tube, and air from the atmosphere to produce foamed cleaner.

9. The wand of claim 8, wherein the aeration dispenser includes a coupling that forms a water passage in fluid communication with the first tube, a foaming cleaner passage in fluid communication with the third tube, and a regulator mounted for movement relative to the coupling to selectively restrict the foaming cleaner passage.

10. The wand of claim 9, wherein the regulator includes an atmospheric passage adapted to move relative to the coupling to selectively couple the aeration passage with the atmosphere around the aeration dispenser.

11. A wand adapted for use with a gas turbine engine to clean the gas turbine engine, the wand comprising an inlet assembly configured to be coupled to a liquid source, a dispenser configured to discharge liquid into the gas turbine engine core, a conduit that extends from the inlet assembly to the dispenser that is adapted to carry liquid from the inlet assembly to the dispenser, and an inlet filler configured to selectively expand from a stowed configuration in which the inlet filler is collapsed to a use configuration in which the inlet filler extends away from other components of the wand, the inlet filler including an expansion mechanism and at least one web panel that extends between components of the expansion mechanism to provide a structure sized to fill an air inlet associated with a gas turbine engine core and block liquid from leaking away from the gas turbine engine core, wherein the at least one web panel is formed to include apertures sized to allow air to pass through the air inlet to the gas turbine engine core during dry motoring of the gas turbine engine core when the inlet filler is expanded to the use configuration within the air inlet, and wherein the apertures are spaced apart from the outer edge of the inlet filler such that liquid pooling adjacent the outer edge is blocked from leaking away from the gas turbine engine core, wherein the expansion mechanism includes a plurality of inflatable bladders.

12. The wand of claim 11, wherein the expansion mechanism includes an expanding linkage configured to expand within the air inlet of the gas turbine engine core.

13. The wand of claim 11, wherein the conduit includes a first tube configured to carry the liquid and a second tube configured to carry pressurized gas to the inflatable bladders.

14. The wand of claim 13, wherein the conduit includes a third tube configured to carry a cleaning agent from the inlet assembly to the dispenser.

15. The wand of claim 14, wherein the dispenser is an aeration dispenser that includes a coupling that forms a water passage in fluid communication with the first tube, a foaming cleaner passage in fluid communication with the third tube, and a regulator mounted for movement relative to the coupling to selectively restrict the foaming cleaner passage, and wherein the regulator includes an atmospheric passage adapted to move relative to the coupling to selectively couple the aeration passage with the atmosphere around the aeration dispenser.

16. The wand of claim 11, wherein the inlet filler includes a biasing member adapted to bias the inlet filler toward the stowed configuration.

17. The wand of claim 16, wherein the biasing member is an elastic band that extends around an outer edge of the rest of the inlet filler such that the elastic band engages edges of the air inlet when the inlet filler is expanded to the use configuration within the air inlet.

18. The wand of claim 11, wherein at least one web panel extends between the plurality of inflatable bladders to provide a structure sized to fill an air inlet associated with a gas turbine engine core and block liquid from leaking away from the gas turbine engine core.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an aircraft and a cleaning system which includes a wand with an aeration dispenser for discharging foamed cleaner into the gas turbine engine;

(2) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a gas turbine engine of the type used in the aircraft of FIG. 1 cut away to show the wand of FIG. 1 has a J-shape so that when the wand may be inserted into the engine to conduct foamed cleaner into the engine core without interacting with a fan included in the engine;

(3) FIG. 3 is a detail cross-sectional view of the aeration dispenser included in the wand of FIGS. 1 and 2 arranged in a foaming configuration which shows that the aeration dispenser is adapted to mix water, foaming cleaner, and air to produce the foamed cleaner at the point where the wand discharges into the gas turbine engine so that the cellular integrity of the foam is maximized during cleaning of the gas turbine engine;

(4) FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 of the aeration dispenser included in the wand of FIGS. 1 and 2 arranged in a rinsing configuration showing that the aeration dispenser is adapted to block foaming cleaner from discharging into the gas turbine engine while still providing water to the gas turbine engine so that the engine may be rinsed;

(5) FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an aircraft and another cleaning system for cleaning gas turbine engines included in the aircraft showing that the cleaning system includes a wand with an expandable inlet filler for conducting cleaner into the gas turbine engine without allowing cleaner to leak backward out of the aircraft before passing through the gas turbine engine;

(6) FIG. 6 is a partially-diagrammatic view showing the wand of FIG. 5 inserted into an inlet of the aircraft ahead of the gas turbine engine when the inlet filler is in a stowed configuration before being expanded to block leakage of cleaner out of the inlet;

(7) FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 showing the wand of FIG. 5 inserted into an inlet of the aircraft ahead of the gas turbine engine when the inlet filler is in a use configuration blocking leakage of cleaner out of the inlet; and

(8) FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view of FIG. 7 taken at line 8-8 in FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(9) For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the disclosure, reference will now be made to a number of illustrative embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same.

(10) An illustrative cleaning system 10 adapted for cleaning gas turbine engines 12 used in an aircraft 14 is shown in FIG. 1. The cleaning system 10 includes a mobile supply unit 18 and a wand 20 coupled to the supply unit 20. The wand 20 is configured to produce foamed cleaner and to discharge the foamed cleaner into the gas turbine engines 12 so that the foamed cleaner can remove dirt and grim built up in the turbine engines 12.

(11) The wand 20 of the illustrative embodiment sprays foamed cleaner into the gas turbine engines 12 while the rotating components of the engines 12 are dry motored so that the foamed cleaner is pulled through the engines 12 as suggested in FIG. 1. More specifically, the illustrated wand 20 is a J-hook type wand that sprays foamed cleaner into an engine core 16 of the gas turbine engine 12 while bypassing a fan 15 driven by the engine core 16 as suggested in FIGS. 1 and 2. By bypassing the fan 15, the foamed cleaner is not pushed outwardly during dry motoring such that a significant amount of the foamed cleaner does not interact with the dirty internal components of the engines 12.

(12) The wand 20 illustratively includes an inlet assembly 22, a conduit 24 that extends from the inlet assembly 22, and an aeration dispenser 26 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The inlet assembly 22 illustratively connects to and may regulate the mobile supply unit 18. The conduit 24 conducts contents of the mobile supply unit 18 to the aeration dispenser 26. The aeration dispenser 26 mixes contents of the mobile supply unit 18 with air to produce foamed cleaner at the point where the wand 20 discharges into the gas turbine engines 12 so that the cellular integrity of the foamed cleaner is maximized during cleaning of the gas turbine engines 12.

(13) The mobile supply unit 18 included in the cleaning system 10 illustratively includes a water supply 32 and a foaming cleaner supply 34 mounted to a transport vehicle 36 as shown in FIG. 1. The water supply 32 illustratively stores and provides de-ionized water to the wand 20. The foaming cleaner supply 34 stores and provides a foaming cleaner to the wand 20. For illustrative purposes, the mobile supply unit 18 is shown in the back of a truck; however, in other embodiments, the mobile supply unit 18 may be incorporated into a work cart, trailer, or the like.

(14) The inlet assembly 22 of the wand 20 is adapted to be coupled to the water supply 32 and the foaming cleaner supply 34 of the mobile supply unit 18 as shown in FIG. 1. The inlet assembly 22 illustratively includes a first connector 41 adapted to be coupled to the liquid water source 32 and a second connector 42 adapted to be coupled to the foaming cleaner source 34. In the illustrative embodiment, the inlet assembly 22 also includes a first valve 43 and a second valve 44. The first valve 43 first valve is coupled to the first connector 41 and is adapted to selectively block or allow fluid movement through the first connector 41 and into the conduit 24. The second valve 44 is coupled to the second connector 42 and adapted to selectively block or allow foaming cleaner movement through the second connector 42 and into the conduit 24. Thus, the inlet assembly 22 may be configured to regulate water and foaming cleaner flow from the mobile supply unit 18.

(15) The conduit 24 illustratively extends from the inlet assembly 22 to the aeration dispenser 26 to carry liquid water and foaming cleaner from the inlet assembly 22 to the aeration dispenser 26 as suggested in FIGS. 1 and 2. The conduit 24 forms a J shape such that the wand 20 is of the J-hook type. The conduit 24 includes a first tube 51 coupled to the first connector 41 and a second tube 52 coupled to the second connector 42. In the illustrative embodiment, the first tube 51 is coaxial with the second tube 52 as suggested in FIGS. 3 and 4. The conduit 24 may be straight or may have other geometries depending upon the aircraft and/or engine the wand 20 will be used with. In some embodiments, the conduit 24 may even be bendable to take on a desired shape and/or to slide into an engine inlet.

(16) The aeration dispenser 26 is configured to mix water and foaming cleaner from mobile supply unit 18 with air to produce foamed cleaner as suggested in FIG. 3. More specifically, the aeration dispenser 26 aerates water which is then mixed with foaming cleaner as it exits the aeration dispenser 26 to produce foamed cleaner as the mixed contents exit the aeration dispenser 26 so that the foam is formed near the parts to be cleaned and maintains its structural integrity as it moves through the gas turbine engines 12. The illustrative aeration dispenser 26 is adjustable and may be used to regulate the amount of foaming cleaner that is mixed with aerated water. The illustrative aeration dispenser 26 is further adjustable to regulate the amount of air mixed in with water flowing through the aeration dispenser 26. In some embodiments, the aeration dispenser 26 may further be adjustable to regulate the amount of water flowing through the aeration dispenser 26.

(17) In the illustrative embodiment, the aeration dispenser 26 includes a coupling 54, a regulator 56, and an actuator 58 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The coupling 54 is adapted to be coupled to the conduit 24 to receive water and foaming cleaner from the mobile supply unit 18. The regulator 56 moves relative to the coupling 54 and allows adjustment of foaming cleaner flow and air flow. The actuator 58 is connected to the coupling 54 and the regulator 58 so as to move the regulator 58 relative to the coupling 54.

(18) The coupling 54 forms a water passage 61, a foaming cleaner passage 62, and aeration passages 63 as shown, for example, in FIGS. 3 and 4. The water passage 61 is coupled for fluid communication with the first tube 51 of the conduit 24 to receive water from the mobile supply unit 18. The foaming cleaner passage 62 is coupled for fluid communication with the second tube 52 of the conduit 24 to receive foaming cleaner from the mobile supply unit 18. The aeration passages 63 extends from the water passage 61 to the foaming cleaner passage 62. In the illustrative embodiment, the water passage 61 and the foaming cleaner passage 62 are coaxial and the aeration passage extends outwardly from the shared axis of the water passage 61 and the foaming cleaner passage 62.

(19) The regulator 56 is mounted for movement relative to the coupling 54 between an opened position, as shown in FIG. 3, and a closed position as shown in FIG. 4. The regulator 56 is adapted to selectively restrict the foaming cleaner passage 62 and to selectively restrict the amount of air allowed to move from the atmosphere into the water passage 61 through the aeration passages 63. In the illustrative embodiment, restriction of the foaming cleaner passage 62 and the amount of air allowed through the aeration passages 63 is coordinated such that the proper amount of air for a corresponding amount of foaming cleaner is mixed to produce foamed cleaner. In other embodiments, regulation of the foaming cleaner, air, and/or water may be independently regulated.

(20) The regulator 56 illustratively includes a closure body 64 and atmospheric passages 66 that move with the closure body 64 as suggested in FIGS. 3 and 4. The closure body 64 is illustratively conical and moves along the coupling 54 to selectively restrict or close the foaming cleaner passage 62 formed by the coupling 54. The atmospheric passages 66 extend inwardly from the closure body 64 at various circumferential locations around the aeration dispenser 26.

(21) In the illustrative embodiment, the atmospheric passages 66 are in fluid communication with the atmosphere around the aeration dispenser 26 and selectively conduct air to the aeration passages 63 of the coupling 54. More particularly, the atmospheric passages 66 move with the closure body 64 relative to the coupling 54 to selectively couple the aeration passages 63 with the atmosphere around the aeration dispenser 26 when the regulator is in the opened position as suggested in FIG. 3. The atmospheric passages 66 also move with the closure body 64 relative to the coupling 54 to disconnect the aeration passages 63 from the atmosphere around the aeration dispenser 26 when the regulator is in the closed position as suggested in FIG. 4.

(22) The actuator 56 is illustratively manually operated by rotating the actuator 56 relative to the coupling 52 as suggested in FIGS. 3 and 4. In some embodiments, the actuator 56 may be electronically or pneumatically operated. In the illustrative embodiment, the actuator 56 includes a tubular body 68 and a plurality of threads 70 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The tubular body 68 is coupled to the coupling 54 for rotation relative to the coupling 54 by an annular protrusion 71 received in an annular track 72 formed in the tubular body 68. The threads 70 are intermeshed with threads 80 formed on the exterior of the closure body 64 of the regulator 56. When the actuator 56 is rotated, the threads 70 of the actuator 56 interact with the threads 80 of the regulator 56 to cause the regulator to slide along the coupling 54 between the opened position and the closed position.

(23) According to one method of cleaning a gas turbine engine, a user may couple the inlet assembly 22 of the wand 20 to the water source 32 and to the foaming cleaner source 34 of the mobile supply unit 18 as suggested in FIG. 1. The user may adjust the aeration dispenser 26 by rotating the actuator 58 to move the regulator 56 to the opened position or a partially-opened position to achieve a desired foaming rate. The user may then insert the wand 20 into the aircraft 14 so that the aeration dispenser 26 is adjacent to the inlet of the engine core 16 as suggested in FIG. 2.

(24) The method may further include a user opening the valves 43, 44 to start the flow of foamed cleaner into the engine core 16 thereby discharging foamed cleaner produced by mixing foaming cleaner with air into the engine core 16 of a gas turbine engine 12 as suggested in FIGS. 1-3. The foamed cleaner may be produced from the foaming cleaner by the aeration dispenser 26 arranged at an end of the wand 20. The engine core 16 may be dry motored so that rotatable components of the engine core 16 turn and pull the foamed cleaner through the engine core 16 to clean dirt and grime from the engine core 16.

(25) In some embodiments of the method, the user may adjust the aeration dispenser 26 by rotating the actuator 58 to move the regulator 56 to the closed position to block the flow of foaming cleaner and of air into the water as suggested in FIG. 4. The user may allow at least the first valve 43 to remain open thereby discharging water into the engine core 16 to further clean/rinse the engine core 16 as suggested in FIG. 4.

(26) Another illustrative cleaning system 210 adapted for use with another aircraft 214 is shown in FIGS. 5-7. The cleaning system 210 is substantially similar to the cleaning system 10 shown in FIGS. 1-4 and described herein. Accordingly, similar reference numbers in the 200 series indicate features that are common between the cleaning 10 and the cleaning system 210. Further, the method of cleaning a gas turbine engine using the cleaning system 210 is similar to the method of cleaning a gas turbine engine using the cleaning system 10 described herein. The description of the cleaning system 10 and its method of use to clean a gas turbine engine are hereby incorporated by reference to apply to the cleaning system 210, except in instances when it conflicts with the specific description and drawings of the cleaning system 210.

(27) Unlike the cleaning system 10, the cleaning system 210 includes a wand 220 having a conduit 224 that is shaped with a jog 225 for use in an upwardly extending air inlet 217 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. The inlet assembly 222 and the aeration dispenser 226 are substantially similar to the inlet assembly 22 and the aeration dispenser 26 of the wand 20 described herein. Upwardly extending air inlets, like air inlet 217, may be used in aircraft with gas turbine engines 212 that drive propellers 219 as shown in FIG. 5.

(28) Also unlike the cleaning system 10, the wand 220 the cleaning system 210 also includes an inlet filler 290 adapted to block leakage of foamed cleaner, water, and or other cleaners out of the upwardly extending air inlet 217 as suggested in FIG. 7. The inlet filler 290 is coupled to the conduit 224 between the inlet assembly 222 and the aeration dispenser 226 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. The inlet filler 290 is expandable from a stowed configuration, shown in FIG. 6, to a use configuration shown in FIG. 7. In the stowed configuration, the inlet filler 290 is collapsed toward the conduit 224. In the use configuration the inlet filler extends away from the conduit 224.

(29) In the illustrative embodiment, the inlet filler 290 includes a plurality of inflatable bladders 292 coupled to the conduit 224 and a plurality of web panels 294 that extend between the inflatable bladders 292 as shown in FIGS. 6-8. The inflatable bladders 292 are generally evacuated when the inlet filler 290 is in the stowed configuration to allow the wand 220 to be inserted into and removed from the inlet 217 as suggested in FIG. 6. The inflatable bladders 292 are generally inflated when the inlet filler 290 is in the use configuration to expand the inlet filler 290 and block cleaner from leaking out of the inlet 217 as suggested in FIGS. 7 and 8. In some embodiments, a single inflatable bladder may extend around the conduit and may be inflated to fill (or partially fill) the inlet 217 to block leakage of cleaner out of the inlet 217.

(30) In the illustrative embodiment, the web panels 294 are formed to include apertures 295 adapted to allow some air to pass through the inlet to the gas turbine engine 212 during dry motoring of the engine 212 as shown in FIG. 8. The apertures 295 are illustratively spaced apart from the edges of the inlet filler 290 adjacent to the conduit 224.

(31) The inlet filler 290 may also include a biasing member 296 adapted to bias the inlet filler 290 toward the stowed configuration as suggested in FIGS. 6 and 8. In the illustrative embodiment, the biasing member 296 may be an elastic band that also engages the edges of the inlet 217 when the inlet filler is in the use configuration to create a seal along the edges of the inlet 217 as shown in FIG. 8. In some embodiments, the conduit 224 may include a third tube 253 adapted to carry pressurized gas to the inflatable bladders 292 from outside the inlet 217 to expand the inlet filler 290 and stretch the biasing member 296.

(32) In other embodiments, the inlet filler 290 includes a mechanically expanding linkage adapted to expand within the inlet 217. In one example, the linkage may resemble the mechanism for an umbrella and may move a plurality of web panels outwardly from the conduit 224.

(33) In some embodiments, the inlet filler 290 may be used with wands having non-aerating dispensers. In one example, the inlet filler 290 may be used with wands that distribute foamed cleaner produced in the mobile supply unit, in the inlet, and/or in the conduit. In another example, the inlet filler 290 may be used with wands that distribute non-foamed cleaners (e.g. water, soap solution, etc.) to block the cleaners from leaking out of an inlet.

(34) While the disclosure has been illustrated and described in detail in the foregoing drawings and description, the same is to be considered as exemplary and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only illustrative embodiments thereof have been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the disclosure are desired to be protected.