Patent Publication Number: US-10773283-B2

Title: Wands for gas turbine engine cleaning

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/749,177 that claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/048,625, filed 10 Sep. 2014, the disclosures of which are now both expressly incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The present disclosure relates generally to gas turbine engines, and more specifically to cleaning systems for gas turbine engines. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Gas turbine engines are used to power aircraft, watercraft, generators, and the like. Gas turbine engines typically include an engine core having a compressor, a combustor, and a turbine. The compressor compresses air drawn into the engine and delivers high pressure air to the combustor. In the combustor, fuel is mixed with the high pressure air and is ignited. Products of the combustion reaction in the combustor are directed into the turbine where energy is extracted to drive the compressor and the fan. Leftover products of the combustion are exhausted out of the engine core to provide additional thrust. 
     Dirt and grime accumulates within gas turbine engines from atmospheric air ingested and fuel burned during operation. As dirt and grime build up in turbofan engines, the performance of those engines may be reduced due to aerodynamic and frictional losses. To reduce the dirt and grime in a turbofan gas turbine engine, a cleaning agent (usually water) may be sprayed into engine core. Wands are sometimes used to spray cleaning agents into these engine cores. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present disclosure may comprise one or more of the following features and combinations thereof. 
     According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a wand for providing foamed cleaner to a gas turbine engine core is taught. The wand may include an inlet assembly, a dispenser, and a conduit that extends from the inlet assembly to the aeration dispenser. The inlet assembly may include a first connector adapted to be coupled to a liquid water source and a second connector adapted to be coupled to a foaming cleaner source. The conduit may be adapted to carry liquid water and foaming cleaner from the inlet assembly to the dispenser when the inlet assembly is coupled to a liquid water source and a foaming cleaner source. 
     In some embodiments, the dispenser may be an aeration dispenser. The aeration dispenser may be adapted to mix liquid water from the inlet assembly, foaming cleaner from the inlet assembly, and air from the atmosphere to produce foamed cleaner. 
     In some embodiments, the conduit forms a J shape. In some embodiments, the aeration dispenser may include a coupling that forms a water passage in fluid communication with the conduit and a foaming cleaner passage in fluid communication with the conduit, a regulator mounted for movement relative to the coupling to selectively restrict the foaming cleaner passage, and an actuator coupled to the coupling and to the regulator. 
     In some embodiments, the water passage may be coaxial with the foaming cleaner passage. The coupling may be formed to include an aeration passage that extends from the water passage to the foaming cleaner passage. The regulator may include an atmospheric passage adapted to move relative to the coupling to selectively couple the aeration passage with the atmosphere around the aeration dispenser. 
     In some embodiments, the inlet assembly may include a first valve. The first valve may be coupled to the first connector and adapted to selectively block or allow fluid to move through the first connector and into the conduit. 
     In some embodiments, the inlet assembly may include a second valve. The second valve may be coupled to the second connector and adapted to selectively block or allow foaming cleaner to move through the second connector and into the conduit. 
     In some embodiments, the conduit may include a first tube coupled to the first connector and a second tube coupled to the second connector. The first tube may be coaxial with the second tube. 
     In some embodiments, the wand may include an inlet filler coupled to the conduit between the inlet assembly and the aeration dispenser. The inlet filler may be expandable from a stowed configuration in which the inlet filler is collapsed toward the conduit to a use configuration in which the inlet filler extends away from the conduit. The inlet filler may include at least one inflatable bladder that expands outwardly from the conduit when filled with a gas. 
     According to another aspect of the present disclosure, another wand for providing foamed cleaner to a gas turbine engine core is taught. The wand may include an inlet assembly, a dispenser, and a conduit. The inlet assembly may be adapted to be coupled to a liquid source. The dispenser may be spaced apart from the inlet and may be adapted discharge liquid received by the inlet assembly. The conduit may extend from the inlet assembly to the dispenser. 
     In some embodiments, the wand may include an inlet filler coupled to the conduit between the inlet assembly and the dispenser. The inlet filler may be expandable from a stowed configuration in which the inlet filler is collapsed toward the conduit to a use configuration in which the inlet filler extends away from the conduit. 
     In some embodiments, the inlet filler may include at least one inflatable bladder that expands outwardly from the conduit when filled with a gas. The inlet filler may extend all the way around the conduit. 
     In some embodiments, the conduit may include a first tube and a second tube. The first tube may be fluidly coupled to the inlet assembly and to the dispenser to conduct fluid from the inlet assembly to the dispenser. The second tube may be fluidly coupled to the at least one inflatable bladder to conduct gas to the at least one inflatable bladder. 
     In some embodiments, the dispenser may be an aeration dispenser. The aeration dispenser may be adapted to mix liquid, foaming cleaner, and air from the atmosphere to produce foamed cleaner. 
     According to another method of the present disclosure, a method of cleaning a gas turbine engine is taught. The method may include coupling a wand to a foaming cleaner source, and discharging foamed cleaner produced by mixing foaming cleaner with air into a gas turbine engine. 
     In some embodiments, the foamed cleaner may be produced from the foaming cleaner by an aeration dispenser forming an end of the wand. The aeration dispenser may include a coupling that forms a foaming cleaner passage in fluid communication with the foaming cleaner source and a regulator mounted for movement relative to the coupling to selectively restrict the foaming cleaner passage. 
     In some embodiments, the method may include expanding an inlet filler within an air inlet coupled to the gas turbine engine to block leakage of the foamed cleaner out of the inlet without passing through the gas turbine engine. The inlet filler may include at least one inflatable bladder 
     These and other features of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following description of the illustrative embodiments. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         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; 
         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; 
         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; 
         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; 
         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; 
         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; 
         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 
         FIG. 8  is a cross sectional view of  FIG. 7  taken at line  8 - 8  in  FIG. 7 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     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. 
     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 . 
     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 . 
     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 . 
     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. 
     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 . 
     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. 
     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 . 
     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 . 
     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 . 
     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. 
     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 . 
     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 . 
     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. 
     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 . 
     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 . 
     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 . 
     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 . 
     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 . 
     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 . 
     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 . 
     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 . 
     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 . 
     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 . 
     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. 
     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.