Patent ID: 7428906

Claim:
A method for cleaning a stationary gas turbine unit during operation, wherein the unit comprises: a turbine; a compressor driven by the turbine, the compressor having an air inlet; and an air inlet duct arranged upstream of the air inlet of the compressor, the inlet duct having an acceleration duct adjoining the inlet of the compressor and having decreasing cross section in an air flow direction in order to increase the velocity of the air moving through the acceleration duct, with the air flow having a final velocity at the inlet to the compressor; the method comprising: providing at least one spray nozzle positioned at the acceleration duct; and introducing a spray of cleaning fluid within the acceleration duct wherein the cleaning fluid is forced through the at least one spray nozzle under sufficient pressure so as to form a spray of drops that penetrate the air flow, and with the spray being directed substantially parallel to and in the same direction as the direction of the air flow.