Patent ID: 7815743

Claim:
A device for cleaning a gas turbine engine, said engine comprising (a) at least one engine shaft; (b) a fan rotatably arranged on said shaft comprising a plurality of fan blades mounted on a hub and extending substantially in a radial direction, each of said blades comprising a pressure side and a suction side; and (c) a core engine comprising a compressor unit and turbines for driving said compressor unit and said fan; said device comprising: one or more nozzles arranged to atomize cleaning liquid in said an air stream in an air inlet of said engine, wherein said one or more nozzles comprises at least one of: a first nozzle located at a position relative a center line of said engine and arranged such that said cleaning liquid emanated from said first nozzle is regulated in a direction so that a substantial portion of said cleaning liquid emanated impinges said surfaces of said blades on said pressure side and a limited portion impinges said surfaces of said blades on said suction side or passes between said blades; a second nozzle located at a position relative said center line of said engine and arranged such that said cleaning liquid emanated from said second nozzle is regulated in a direction so that a substantial portion of said cleaning liquid emanated impinges said surfaces of said blades on said suction side and a limited portion impinges said surfaces of said blades on said pressure side or passes between said blades; or a third nozzle located at a position relative said center line of said engine and arranged such that said cleaning liquid emanated from said third nozzle is regulated in a direction so that a substantial portion of said cleaning liquid emanated passes between said blades and enters an inlet of said core engine and a limited portion impinges said surfaces of said blades.