System and method for cleaning a gas turbine engine

Abstract

A system for cleaning a gas turbine engine includes a cleaning medium reservoir for storing a cleaning medium. The system also includes a delivery system configured to direct the cleaning medium from the cleaning medium reservoir toward one or more components of the gas turbine engine to clean the one or more components of the gas turbine engine. The system also includes a removal system configured to apply a vacuum pressure to the gas turbine engine to move the cleaning medium through the gas turbine engine.

Description

Cross-reference to related applications

[0001] This application is based on and claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 19 / 331,513, filed September 17, 2025, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 733,688, filed December 13, 2024. The entire contents of these applications are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This disclosure relates to gas turbine engines, and more specifically, to systems and related methods for cleaning gas turbine engines or their components. Background Technology

[0003] A typical aircraft propulsion system comprises one or more gas turbine engines. For some propulsion systems, the gas turbine engine typically includes a fan and a core arranged in fluid communication with each other. Furthermore, the core of the gas turbine engine typically includes, in a sequential flow order, a compressor section, a combustion section, a turbine section, and an exhaust section. In operation, air is supplied from the fan to the inlet of the compressor section, where one or more axial compressors progressively compress the air until it reaches the combustion section. Fuel is mixed with the compressed air and burned within the combustion section to provide combustion gases. These combustion gases are then directed from the combustion section to the turbine section. The flow of combustion gases through the turbine section drives the turbine section and is then directed through the exhaust section, for example, discharged into the atmosphere.

[0004] During operation, this gas turbine engine draws in a large amount of air. However, this air may contain foreign particles. While most of these foreign particles will travel along the gas path through the engine and be expelled with the exhaust, at least some of them may adhere to certain components within the gas path of the gas turbine engine, potentially altering the engine's aerodynamics and / or thermal performance, reducing engine performance, or even shortening engine life.

[0005] To remove these foreign particles from the gas path of a gas turbine engine, a cleaning operation can be performed, directing water or other fluids toward the gas turbine engine inlet. However, this cleaning operation may require extended soaking times or multiple cycles to ensure thorough removal of these foreign particles.

[0006] Therefore, in the art, systems and methods for cleaning gas turbine engines that reduce cleaning time are desirable. Attached Figure Description

[0007] The complete and feasible disclosure of this disclosure, including its best mode, is set forth in the specification with reference to the accompanying drawings, for those skilled in the art, wherein:

[0008] Figure 1 A schematic cross-sectional view of a gas turbine engine according to an exemplary aspect of this disclosure is shown.

[0009] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of an exemplary cleaning system for cleaning a gas turbine engine is shown, according to an exemplary aspect of this disclosure.

[0010] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a computing system for a clean gas turbine engine is shown, according to an exemplary aspect of this disclosure.

[0011] Figure 4 A flowchart is shown as an embodiment of a cleaning control algorithm for a clean gas turbine engine according to an exemplary aspect of this disclosure.

[0012] Figure 5 A flowchart of one embodiment of a method for cleaning a gas turbine engine according to an exemplary aspect of this disclosure is shown.

[0013] Reference numerals used repeatedly in this specification and drawings are intended to indicate the same or similar features or elements of the art. Detailed Implementation

[0014] Reference will now be made in detail to the present embodiments of this disclosure, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The detailed description uses numerals and letter reference numerals to denote features in the drawings. Similar or analogous reference numerals in the drawings and description have been used to denote similar or analogous portions of this disclosure.

[0015] The term "exemplary" is used herein to mean "serving as an example, instance, or illustration." Any implementation described herein as "exemplary" is not necessarily to be construed as superior or better than other implementations. Furthermore, unless explicitly stated otherwise, all embodiments described herein should be considered exemplary.

[0016] Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular forms “a,” “a,” and “the” include plural references.

[0017] In a context such as “at least one of A, B and C”, the term “at least one” means only A, only B, only C, or any combination of A, B and C.

[0018] The term "turbine" refers to a machine that includes one or more compressors, a heating section (e.g., a combustion section), and one or more turbines that together generate torque output.

[0019] The term "gas turbine engine" refers to an engine that has a turbine as its power source, in whole or in part. Examples of gas turbine engines include turbofan engines, turboprop engines, turbojet engines, turboshaft engines, and hybrid electric versions of one or more of these engines.

[0020] The term "combustion section" refers to any heat addition system used in a turbine. For example, the term combustion section can refer to a section including one or more of a knock combustion assembly, a rotating detonation combustion assembly, a pulse detonation combustion assembly, or other suitable heat addition assembly. In some example embodiments, the combustion section may include an annular burner, a can burner, a tubular burner, a vortex burner (TVC), or other suitable combustion systems, or combinations thereof.

[0021] When used with compressors, turbines, shafts, or spools, unless otherwise specified, the terms “low” and “high,” or their respective comparatives (e.g., “lower” and “higher,” where applicable), refer to relative speeds within the engine. For example, “low-speed turbine” or “low-turbine” defines a component configured to operate at a rotational speed (e.g., the maximum permissible rotational speed) lower than that of the engine’s “high-speed turbine” or “high-speed turbine.”

[0022] The terms "forward" and "rearward" refer to the relative positions within the gas turbine engine or launch vehicle, and are based on the normal operating attitude of the gas turbine engine or launch vehicle. More specifically, in this document, "forward" and "rearward" are used with reference to the direction of travel of the launch vehicle and the direction of propulsion thrust of the gas turbine engine.

[0023] The terms "upstream" and "downstream" refer to the relative directions of fluid flow within a fluid path. For example, "upstream" refers to the direction from which the fluid flows, and "downstream" refers to the direction from which the fluid flows.

[0024] As used herein, the terms "axial" and "axially" refer to a direction and orientation that extends substantially parallel to the centerline of the gas turbine engine. Furthermore, the terms "radial" and "radially" refer to a direction and orientation that extends substantially perpendicular to the centerline of the gas turbine engine. Additionally, as used herein, the terms "circumferential" and "circumferentially" refer to a direction and orientation that extends in an arc around the centerline of the gas turbine engine.

[0025] Unless otherwise stated herein, the terms “connection,” “fixed,” “attached to,” etc., refer to both direct connection, fixation, or attachment, and indirect connection, fixation, or attachment via one or more intermediate components or features.

[0026] As used herein, the terms “first,” “second,” and “third” are used interchangeably to distinguish one component from another and are not intended to indicate the location or importance of the individual components.

[0027] For the purposes described below, the terms “up,” “down,” “right,” “left,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” “top,” “bottom,” “lateral,” “longitudinal,” and their derivatives should be associated with the orientation of the implementation, for example, as shown in the accompanying drawings. However, it should be understood that various alternative variations may be assumed in the embodiments unless explicitly stated otherwise. It should also be understood that the specific devices shown in the accompanying drawings and described in the following specification are merely exemplary embodiments of this disclosure. Therefore, the specific dimensions and other physical characteristics associated with the embodiments disclosed herein should not be considered limiting.

[0028] This disclosure generally relates to gas turbine engines, and more specifically, to systems and related methods for cleaning gas turbine engines. For example, this subject matter relates to systems and methods for removing foreign particles from gas turbine engines without requiring disassembly of the gas turbine engine cover, use of any gearboxes of the gas turbine engine (e.g., accessory gearboxes, drive gearboxes, etc.), or lubrication procedures. More specifically, disassembly and reassembly of the gas turbine engine cover for cleaning processes requires significant time. Furthermore, the slow rotation of the gas turbine engine does not provide sufficient lubrication for the gas turbine engine gearboxes (e.g., accessory gearboxes, drive gearboxes, etc.), which can lead to excessive wear and damage to such gearboxes. In some cases, lubrication of such gearboxes is performed to prevent such wear during the cleaning process, but draining excess oil (e.g., 20 liters) after the cleaning process significantly increases the overall cleaning time, as this can take several hours (e.g., three to four hours). Therefore, the disclosed systems and methods eliminate the need to disassemble the gas turbine engine cover and bypass the gearboxes during cleaning.

[0029] Referring now to the accompanying drawings, where the same number indicates the same element throughout the drawings, Figure 1 A schematic cross-sectional view of a gas turbine engine 10 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. More specifically, for Figure 1 In one embodiment, the gas turbine engine 10 is a high-bypass turbofan jet engine, sometimes also referred to as a "turbofan engine." For example... Figure 1 As shown, the gas turbine engine 10 defines an axial direction A (extending parallel to the longitudinal centerline 12 for reference), a radial direction R (extending perpendicular to the longitudinal centerline 12), and a circumferential direction C extending about the longitudinal centerline 12. Generally, the gas turbine engine 10 includes a fan section 14 and a turbine 16 disposed downstream of the fan section 14.

[0030] The depicted exemplary turbine 16 generally comprises a basic tubular casing 18 defining an annular inlet 20. The casing 18 surrounds, in a series flow relationship: a compressor section comprising a supercharger or low-pressure (LP) compressor 22 and a high-pressure (HP) compressor 24; a combustion section 26; a turbine section comprising a high-pressure (HP) turbine 28 and a low-pressure (LP) turbine 30; and an injection exhaust nozzle section 32. A high-pressure (HP) shaft 34 (which may additionally or alternatively be a spool) drives the HP turbine 28 to the HP compressor 24. A low-pressure (LP) shaft 36 (which may additionally or alternatively be a spool) drives the LP turbine 30 to the LP compressor 22. The compressor section, combustion section 26, turbine section, and injection exhaust nozzle section 32 together define a core gas flow path 37.

[0031] In the depicted embodiment, fan section 14 includes a fan 38 having a plurality of fan blades 40 circumferentially spaced and coupled to disk 42. As depicted, the fan blades 40 extend generally radially outward from disk 42. Each fan blade 40 is operably coupled to a suitable pitch mechanism 44 by means of the fan blades 40, which is rotatable relative to disk 42 about a pitch axis P, and is configured to, for example, uniformly and collectively change the pitch of the fan blades 40. Gas turbine engine 10 may also include (as in a geared turbofan engine) a power gearbox 46, and the fan blades 40, disk 42, and pitch mechanism 44 may rotate together about a longitudinal centerline 12 across power gearbox 46 via LP shaft 36. Power gearbox 46 includes a plurality of gears for adjusting the rotational speed of fan 38 relative to LP shaft 36, so that fan 38 can rotate at a more efficient fan speed.

[0032] Still referencing Figure 1 In an exemplary embodiment, the disk 42 is covered by a rotatable front hub 48 (sometimes referred to as a "rotor") of the fan section 14. The front hub 48 is aerodynamically shaped to facilitate airflow through the multiple fan blades 40.

[0033] Additionally, the exemplary fan section 14 includes an annular fan housing or outer nacelle 50 circumferentially surrounding at least a portion of the fan 38 and / or turbine 16. It should be understood that, in the depicted embodiment, the nacelle 50 is supported relative to the turbine 16 by a plurality of circumferentially spaced outlet guide vanes 52. Furthermore, a downstream section 54 of the nacelle 50 extends above the outer portion of the turbine 16 to define a bypass airflow passage 56 between them.

[0034] During operation of the gas turbine engine 10, a certain amount of air (e.g., as indicated by arrow 58) enters the gas turbine engine 10 through the nacelle 50 and the associated inlets 60 of the fan section 14. As the certain amount of air 58 passes through the fan blades 40, a first portion of the air (e.g., as indicated by arrow 62) is directed or directed into the bypass airflow passage 56, and a second portion of the air (e.g., as indicated by arrow 64) is directed or directed into the core gas flow path 37, or more specifically, into the LP compressor 22. The ratio between the first portion of air 62 and the second portion of air 64 is commonly referred to as the bypass ratio. As the second portion of air 64 is directed through the HP compressor 24 and into the combustion section 26, the pressure of the second portion of air 64 increases, where it mixes with fuel and is burned to provide combustion gases 66.

[0035] Combustion gas 66 is directed through HP turbine 28, where a portion of the thermal and / or kinetic energy from the combustion gas 66 is extracted via a successive stage of HP turbine stator blades 68 connected to housing 18 and HP turbine rotor blades 70 connected to HP shaft 34, thus rotating HP shaft 34 to support the operation of HP compressor 24. Combustion gas 66 is then directed through LP turbine 30, where a second portion of the thermal and kinetic energy is extracted from the combustion gas 66 via a successive stage of LP turbine stator blades 72 connected to housing 18 and LP turbine rotor blades 74 connected to LP shaft 36, thus rotating LP shaft 36 to support the operation of LP compressor 22 and / or the rotation of fan 38.

[0036] Combustion gas 66 is then directed through the injection exhaust nozzle section 32 of turbine 16 to provide propulsive thrust. Simultaneously, the pressure of the first portion of air 62 increases significantly as it is directed through the bypass airflow passage 56 before exiting from the fan nozzle exhaust section 76 of gas turbine engine 10, also providing propulsive thrust. HP turbine 28, LP turbine 30, and injection exhaust nozzle section 32 at least partially define a hot gas path 78 for directing combustion gas 66 through turbine 16.

[0037] In some cases, the gas turbine engine 10 also includes an accessory gearbox 80 attached to the gas turbine engine 10. The accessory gearbox 80 may be mounted outside the flow path of the gas turbine engine 10, for example, attached to the housing of the HP compressor 24, or attached to the nacelle 50 or any other stationary structure of the gas turbine engine 10. During at least some operations, the accessory gearbox 80 may power one or more suitable accessory systems of the gas turbine engine 10.

[0038] More specifically, the accessory gearbox 80 may be attached to the turbine 16 of the gas turbine engine 10 and mechanically coupled to the HP shaft 34 of the turbofan engine 10. More specifically, the accessory gearbox 80 may be drivenly coupled to the drive gearbox 82 via a drive shaft 84, which in turn is coupled to an intermediate shaft 86. The intermediate shaft 86 is drivenly coupled to the HP shaft 34 directly or indirectly via the intermediate gearbox 86. The intermediate shaft 86 may extend through the outlet guide vane 52. The HP shaft 34 may rotate together with the intermediate shaft 86 (e.g., the drive gearbox 82 and the intermediate shaft 86 may rotate the HP shaft 34). An electric motor (i.e., a starter motor / generator) may be coupled to the accessory gearbox 80 for, for example, starting the gas turbine engine 10 and / or generating electricity while the gas turbine engine 10 is running.

[0039] However, it should be understood that Figure 1 The exemplary gas turbine engine 10 depicted herein is merely an example, and in other exemplary embodiments, the gas turbine engine 10 may have any other suitable configuration. For example, although the illustrated gas turbine engine 10 is configured as a ducted gas turbine engine (i.e., including an outer nacelle 50), in other embodiments, the gas turbine engine 10 may be a non-ducted gas turbine engine (such that fan 38 is a non-ducted fan with outlet guide vanes 52 cantilevered from housing 18). Additionally or alternatively, although the depicted gas turbine engine 10 is configured as a geared gas turbine engine (i.e., including a power gearbox 46) and a variable-pitch gas turbine engine (i.e., including a fan 38 configured as a variable-pitch fan), in other embodiments, the gas turbine engine 10 may additionally or alternatively be configured as a direct-drive gas turbine engine (such that the LP shaft 36 rotates at the same speed as the fan 38), a fixed-pitch gas turbine engine (such that fan 38 includes fan blades 40 that are not rotatable about the pitch axis P), or both. It should also be understood that in other exemplary embodiments, aspects of this disclosure may be incorporated into any other suitable gas turbine engine. For example, in other exemplary embodiments, aspects of this disclosure may (as the case may) be incorporated into, for example, a turboprop gas turbine engine, a turboshaft gas turbine engine, or a turbojet gas turbine engine.

[0040] Generally, as described above, a certain amount of air 58 entering the gas turbine engine 10 through the relevant inlets 60 of the nacelle 50 and fan section 14 may contain foreign particles. While most of these foreign particles will pass through the engine along the hot air path 78 and be discharged with the exhaust or through the bypass airflow passage 56, at least some of these foreign particles may adhere to certain components within the gas turbine engine 10, such as certain components in the hot air path 78 and / or airflow passage 56, which may alter the engine's aerodynamics and / or thermal performance, reduce engine performance, or even shorten engine life.

[0041] Therefore, now refer to Figure 2 According to an exemplary aspect of this disclosure, a schematic diagram of an exemplary cleaning system 100 for cleaning a gas turbine engine is shown. It should be understood that, although reference will be made to... Figure 1 The gas turbine engine 10 describes the cleaning system 100, but the cleaning system 100 can be adapted for use with any other suitable gas turbine engine.

[0042] Generally, the cleaning system 100 is configured to remove foreign particles from a gas turbine engine (such as gas turbine engine 10) or its components without requiring disassembly of the gas turbine engine 10's casing, without using any gearboxes of the gas turbine engine 10 (e.g., accessory gearbox 80, drive gearbox 82, intermediate gearbox 86, etc.), and without requiring a lubrication procedure. More specifically, disassembling the casing of the gas turbine engine 10 (e.g., the casing of the outer nacelle 50, outer shell 18, etc.) requires a significant amount of time for the cleaning process. In some cases, an electric motor (i.e., a starter motor / generator) may be coupled to the accessory gearbox 80 for, for example, starting the gas turbine engine 10 and / or generating electricity while the gas turbine engine 10 is running, wherein such a motor may also be used to slowly rotate the gas turbine engine 10 at a speed lower than the operating speed of the gas turbine engine 10 during the cleaning process. However, the slow rotation of the gas turbine engine 10 cannot provide sufficient lubrication for the gearboxes of the gas turbine engine 10 (e.g., accessory gearbox 80, drive gearbox 82, intermediate gearbox 86, etc.), which may lead to excessive wear and damage to these gearboxes. In some cases, lubrication of such gearboxes is done to prevent this type of wear during the cleaning process, but draining excess oil after the cleaning process can take several hours. Therefore, this cleaning system 100% avoids these problems.

[0043] For example, cleaning system 100 may include cleaning medium system 102 configured to direct cleaning medium toward one or more components of the gas turbine engine 10 being cleaned, and in some cases, to assist in removing cleaning medium from the gas turbine engine 10. For example, cleaning medium system 102 may include one or both of cleaning medium delivery system 102A and cleaning medium removal system 102B.

[0044] The cleaning media delivery system 102A may include one or more reservoirs 104, each reservoir 104 being configured to contain cleaning media. In some cases, for example, the cleaning media may include detergent cleaning media (such as soap detergents that can be processed into foam cleaning media), water-based cleaning media (such as distilled water and / or deionized water), and so on. In some cases, the cleaning media may include one or more particles configured to be used as abrasive cleaning media. In some cases, the reservoir 104 may be configured to contain a mixture of different cleaning media.

[0045] The cleaning medium delivery system 102A (hereinafter referred to as "delivery system 102A") may include any suitable delivery means for delivering the cleaning medium in situ from the reservoir 104 to the gas turbine engine 10 or to components of the gas turbine engine 10. For example, for in-situ delivery of the cleaning medium, the delivery system 102A may inject the cleaning medium at one or more locations on the gas turbine engine 10, such as at the gas turbine inlet (e.g., at inlet 20, at the inlet of combustion section 26, etc.), at one or more endoscope ports of the gas turbine engine 10 (e.g., at one or more endoscope ports of the compressor section, one or more endoscope ports of combustion section 26, etc.), at existing baffles of the gas turbine engine 10, and / or any other suitable location. For example, one or more injection pipes 105 may be inserted from the rear end of the gas turbine engine 10, between the outer nacelle 50 and the outer casing 18, for injecting the cleaning medium from a location behind the fan 38 into inlet 20. In one or more instances, the injection pipe 105 may be shaped like a shepherd's hook, with the hook portion extending around inlet 20. In some cases, the injection pipe 105 may be at least partially supported on one or more shrouds of the housing 18 of the gas turbine engine 10. Therefore, the delivery system 102A is configured to introduce the cleaning medium into the gas turbine engine while the shrouds are still mounted on and closed, which reduces the time associated with performing cleaning operations.

[0046] Delivery system 102A may include one or more pressure sources 106, such as one or more fans, one or more blowers, one or more pumps, etc., for guiding cleaning media from reservoir 104 through associated pipes, hoses, conduits, pipes, etc., to gas turbine engine 10 or components thereof. Delivery system 102A may also include, but is not limited to, one or more valves 108A, which are selectively adjustable to guide cleaning media through associated pipes, hoses, conduits, pipes, etc., to appropriate locations on gas turbine engine 10 or components thereof. For example, valve 108A may be adjustable to selectively supply detergent cleaning media alone from reservoir 104, supply water-based cleaning media alone from reservoir 104, or any suitable combination thereof.

[0047] In some cases, pressure source 106 can pressurize the cleaning medium for delivery. For example, detergent cleaning medium can be processed by delivery system 102A to form a foam cleaning medium for delivery. For example, delivery system 102A can be configured as a control valve 108A and pressure source 106 to mix detergent cleaning medium from reservoir 104 with a gas (such as air and / or inert gas) to produce a foam detergent cleaning medium. As another example, delivery system 102A can be configured as a control valve 108A and pressure source 106 to dispense cleaning medium from reservoir 104 at a specific flow rate.

[0048] Furthermore, in some cases, the delivery system 102A may be configured to regulate the temperature of the cleaning medium supplied to the gas turbine engine 10. For example, in some embodiments, the reservoir 104 may be heated. Increasing the temperature of the cleaning medium can improve its cleaning performance. For example, the cleaning medium may be supplied at a temperature between about 35 degrees Celsius and 100 degrees Celsius (e.g., between about 45 degrees Celsius and about 75 degrees Celsius, such as about 60 degrees Celsius). In this case, the associated piping, hoses, conduits, tubes, etc., from the reservoir 104 to the gas turbine engine 10 may be insulated to help maintain the desired cleaning medium temperature.

[0049] The cleaning medium removal system 102B (hereinafter referred to as "Removal System 102B") may similarly include any suitable means for assisting in the in-situ removal of used cleaning medium from the gas turbine engine 10, wherein the used cleaning medium may include a mixture of the cleaning medium and residues removed from the gas turbine engine 10 by the cleaning medium. For example, to remove the used cleaning medium in situ, the Removal System 102B may apply a vacuum pressure at one or more locations on the gas turbine engine 10, such as at the gas turbine outlet (e.g., at the exhaust nozzle section 32, etc.), at one or more endoscopic ports of the gas turbine engine 10 (e.g., at one or more endoscopic ports of the compressor section, one or more endoscopic ports of the combustion section 26, etc.), at existing baffles of the gas turbine engine 10, and / or any other suitable location.

[0050] The removal system 102B may include one or more pressure sources 110, such as one or more fans, one or more blowers, one or more pumps, etc., for generating vacuum pressure to aid in moving the cleaning medium through and out of the gas turbine engine 10. The pressure source 110 may be coupled to a vacuum interface 111 that can be coupled to the gas turbine engine 10 via associated pipes, hoses, conduits, tubes, etc. In some cases, the vacuum interface 111 may be coupled to the gas turbine engine 10 at the exhaust nozzle section 32 (e.g., at and / or around the shroud of the housing 18 of the gas turbine engine 10). The vacuum interface 111 is configured to couple the gas turbine engine 10 to the pressure source 110 such that the pressure source 110 can apply vacuum pressure to the gas turbine engine 10. In one or more instances, the vacuum interface 111 at least partially covers the exhaust nozzle section 32 and has one or more openings defined therethrough, allowing the cleaning medium to flow out of the exhaust nozzle section through the openings defined in the vacuum interface 111. In some cases, the vacuum interface 111 is an annular plate receiving a shroud extending radially inward around the exhaust nozzle section 32. The vacuum interface 111 can be removably secured to the housing 18, for example, by bolts, screws, etc. In some cases, the vacuum interface 111 forms a seal with the gas turbine engine 10 to improve the efficiency of the vacuum pressure generated by the gas turbine engine 10. The removal system 102B may also include, but is not limited to, one or more valves 108B, which are selectively adjustable to apply vacuum pressure at the gas turbine engine 10 and / or direct used cleaning media away from the gas turbine engine 10 through associated pipes, hoses, conduits, tubes, etc. The removal system 102B may be configured to control the valves 108B and the pressure source 110 to remove cleaning media from the gas turbine engine 10 at a specific flow rate, such that the cleaning media has at least a threshold minimum time within the gas turbine engine 10, but is ultimately still removed from the gas turbine engine 10. For example, in some cases, the removal system 102B generates a vacuum pressure in the gas turbine engine 10, at a pressure of about 1 inch of water column, for example between about 0 inch of water column (in-H2O) and about 1 inch of water column, for example between about 0.1 inch of water column and about 0.5 inch of water column, for example about 0.3 inch of water column, with an air velocity of about 400 feet per minute (ft / min).

[0051] In some cases, the removal system 102B may include one or more reservoirs 112, each reservoir 112 being configured to receive used cleaning medium that exits the gas turbine engine 10 during the cleaning process.

[0052] It should be understood that various components of the cleaning media system 102 (e.g., reservoirs 104, 112, pressure sources 106, 110, valves 108A, 108B, etc.) can be supported on one or more cleaning carts 114. The cleaning cart 114 may have multiple wheels 116, handles (not shown), propulsion motors (not shown), etc., to allow the cleaning cart 114 to be moved to a desired location, such as near the gas turbine engine 10. The cleaning cart 114 may be modular to allow for easy removal / replacement or interchange of different components stored thereon.

[0053] It should also be understood that the various components of the cleaning media system 102 (e.g., valves 108A, 108B, pressure sources 106, 110, propulsion motors, etc.) can be manually controlled, automatically controlled, or a combination thereof.

[0054] In some cases, one or more components of the gas turbine engine 10 may be configured to rotate during cleaning. In this case, the cleaning system 100 may include an external drive system 118 for rotating the gas turbine engine 10 at a much lower speed than during normal operation without damaging the gearbox components of the gas turbine engine 10. For example, the external drive system 118 may include one or more external rotation sources 120. The external rotation source 120 may be configured to be rotatably coupled (directly or indirectly) to one or more components of the gas turbine engine 10 to rotate the components of the gas turbine engine 10 during cleaning. The external rotation source 120 may be any suitable external rotation device or combination of devices, such as an external electric motor, blower, extraction mechanism, etc., which are not present during the full operation of the gas turbine engine 10. For example, in some cases, the external rotation source 120 is an electric motor configured to rotate a drive shaft 122, wherein the drive shaft 122 may be rotatably coupled (directly or indirectly) to one or more components of the gas turbine engine 10.

[0055] Specifically, the external rotating source 120 can be rotatably coupled to the fan 38 of the gas turbine engine 10. For example, the external drive system 118 may include a fan mount 124. The fan mount 124 rotatably couples a drive shaft 122 to the fan 38 of the gas turbine engine 10 for rotating the fan 38 during cleaning one or more components of the gas turbine engine. The fan mount 124 has at least two mounting arms 124M, each of which is fixedly coupled to a corresponding fan blade 40 of the fan 38. The mounting arms 124M are circumferentially spaced and coupled to a central hub 124H, extending axially outward from the central hub 124H generally along the axial direction A. In some cases, the length of the mounting arms 124M in the axial direction A is selected such that the fan mount 124 can be coupled to the fan 38 without removing the front hub 48 of the fan 38. However, in some cases, the front hub 48 is configured to be removed so that the mounting arm 124M can be positioned radially closer to the disc 42 in the radial direction R to reduce the torque applied to the fan blades 40.

[0056] Mounting arms 124M may be circumferentially spaced evenly on the central hub 124H, such that the weight of the fan mount 124 is substantially evenly distributed for rotation. It should be understood that although only two mounting arms 124M are shown, the fan mount 124 may have any other suitable number of mounting arms 124M, such as three, four, five, or more. In some cases, the mounting arms 124M may be coupled to a corresponding fan blade 40 by being received between two adjacent fan blades 40. In one or more instances, the mounting arms 124M may form a press fit between two adjacent fan blades 40. In some cases, the axial end of each mounting arm 124M may define a channel in which the corresponding axial end of the respective fan blade 40 may be received. In some cases, the mounting arms 124M are formed of a lightweight material, such as plastic. However, in some cases, the mounting arms 124M may be formed of metal and / or any other suitable material or combination of materials. In one or more alternative embodiments, the fan mount 124 may be coupled to the front hub 48 to rotate with it, thereby avoiding the application of torque to the fan blades 40. However, it is generally easier to coupled the mounting arm 124M to the fan blades 40 because it is difficult to obtain sufficient friction on the front hub 48 to make the fan 38 rotate at a higher speed.

[0057] The external drive system 118 may also include a fan coupling 126 configured to rotatably connect the drive shaft 122 to the fan mount 124. In one example, the drive shaft 122 is coaxial with a longitudinal centerline 12, such that the drive shaft 122 and the fan 38 can rotate together about the longitudinal centerline 12. However, in some cases, the shaft 122 may be offset from the longitudinal centerline 12. The fan coupling 126 may be configured to rotatably connect the drive shaft 122 to the fan mount 124 regardless of the alignment of the drive shaft 122 and the fan 38. In one or more examples, the drive shaft 122 may be a flexible shaft, such that the drive shaft 122 can be coupled to the fan mount 124 while taking into account different relative positions of the drive source 120 and the fan mount 124. In some cases, the fan coupling 126 includes a gearbox that allows the fan 38 to rotate at a selected rate relative to the rotation of the drive shaft 122.

[0058] The external drive system 118 may also include a support frame 128 for rotatably supporting components of the external drive system 118 relative to the gas turbine engine 10. For example, the support frame 128 may include at least two support arms 128M, each of which is fixedly coupled to a portion of the gas turbine engine 10. In one example, each support arm 128M is coupled to a corresponding portion of the outer nacelle 50 surrounding the fan 38. The support arms 128M may be coupled (directly or indirectly) to the outer nacelle 50 at locations within the outer nacelle 50, in front of at least a portion of the fan 38 (e.g., behind at least a portion of the fan hub 48), at the inlet 60, and / or at any other suitable location on the outer nacelle 50. In some cases, the support arms 128M may be coupled to at least an inner shell 50M surrounding the fan 38, wherein the outer nacelle 50 is coupled radially to the outside of such an inner shell 50M, such that the support arms 128M are indirectly coupled to the outer nacelle 50. The support arms 128M can be detachably (directly or indirectly) connected to the outer nacelle 50 using any suitable means (e.g., by screws, bolts, etc.). The support arms 128M are circumferentially spaced to the support hub 128H and extend axially outward from the support hub 128H generally along the axial direction A. The support arms 128M can be evenly circumferentially spaced on the support hub 128H, such that the support frame 128 is substantially uniformly distributed relative to the gas turbine engine 10 to resist rotational (e.g., swaying) motion. It should be understood that although only two support arms 128M are shown, the support frame 128 may include any other suitable number of support arms 128M, such as three, four, five, or more. The support frame 128 can be rigid and formed of a structural material such as metal. However, it should be understood that the support frame 128 can be formed of any other suitable material for supporting the rotation of the fan 38.

[0059] The external rotating source 120 may be at least partially supported by the support frame 128. More specifically, in some cases, the drive shaft 122 may be rotatably supported by the support frame 128. For example, the support frame 128 may define an opening through which the drive shaft 122 may extend and be supported for rotation relative to it. In some cases, a fan connector 126 may be mounted on the support frame 128, wherein the drive shaft 122 and / or the fan mount 124 are indirectly supported on the support frame 128 for rotation via the fan connector 126.

[0060] Typically, the external drive system 118 is configured to allow an external rotational source 120 (e.g., a drive motor) to drive the rotation of fan 38, which in turn rotates LP shaft 36 to drive the LP turbine 30 and LP compressor 22 at rotational speeds lower than the operating speed of gas turbine engine 10, without requiring any gearboxes of gas turbine engine 10. This prevents damage to these gearboxes at such low speeds. For example, the external rotational source 120 can rotate fan 38, thereby rotating LP shaft 36, within a cleaning speed range, such as between approximately 2 revolutions per minute (rpm) and approximately 500 rpm, such as between approximately 5 rpm and approximately 100 rpm, such as between approximately 10 rpm and approximately 60 rpm. This cleaning speed range is significantly lower than the operating speed range of gas turbine engine 10 (e.g., above 1000 rpm, such as several thousand rpm). Depending on the type of cleaning medium used, the cleaning speed range may be limited. For example, the cleaning speed range of foam detergent cleaning media may be limited so that the foam detergent cleaning media does not collapse and allows flow into the venting area of ​​gas turbine engine 10. Furthermore, the cleaning speed range can be limited by whether the fan 38 is used with or without vacuum pressure from the removal system 102B. For example, in some cases, the cleaning speed range may be higher (e.g., between approximately 10 rpm and approximately 500 rpm) when used without vacuum pressure (e.g., between approximately 10 rpm and approximately 60 rpm) than when using with vacuum pressure (e.g., between approximately 10 rpm and approximately 500 rpm). Additionally, in some cases, during this rotation of the fan 38 and LP shaft 36, the HP compressor 24 and HP turbine 28 may be stationary, causing the gearboxes (e.g., accessory gearbox 80, drive gearbox 82, intermediate gearbox 86) to also not rotate, thereby preventing wear due to insufficient lubrication during this cleaning process.

[0061] It should be understood that various components of the external drive system 118 can be supported on the vehicle 130. The vehicle 130 may have multiple wheels 132, handles 133, propulsion motors (not shown), etc., to allow the vehicle 130 to move to a desired location, such as near the gas turbine engine 10. In some cases, the vehicle 130 may include a stabilizing device 134, which is controllable, to help support the external rotating source 120 during operation. For example, the stabilizing device 134 may include retractable legs that can extend to lift the vehicle 130 off the wheels 132, so that the vehicle 130 does not roll during operation of the external rotating source 120. In some cases, the stabilizing device 134 may include wheel locks to prevent the wheels 132 from rotating during operation of the external rotating source 120. However, it should be understood that the vehicle 130 may have any other suitable stabilizing device 134 or combinations thereof. It should be further understood that the vehicle 130 may be modular to allow for easy removal / replacement or interchange of different components stored thereon. In some cases, vehicle 130 and cleaning vehicle 114 can be combined.

[0062] It should also be understood that the various components of the external drive system 118 (e.g., external rotation source 120, stabilizing device 134, propulsion device, etc.) can be manually controlled, automatically controlled, or a combination thereof.

[0063] Now for reference Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a computing system 200 for a clean gas turbine engine according to an exemplary aspect of this disclosure is shown. Generally, reference will be made to the reference... Figure 1 The gas turbine engine 10 described and referenced Figure 2 The cleaning system 100 is described in connection with the computing system 200. However, it should be understood that the disclosed computing system 200 can be implemented using a gas turbine engine and a cleaning system with any other suitable construction.

[0064] In several embodiments, the computing system 200 may include one or more computing devices 202 and various other components configured to be communicatively coupled to and / or controlled by the computing devices 202. For example, the computing system 200 may include one or more components of the cleaning system 100, such as one or more components of the cleaning medium system 102 (e.g., valves 108A, 108B, pressure sources 106, 110, etc.), one or more components of the external drive system 118 (e.g., external rotation source 120, stabilizing device 134, etc.), one or more components of the gas turbine engine 10, one or more user interfaces 210, etc. It should be understood that the user interface 210 described herein may include, but is not limited to, any combination of input and / or output devices that allow an operator to provide input to the computing device 202 and / or allow the computing device 202 to provide feedback to the operator, such as a keyboard, keypad, pointing device, button, knob, touchscreen, mobile device, audio input device, audio output device, etc.

[0065] Generally, computing device 202 can correspond to any suitable processor-based device, such as a computing device or any combination of computing devices. Therefore, as... Figure 3 As shown, computing device 202 typically includes one or more processors 204 and one or more associated memory devices 206, configured to perform various computer-implemented functions (e.g., performing the methods, steps, algorithms, calculations, etc. disclosed herein). As used herein, the term "processor" refers not only to integrated circuits included in a computer as known in the art, but also to controllers, microcontrollers, microcomputers, programmable logic controllers (PLCs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), and other programmable circuits. Furthermore, memory device 206 typically may have memory elements, including but not limited to computer-readable media (e.g., random access memory (RAM)), computer-readable non-volatile media (e.g., flash memory), floppy disks, optical disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), magneto-optical discs (MOD), digital versatile discs (DVDs), and / or other suitable memory elements. Such memory device 206 may typically be configured to store information accessible to processor 204, including data that can be retrieved, manipulated, created, and / or stored by processor 204, and instructions that can be executed by processor 204.

[0066] The computing device 202 may also include a communication interface 208 to provide a means of communication between the computing device 202 and any of the various system components described herein. For example, one or more communication links or interfaces (e.g., one or more data buses) may be provided between the communication interface 208 and any system component configured to perform one or more of the disclosed methods. For example, as shown, the computing device 202 may be communicatively coupled to the cleaning system 100 (and / or its individual components), one or more components of the gas turbine engine 10, the user interface 210, etc., via one or more communication links or interfaces.

[0067] It should be understood that, in some cases, computing device 202 is a separate computing device communicatively connected to an existing computing device for controlling the gas turbine engine 10 during normal operation. However, in other cases, computing device 202 is part of an existing computing device for controlling the gas turbine engine 10 during normal operation and is configured to perform one or more of the functions described herein for cleaning operations.

[0068] Generally, instructions stored in memory device 206 of computing device 202 can be executed by processor 204 to perform cleaning operations for cleaning a gas turbine engine (such as gas turbine engine 10). Computing device 202 can typically (directly or indirectly) control components of cleaning system 100 to perform cleaning operations. For example, computing device 202 can typically (directly or indirectly) control components of cleaning medium system 102 to control the movement of cleaning medium from reservoir 104 through and out of gas turbine engine 10, and / or (directly or indirectly) control external drive system 118 to rotate components of gas turbine engine 10 during the cleaning operation as described above, thereby performing cleaning. In some cases, computing device 202 can be configured to automatically control various components of computing system 200 to perform cleaning operations, for example, in response to receiving an input instructing the start of a cleaning process. However, in some cases, an operator can manually control various components of computing system 200 to perform cleaning operations.

[0069] Now for reference Figure 4 , Figure 4 A flowchart illustrating one embodiment of a cleaning control algorithm 300 for a clean gas turbine engine according to exemplary aspects of this disclosure is shown. Generally, while some parts of the cleaning control algorithm 300 are described herein as referenced above... Figure 3 The computing system 200 is implemented by computing device 202, but it should be understood that the various processes described below can also be implemented by another computing device or any combination of computing devices. Furthermore, although... Figure 4For illustrative purposes, control steps or functions performed in a specific order are depicted, but the steps or functions of the cleaning control algorithm 300 discussed herein are not limited to any particular order or arrangement. Using the disclosure provided herein, those skilled in the art will understand that various steps or functions of the cleaning control algorithm 300 disclosed herein may be omitted, rearranged, combined, and / or adapted in various ways without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0070] In particular, such as Figure 4 As shown, the cleaning control algorithm 300 may include determining at (302) whether to begin cleaning the gas turbine engine or a portion thereof. For example, the computing device 202 may be configured to receive input instructing a request to begin cleaning the gas turbine engine 10. For example, the computing device 202 may receive input instructing a request to begin a cleaning process for the gas turbine engine 10 via user interface 210. In some cases, the input may simply be a command to begin the cleaning process. In some cases, the input may indicate the degree of buildup at one or more locations on the gas turbine engine 10 and / or its components. For example, in some cases, the input may indicate a measured thickness and location of the buildup, the operating time since the last cleaning operation, and / or operating conditions, etc. In some cases, the input may include a series of images, wherein the images may be analyzed by the computing device 202 (e.g., by comparing the images with corresponding images of the cleaned gas turbine engine 10 or its components) to determine the degree and / or location of the buildup. In one or more instances, the input may instruct one or more components of the cleaning system 100 to be turned on (online / powered), one or more components of the cleaning system 100 to be attached to the gas turbine engine 10 (or its components), etc. In some cases, the input can be received at least partially from the gas turbine engine 10 (e.g., from the computing system of the gas turbine engine 10).

[0071] Once it is determined at (302) that cleaning should begin, in some cases, the cleaning control algorithm 300 may include at (304) controlling the delivery system 102A of the cleaning system 100 to direct at least one cleaning medium from at least one of the cleaning medium reservoirs 104 toward the gas turbine engine 10 or its components to be cleaned. For example, the pressure source 106 and / or valve 108A of the delivery system 102A may be controlled (e.g., activated) by the computing device 202 to direct the cleaning medium into the gas turbine engine 10. The delivery system 102A may be controlled to supply the cleaning medium into the gas turbine engine 10 for a predetermined amount of time, such as several hours (e.g., about four hours), at one or more predetermined intervals and / or at a predetermined flow rate.

[0072] In some cases, once it is determined at (302) that cleaning should begin, the cleaning control algorithm 300 may include controlling the removal system 102B of the cleaning system 100 at (306) to generate a vacuum pressure to be applied to the gas turbine engine 10, thereby causing the cleaning medium to move through the gas turbine engine 10. For example, the valve 108B and pressure source 110 (e.g., a vacuum source) of the removal system 102B may be controlled (e.g., activated) by the computing device 202 to apply a vacuum pressure to the gas turbine engine 10, thereby aiding in the extraction of the cleaning medium from the gas turbine engine 10. The removal system 102B may be controlled to generate a vacuum pressure at one or more predetermined intervals and / or at a predetermined pressure (e.g., a vacuum pressure of about 1 inch of water column, such as between about 0 inch of water column (in-H2O) and about 1 in-H2O, such as between about 0.1 in-H2O and about 0.5 in-H2O, such as about 0.3 in-H2O, etc.) for a predetermined amount of time, such as several hours (e.g., four hours). In some cases, the removal system 102B can be controlled to provide vacuum pressure while the delivery system 102A supplies cleaning medium to the gas turbine engine 10. However, in other cases, after the delivery system 102A has finished supplying cleaning medium to the gas turbine engine 10, the removal system 102B can be controlled to begin providing vacuum pressure. In a further case, the removal system 102B can be controlled to provide vacuum pressure while the delivery system 102A supplies cleaning medium to the gas turbine engine 10, and the vacuum pressure can continue to be provided after the delivery system 102A has finished supplying cleaning medium to the gas turbine engine 10.

[0073] In some cases, once it is determined at (302) that cleaning should begin, the cleaning control algorithm 300 may include controlling the external drive system 118 to rotate the fan 38 of the gas turbine engine. For example, the external rotation source 120 of the external drive system 118 may be controlled (e.g., activated) by the computing device 202 to cause the fan 38 to rotate at a cleaning speed (e.g., between about 2 revolutions per minute (rpm) and about 500 rpm, such as between about 5 rpm and about 100 rpm, such as between about 10 rpm and about 60 rpm). The external rotation source 120 of the external drive system 118 may be controlled by the computing device 202 to cause the fan 38 to rotate for a predetermined amount of time, such as several hours (e.g., about four hours), at one or more predetermined intervals and / or one or more predetermined speeds. In some cases, the external drive system 118 is controlled to rotate the fan 38 simultaneously with and / or after the delivery system 102A supplies cleaning medium to the gas turbine engine 10. In some cases, the external drive system 118 is controlled to rotate the fan 38 while and / or after the vacuum pressure is applied by the removal system 102B.

[0074] At (310), the cleaning control algorithm 300 may include determining whether the cleaning process should end. For example, input may be received after performing one or more of steps (304), (306), (308), where the input indicates whether the gas turbine engine 10 or a portion thereof is now sufficiently clean. In some cases, a flushing operation is performed prior to this determination. In this case, the computing device 202 may control the delivery system 102A to direct fluid (e.g., water from the reservoir 104) to the gas turbine engine 10 or a portion thereof to remove cleaning media and / or loose deposits remaining in or on the gas turbine engine 10 or a portion thereof, allowing clear visibility of the cleaned gas turbine engine 10 or a portion thereof. In some cases, a drying operation follows the flushing operation to allow even clearer visibility of the cleaned gas turbine engine 10 or a portion thereof. For example, the drying operation may include rotating one or more portions of the gas turbine engine 10 (e.g., controlling an external rotation source 120 to rotate the gas turbine engine 10), controlling the delivery system 102A to direct air through the gas turbine engine 10 or a portion thereof, and so on.

[0075] If it is determined at (310) that no further cleaning is needed, the cleaning control algorithm 300 may continue to (312) and the cleaning process may end. However, if it is determined at (310) that the cleaning process should not end (e.g., the gas turbine engine 10 or a part thereof is not clean enough), the cleaning control algorithm 300 may return to one or more of the previous cleaning steps (304), (306), and (308).

[0076] It should be understood that either or both of steps (306) and (308) can be used to assist in moving the cleaning medium through the gas turbine engine 10 during cleaning. When used in combination, a higher flow rate of the cleaning medium through the gas turbine engine 10 is possible. When only one of steps (306) or (308) is used, the complexity of the cleaning system is reduced, thereby reducing costs. Therefore, it should be understood that in some cases, the cleaning algorithm 300 includes step (306) but not step (308), thereby applying a vacuum and the gas turbine engine 10 does not rotate. Conversely, it should be understood that in some cases, the cleaning algorithm 300 includes step (308) but not step (306), causing the gas turbine engine 10 to rotate and no vacuum to be applied.

[0077] Now for reference Figure 5 , Figure 5 A flowchart of one embodiment of a method 350 for cleaning a gas turbine engine according to an exemplary aspect of this disclosure is shown. Generally, reference will be made to the references... Figure 1 Description of the gas turbine engine 10, Reference Figure 2The cleaning system described 100, reference Figure 3 The described computing system 200 and reference Figure 4 The method 350 is described using the clean control algorithm 300. However, it should be understood that the disclosed method 350 can be implemented using a gas turbine engine with any other suitable configuration, a computing system with any other suitable system configuration, and / or any other suitable control algorithm. Furthermore, although... Figure 5 The steps performed in a specific order are depicted for illustrative and discussion purposes, but the methods discussed herein are not limited to any particular order or arrangement. Those skilled in the art will understand, using the disclosure provided herein, that the steps of the methods disclosed herein may be omitted, rearranged, combined, and / or modified in various ways without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0078] like Figure 5 As shown, at (352), method 350 may include positioning a cleaning system near one or more components of the gas turbine engine. For example, as described above, cleaning system 100 may be positioned near one or more components of the gas turbine engine 10 such that cleaning system 100 can be used to clean gas turbine engine 10 (e.g., in situ) or its components (e.g., when removed from gas turbine engine 10). For example, cleaning system 100 may include one or more injection pipes 105 that can be inserted from the rear end of gas turbine engine 10, between outer nacelle 50 and outer casing 18, for injecting cleaning medium from a location behind fan 38 into inlet 20 while the casing remains mounted on gas turbine engine 10 and closed.

[0079] In (354), method 350 may include controlling a delivery system of the cleaning system to guide a cleaning medium from a cleaning medium reservoir toward one or more components of the gas turbine engine to clean one or more components of the gas turbine engine. For example, as described above, the delivery system 102A of the cleaning system 100 may be controlled (e.g., controlled by the computing device 202) to guide at least one cleaning medium from at least one cleaning medium reservoir 104 toward the gas turbine engine 10 or its components to be cleaned. In some cases, the cleaning system 100 may be controlled to guide at least one cleaning medium from at least one cleaning medium reservoir 104 toward the gas turbine engine 10 in situ.

[0080] Furthermore, at (356), method 350 may include a removal system of the cleaning system to apply a vacuum pressure to the gas turbine engine, thereby causing the cleaning medium to move through the gas turbine engine 10. For example, as described above, the removal system 102B of the cleaning system 100 may be controlled (e.g., controlled by the computing device 202) to generate a vacuum pressure to be applied to the gas turbine engine 10, thereby causing the cleaning medium to move through the gas turbine engine 10. In some cases, the removal system 102B may be configured to apply a vacuum pressure without requiring the removal of the casing of the gas turbine engine 10.

[0081] Further aspects are provided by the following topics:

[0082] This disclosure provides a system for cleaning a gas turbine engine, the system comprising: a cleaning medium reservoir for storing a cleaning medium; a delivery system configured to guide the cleaning medium from the cleaning medium reservoir toward one or more components of the gas turbine engine to clean the one or more components of the gas turbine engine; and a removal system configured to apply a vacuum pressure to the gas turbine engine to move the cleaning medium through the gas turbine engine.

[0083] According to any of the foregoing clauses, the removal system includes: a vacuum source configured to generate the vacuum pressure; and a vacuum interface configured to connect the gas turbine engine to the vacuum source so that the vacuum source applies the vacuum pressure to the gas turbine engine.

[0084] According to at least the foregoing items, the system wherein the vacuum interface is connectable to the exhaust nozzle section of the gas turbine engine, the vacuum interface being configured to remove the cleaning medium from the gas turbine engine through the exhaust nozzle section.

[0085] According to any of the foregoing clauses, the removal system generates a vacuum pressure of about 0.1 inches of water column to about 1 inch of water column.

[0086] According to any of the foregoing clauses, the delivery system is configured to introduce the cleaning medium into the gas turbine engine while the shroud of the gas turbine engine is still mounted on the gas turbine engine and closed.

[0087] The system according to any of the foregoing clauses further includes an external drive system configured to rotate a fan of the gas turbine engine during cleaning of the one or more components of the gas turbine engine, the fan being selectively rotatably coupled to the low-pressure shaft of the gas turbine engine.

[0088] According to at least the foregoing items, the external drive system includes: a support frame; a drive motor having a drive shaft rotatably supported by the support frame, the drive shaft being rotatable by the drive motor relative to the support frame; and a fan mount rotatably connecting the drive shaft to the fan of the gas turbine engine for rotating the fan during cleaning of the one or more components of the gas turbine engine.

[0089] According to the system described in at least the foregoing clauses, the fan mount has at least two mounting arms, each of the at least two mounting arms being fixedly connected to a corresponding fan blade among a plurality of fan blades of the fan.

[0090] According to at least any of the two preceding clauses, the system wherein the support frame is rotatably and fixedly coupled to the fan housing, the fan housing at least partially circumferentially surrounding the fan of the gas turbine engine.

[0091] According to at least any of the three preceding clauses, the drive motor is configured to drive the fan to rotate at a rotational speed lower than the operating speed of the gas turbine engine.

[0092] According to any of the preceding clauses, the cleaning medium is a foam detergent cleaning medium.

[0093] This disclosure provides a method for cleaning a gas turbine engine, the method comprising: positioning a cleaning system near the gas turbine engine; controlling a delivery system of the cleaning system to guide a cleaning medium from a cleaning medium reservoir toward one or more components of the gas turbine engine to clean the one or more components of the gas turbine engine; and controlling a removal system of the cleaning system to apply a vacuum pressure to the gas turbine engine, thereby causing the cleaning medium to move through the gas turbine engine.

[0094] According to the method described in at least the foregoing method clauses, controlling the removal system includes controlling a vacuum source of the removal system to generate the vacuum pressure, the vacuum source being connected to the gas turbine engine via a vacuum interface, and the vacuum pressure being applied to the gas turbine engine via the vacuum interface.

[0095] According to any of the foregoing method clauses, controlling the removal system includes controlling the removal system to generate the vacuum pressure at a pressure of about 0.1 inches of water column to about 1 inch of water column.

[0096] The method according to any of the foregoing method clauses is characterized by further comprising: during cleaning of the one or more components of the gas turbine engine, controlling an external drive system to rotate a fan of the gas turbine engine, the fan being selectively rotatably coupled to a low-pressure shaft of the gas turbine engine.

[0097] According to the method described in at least the foregoing method clauses, controlling the external drive system includes controlling a drive motor to rotate a drive shaft rotatably coupled to the fan via a fan mount, the drive shaft being supported by a support frame for rotation.

[0098] According to the method described in at least the foregoing method clauses, positioning the cleaning system near the gas turbine engine includes coupling the fan mount to the fan, the fan mount having at least two mounting arms, each of the at least two mounting arms being fixedly coupled to a corresponding fan blade among a plurality of fan blades of the fan.

[0099] According to any of the foregoing method clauses, positioning the cleaning system near the gas turbine engine includes rotatably and securely attaching the support frame to a fan housing that at least partially surrounds the fan of the gas turbine engine circumferentially.

[0100] According to any of the foregoing method clauses, controlling the drive motor to rotate the drive shaft includes controlling the drive motor to rotate the fan at a rotational speed lower than the operating speed of the gas turbine engine.

[0101] This disclosure provides a gas turbine engine cleaning assembly. The gas turbine engine cleaning assembly includes a gas turbine engine comprising: a high-pressure system including a high-pressure compressor rotatably coupled to a high-pressure turbine via a high-pressure shaft; a low-pressure system including a low-pressure compressor rotatably coupled to a low-pressure turbine via a low-pressure shaft; and a fan including a fan disk and a plurality of fan blades circumferentially spaced apart from each other around the fan disk, the fan disk being rotatable, and the rotation of the fan being selectively coupled to rotate together with the low-pressure shaft. The gas turbine engine cleaning assembly further includes a cleaning system comprising: a cleaning medium reservoir for storing cleaning medium; a delivery system configured to guide the cleaning medium from the cleaning medium reservoir toward one or more components of the gas turbine engine to clean the one or more components of the gas turbine engine; an external drive system configured to rotate a fan of the gas turbine engine during cleaning of the one or more components of the gas turbine engine; and a removal system configured to apply a vacuum pressure to the gas turbine engine to move the cleaning medium through the gas turbine engine.

[0102] This written description uses examples to disclose this disclosure, including best practices, and also enables any person skilled in the art to practice this disclosure, including making and using any device or system and methods of making any combination. The patentable scope of this disclosure is defined by the claims, but may include other examples that would occur to a person skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to fall within the scope of the claims if they include structural elements that are not indistinguishable from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements that are not substantially different from the literal language of the claims.

Claims

1. A system for cleaning a gas turbine engine, characterized in that, The system includes: A cleaning medium reservoir for storing cleaning media; A delivery system configured to guide the cleaning medium from the cleaning medium reservoir toward one or more components of the gas turbine engine to clean the one or more components of the gas turbine engine; and A removal system configured to apply vacuum pressure to the gas turbine engine to cause the cleaning medium to move through the gas turbine engine.

2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, in, The removal system includes: A vacuum source, configured to generate the vacuum pressure; and A vacuum interface configured to connect the gas turbine engine to the vacuum source, such that the vacuum source applies the vacuum pressure to the gas turbine engine.

3. The system according to claim 2, characterized in that, in, The vacuum interface is connectable to the exhaust nozzle section of the gas turbine engine, and the vacuum interface is configured to remove the cleaning medium from the gas turbine engine through the exhaust nozzle section.

4. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, in, The removal system generates a vacuum pressure ranging from approximately 0.1 inches of water column to approximately 1 inch of water column.

5. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, in, The delivery system is configured to introduce the cleaning medium into the gas turbine engine while the shroud of the gas turbine engine is still mounted on the gas turbine engine and closed.

6. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The system further includes an external drive system configured to rotate a fan of the gas turbine engine during cleaning of the gas turbine engine or the one or more components thereof, the fan being selectively rotatably coupled to a low-pressure shaft of the gas turbine engine.

7. The system according to claim 6, characterized in that, in, The external drive system includes: Supporting framework; A drive motor having a drive shaft rotatably supported by the support frame, the drive shaft being rotatable by the drive motor relative to the support frame; and A fan mount that rotatably connects the drive shaft to the fan of the gas turbine engine for rotating the fan during cleaning of one or more components of the gas turbine engine.

8. The system according to claim 7, characterized in that, in, The fan mount has at least two mounting arms, each of which is fixedly connected to a corresponding fan blade among a plurality of fan blades of the fan.

9. The system according to claim 7, characterized in that, in, The support frame is rotatably and fixedly connected to the fan housing, which at least partially surrounds the fan of the gas turbine engine circumferentially.

10. The system according to claim 7, characterized in that, in, The drive motor is configured to drive the fan to rotate at a rotational speed lower than the operating speed of the gas turbine engine.

Images