Turbofan Engine Core Cleaning via Shielded Conduit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cleaning systems for turbofan gas turbine engines are inefficient as they often divert cleaning agents through a bypass duct, bypassing the engine core and reducing the effectiveness of the cleaning process, leading to performance degradation due to dirt and grime accumulation.
Innovation Solution
A cleaning system that includes a supply connector, a conduit extending through the bypass duct shielded from fan-accelerated air, and a transfer tube with an injector in the core inlet vane ring to directly deliver a cleaning agent into the compressor of the engine core, ensuring effective cleaning of the engine core components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If cleaning agent is sprayed at the fan while rotating, then the fan and bypass duct are cleaned, but the cleaning agent bypasses the engine core and fails to clean internal components
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning system divides the cleaning agent delivery into separate pathways: one for the fan/bypass duct and another specifically targeted at the engine core components through the inlet guide vane assembly, ensuring each region receives appropriate cleaning coverage without bypassing
Solution Approach 2:
The inlet guide vane assembly and splitter act as intermediaries that intercept and redirect the cleaning agent from the bypass flow path into the engine core, preventing the cleaning agent from simply passing through without contacting internal components
2Productivity
If cleaning agent is sprayed at the fan while rotating, then cleaning is initiated, but the cleaning process takes longer due to agent bypassing
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-positiones the cleaning agent delivery path through the inlet guide vane assembly and splitter to ensure direct contact with engine core components before the cleaning agent can bypass through the duct, eliminating delays caused by ineffective bypassing
Solution Approach 2:
The splitter and inlet guide vane assembly serve as intermediary structures that force the cleaning agent to traverse through the engine core components, ensuring thorough cleaning contact and reducing overall cleaning time by preventing bypass
3Device complexity
If cleaning agent bypasses through the bypass duct, then the duct structure is simple, but the engine core components remain uncleaned
Solution Approach 1:
The inlet guide vane assembly and splitter, which are existing structural components of the engine, are utilized to serve a dual function: their original airflow guidance role plus an additional role as cleaning agent distribution mechanisms, thereby achieving core component cleaning without adding complex dedicated structures
Solution Approach 2:
The existing bypass duct structure and inlet guide vane assembly are made to serve the cleaning function automatically through their inherent geometry and flow paths, requiring minimal additional components while ensuring cleaning agent penetration into the engine core
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution ensures that the cleaning agent is effectively directed into the engine core, reducing waste and shortening cleaning times by directly targeting and cleaning the internal components of the compressor, combustor, and turbine, thereby maintaining engine performance.
Implementation Method 1
a conduit that extends from the supply connector perpendicular to the axis between the outer wall of the annular frame and the inner wall of the annular frame and is arranged in the strut so that the conduit is shielded from air accelerated from the fan passing through the bypass duct
Implementation Method 2
an injector mounted in the core inlet vane ring, said injector formed to include an aperture arranged to conduct the cleaning agent into the compressor of the engine core
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A turbofan gas turbine engine (110) for use in an aircraft (10) includes a fan (112), a bypass duct (120), an engine core (114), and a cleaning system (116). The fan and engine core cooperate to provide thrust for an aircraft when in use but may suffer performance degradation when dirty. The cleaning system is configured to conduct a cleaning agent from a supply (160) radially through the bypass duct (120) to the engine core (114).