Cleaning solution and methods of cleaning a turbine engine

{
  "publication_number": "US9926517B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Cleaning solution and methods of cleaning a turbine engine",
  "abstract": "A method of cleaning a turbine engine includes directing a cleaning solution towards a component of the turbine engine having a layer of foreign material thereon, the cleaning solution including water, a first organic acidic component, a second organic acidic component, isopropylamine sulphonate, alcohol ethoxylate, triethanol amine, and sodium lauriminodipropionate. The cleaning solution has a pH between 2.5 and 7.0.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A method of cleaning a turbine engine, the method comprising: directing a cleaning solution towards a component of the turbine engine having a layer of foreign material thereon, the layer of foreign material formed at least partially from at least one of thermal reaction products of the foreign material and interstitial cement, to at least partially remove the foreign material from the component, the cleaning solution comprising water within a range between about 68.65 percent and about 99.63 percent by volume of the cleaning solution; a first organic acidic component within a range between about 0.1 percent and about 15 percent by volume of the cleaning solution; wherein the organic acid comprises citric acid; a second organic acidic component within a range between about 0.1 percent and about 15 percent by volume of the cleaning solution; wherein the organic acid comprises glycolic acid; isopropylamine sulphonate within a range between about 0.07 percent and 0.14 percent by volume of the cleaning solution; alcohol ethoxylate within a range between about 0.035 percent and 0.07 percent by volume of the cleaning solution; triethanol amine within a range between about 0.035 percent and 0.07 percent by volume of the cleaning solution; sodium lauriminodipropionate within a range between about 0.03 percent and 1.0 percent by volume of the cleaning solution; wherein the cleaning solution has a pH value in the range between 2.5 and 7.0.",
    "2. The method of claim 1, further comprising directing alternating cleaning fluids towards the component, wherein the alternating cleaning fluids include the cleaning solution and superheated steam.",
    "3. The method of claim 1, further comprising rinsing the component in deionized water.",
    "4. The method of claim 1, wherein directing the cleaning solution comprises directing the cleaning solution towards the component at a temperature within a range between about 15° C. and about 200° C., and at a pressure within a range between about 1 atmosphere and about 50 atmospheres.",
    "5. The method of claim 1, wherein directing the cleaning solution comprises directing the cleaning solution towards the component at a temperature less than about 100° C., and for a duration of less than about 200 minutes.",
    "6. The method of claim 1, wherein directing the cleaning solution comprises directing the cleaning solution into an interior of the turbine engine through an opening in an outer wall of the turbine engine.",
    "7. The method of claim 1, wherein the layer of foreign material includes a first sub-layer extending over at least a portion of the component and a second sub-layer extending over at least a portion of the first sub-layer, and the first and second sub-layers have different elemental compositions.",
    "8. The method of claim 1, wherein the carbon-based constituents of the foreign material include at least one of calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate.",
    "9. The method of claim 1, wherein the oxide-based and sulfate-based constituents of the foreign material include at least one of calcium sulfate, magnesium sulfate, silicon dioxide, feldspars, mica, and clay.",
    "10. The method of claim 1, wherein the chloride-based constituents of the foreign material include at least one of sodium chloride and potassium chloride.",
    "11. The method of claim 1, wherein the cleaning solution has pH value of less than about 5.",
    "12. The method of claim 1, wherein the cleaning solution has less than about 100 parts per million of sulfur.",
    "13. The method of claim 1, wherein the cleaning solution has less than about 10 parts per million of sodium.",
    "14. The method of claim 1, wherein the cleaning solution has less than about 20 parts per million of chlorine.",
    "15. The method of claim 1, wherein the cleaning solution has less than about 10 parts per million of potassium.",
    "16. The method of claim 1, wherein the cleaning solution has less than about 10 parts per million of phosphorous.",
    "17. The method of claim 1, wherein the cleaning solution has less than about 2 parts per million of metals.",
    "18. The method of claim 1, wherein the cleaning solution has less than about 100 parts per million of sulfur, less than about 10 parts per million of sodium, less than about 20 parts per million of chlorine, less than about 10 parts per million of potassium, less than about 10 parts per million of phosphorous, and less than about 2 parts per million of metals."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present disclosure relates generally to turbine engines and, more specifically, to systems and methods of cleaning turbine engines using a reagent composition that selectively dissolves constituents of foreign material therefrom.\n\nAircraft engines used to propel aircraft through certain routes often experience significant fouling due to heavy environmental particulate matter intake during flight, idling, take-off, and landing. Environmental fouling degrades performance in turbine components of such known aircraft engines. For example, one known mechanism for fouling is the increased roughness of turbine components caused by mineral dust ingestion. Specifically, this increased roughness results from the formation of micropits caused by particle impact. Subsequently, mineral dust particles accumulate in these pits and block cooling passages by forming layers of fouling material therein. High temperatures on surfaces in downstream stages of the turbine result in thermal alteration and solid-state mineral reactions of the accumulated mineral dust particles, which forms a calcia, magnesia, alumina, silica (CMAS) based reaction product. Consequently, water wash treatments, which are frequently used to clean the turbine components, often are not successful in removing the accumulated mineral dust and its secondary reaction products.\n\nAt least one known method of removing the accumulated mineral dust includes impinging dry ice particles against the turbine components. More specifically, the dry ice particles expand as they sublimate to facilitate cleaning the turbine components.",
  "cpc": [
    "C11D 3/2086",
    "B08B 3/08",
    "C11D 1/72",
    "C11D 1/83",
    "C11D 1/88",
    "C11D 1/94",
    "C11D 11/0041",
    "C11D 2111/20",
    "C11D 3/2075",
    "C11D 3/30",
    "C11D 3/3409",
    "C23G 1/02",
    "C23G 1/061",
    "C23G 1/088",
    "F01D 25/002",
    "Y02T 50/60",
    "Y02T 50/672"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "C11D 1/10",
    "C11D 1/12",
    "C11D 1/66",
    "B08B 3/08",
    "C11D 3/20",
    "C11D 3/30",
    "C23G 1/02",
    "F01D 25/00",
    "C11D 1/94",
    "C11D 11/00",
    "C11D 3/34",
    "C23G 1/06",
    "C23G 1/08"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "General Electric Co"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Nicole Jessica Tibbetts",
    "Evan J. DOLLEY",
    "Bernard Patrick Bewlay",
    "Denise Anne Anderson",
    "Nathan David McLean",
    "Eric John Telfeyan",
    "Frank WAGENBAUGH"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2015-10-05",
  "publication_date": "2018-03-27",
  "grant_date": "2018-03-27",
  "priority_date": "2013-12-09",
  "application_number": "US-201514874924-A",
  "family_id": "55166218",
  "cited_by_count": 24,
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}