Methods of cleaning a component within a turbine engine

Abstract

A method of cleaning a component within a turbine that includes disassembling the turbine engine to provide a flow path to an interior passageway of the component from an access point. The component has coked hydrocarbons formed thereon. The method further includes discharging a flow of cleaning solution towards the interior passageway from the access point, wherein the cleaning solution is configured to remove the coked hydrocarbons from the component.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of cleaning a component within a turbine engine, said method comprising:
 disassembling the turbine engine to provide a flow path to an interior passageway of the component from an access point in the turbine engine, wherein the component has coked hydrocarbons formed thereon; and   discharging a flow of cleaning solution towards the interior passageway from the access point, wherein the cleaning solution is configured to remove the coked hydrocarbons from the component.   
     
     
         2 . The method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein disassembling the turbine engine comprises disassembling the turbine engine when the turbine engine is coupled to an airframe. 
     
     
         3 . The method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein disassembling the turbine engine comprises disassembling a fuel manifold to define an inlet port within the fuel manifold, wherein the inlet port defines the access point. 
     
     
         4 . The method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein discharging a flow of cleaning solution comprises discharging the flow of cleaning solution towards the interior passageway in a pulsed interval having a discharge time defined within a range between about 5 seconds and about 120 seconds. 
     
     
         5 . The method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein discharging a flow of cleaning solution comprises discharging the flow of cleaning solution towards the interior passageway in at least a first pulsed interval and a second pulsed interval, wherein a residence time is defined between the first pulsed interval and the second pulsed interval. 
     
     
         6 . The method in accordance with  claim 5  further comprising defining the residence time within a range between about 2 minutes and about 30 minutes. 
     
     
         7 . The method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein discharging a flow of cleaning solution comprises heating the cleaning solution to a temperature defined within a range between about 30° C. and 95° C. 
     
     
         8 . The method in accordance with  claim 1  further comprising disassembling the turbine engine to define a drainage port in the turbine engine, wherein the cleaning solution is drained from the turbine engine through the drainage port. 
     
     
         9 . The method in accordance with  claim 1  further comprising discharging a flow of rinsing solution towards the interior passageway from the access point. 
     
     
         10 . A method of cleaning a component within a turbine engine, said method comprising:
 disassembling the turbine engine to provide a flow path to an interior passageway of the component from an access point in the turbine engine, wherein the component has coked hydrocarbons formed thereon;   filling a volume of the interior passageway with an amount of cleaning solution, wherein the cleaning solution is configured to remove the coked hydrocarbons from the component; and   holding the amount of cleaning solution within the interior passageway for a predetermined residence time.   
     
     
         11 . The method in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein disassembling the turbine engine comprises disassembling a fan assembly of the turbine engine to define a first open end of a fan midshaft of the turbine engine, wherein the first open end defines the access point. 
     
     
         12 . The method in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein the fan midshaft includes a second open end, said method further comprising sealing the second open end prior to discharging the flow of cleaning solution towards the interior passageway. 
     
     
         13 . The method in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein sealing the second open end comprises:
 positioning a plug within the interior passageway of the component proximate the second open end, wherein the plug is insertable through the first open end of the fan midshaft when in a first operational mode; and   actuating the plug into a second operational mode from the first operational mode, wherein the plug is configured to seal the second open end when in the second operational mode.   
     
     
         14 . The method in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein filling a volume of the interior passageway comprises filling the volume with the cleaning solution including a foaming agent. 
     
     
         15 . The method in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein holding the amount of cleaning solution comprises holding the amount of cleaning solution for the predetermined residence time defined within a range between about 30 minutes and about 8 hours. 
     
     
         16 . A method of cleaning a component within a turbine engine, said method comprising:
 disassembling the turbine engine to define an access point to the component, wherein the component has coked hydrocarbons formed thereon; and   discharging a flow of cleaning solution towards the component from the access point, wherein the cleaning solution is configured to remove the coked hydrocarbons from the component, and wherein the cleaning solution includes at least one of citric acid or glycolic acid.   
     
     
         17 . The method in accordance with  claim 16 , wherein disassembling the turbine engine comprises disassembling the turbine engine when the turbine engine is coupled to an airframe. 
     
     
         18 . The method in accordance with  claim 16 , wherein disassembling the turbine engine comprises disassembling the turbine engine to provide access to a fuel nozzle of the turbine engine. 
     
     
         19 . The method in accordance with  claim 16 , wherein discharging a flow of cleaning solution comprises discharging the flow of cleaning solution that further includes a foaming agent. 
     
     
         20 . The method in accordance with  claim 16  further comprising:
 disassembling a fuel manifold to define an inlet port within the fuel manifold, wherein the inlet port defines the access point; and 
 discharging the flow of cleaning solution through the inlet port and towards the component.