System and method for wet treatment of a component

Abstract

A system has a chamber configured to receive and at least partially enclose at least one gas turbine engine component, at least one component support configured to support the at least one gas turbine engine component, a plurality of tanks configured to store a corresponding plurality of fluids, an electrode disposed at least partially within the chamber, a power source, at least one fluid application device configured to apply a fluid, at least one delivery valve for selectively fluidly coupling the at least one fluid application device to the plurality of tanks, at least one port configured to collect the fluid applied by the at least one fluid application device, and at least one recovery valve for selectively fluidly coupling the at least one port to the plurality of tanks.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A system for wet treating at least one gas turbine engine component, the system comprising:
 a chamber comprising a base and a plurality of sidewalls extending from the base, wherein the chamber is configured to receive and at least partially enclose the at least one gas turbine engine component;   at least one component support configured to support the at least one gas turbine engine component within the chamber;   a plurality of tanks configured to store a corresponding plurality of fluids, wherein at least one tank from the plurality of tanks comprises an electrolytic fluid;   an electrode disposed at least partially within the chamber proximal to the at least one gas turbine engine component;   a power source;   at least one fluid application device selectively fluidly coupled to the plurality of tanks, wherein the at least one fluid application device is at least partially disposed within the chamber, and wherein the at least one fluid application device is configured to apply the fluid to the at least one gas turbine engine component;   at least one delivery valve disposed upstream of the at least one fluid application device for selectively fluidly coupling the at least one fluid application device to the plurality of tanks;   at least one port disposed in the base of the chamber, wherein the at least one port is configured to collect the fluid applied by the at least one fluid application device;   at least one recovery valve disposed downstream of the at least one port for selectively fluidly coupling the at least one port to the plurality of tanks; and   a controller communicably coupled to each of the at least one fluid application device, the at least one delivery valve, the at least one recovery valve, and the power source.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 select which of the plurality of tanks to selectively couple with the at least one fluid application device based on a predetermined sequence;   control the at least one delivery valve, such that the selected tank is fluidly coupled with the at least one fluid application device;   control the at least one fluid application device, such that the at least one fluid application device applies the corresponding fluid stored in the selected tank to the at least one gas turbine engine component; and   control the at least one recovery valve, such that the at least one recovery valve allows a flow of the corresponding fluid collected at the at least one port to the selected tank.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein when the selected tank comprises the electrolytic fluid:
 the electrode is disposed at least partially within the chamber proximal to the at least one gas turbine engine component;   the at least one fluid application device is configured to apply the electrolytic fluid to the at least one gas turbine engine component, such that the electrolytic fluid contacts the electrode and the at least one gas turbine engine component via a reservoir of the electrolytic fluid;   the power source is electrically connected to the electrode and the at least one gas turbine engine component; and   the controller is further configured to control the power source to provide opposite polarities to the electrode and the at least one gas turbine engine component.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising a halo selectively disposed at least partially within the chamber, wherein when the selected tank comprises the electrolytic fluid:
 the electrode is disposed at least partially within the chamber proximal to the at least one gas turbine engine component;   the halo is disposed at least partially within the chamber and at least partially surrounds the at least one gas turbine engine component without contacting the at least one gas turbine engine component;   the at least one fluid application device is configured to apply the electrolytic fluid to the at least one gas turbine engine component, such that the electrolytic fluid contacts the at least one gas turbine engine component, the electrode, and the halo via a reservoir of the electrolytic fluid;   the power source is electrically connected to the electrode and the halo; and   the controller is further configured to control the power source to provide opposite polarities to the electrode and the halo.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of delivery conduits corresponding to the plurality of tanks, wherein each of the plurality of delivery conduits fluidly couples the corresponding tank to the at least one delivery valve; and   a plurality of recovery conduits corresponding to the plurality of tanks, wherein each of the plurality of recovery conduits fluidly couples the at least one recovery valve to the corresponding tank.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein:
 the at least one delivery valve comprises a single delivery valve configured to selectively fluidly couple the plurality of delivery conduits to the at least one fluid application device; and   the at least one recovery valve comprises a single recovery valve configured to selectively fluidly couple the plurality of recovery conduits to the at least one port.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein:
 the at least one delivery valve comprises a plurality of delivery valves corresponding to the plurality of delivery conduits, and wherein each delivery valve from the plurality of delivery valves is configured to selectively fluidly couple the corresponding delivery conduit to the at least one fluid application device; and   the at least one recovery valve comprises a plurality of recovery valves corresponding to the plurality of recovery conduits, and wherein each recovery valve from the plurality of recovery valves is configured to selectively fluidly couple the corresponding recovery conduit to the at least one port.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is communicably coupled to the at least one component support, and wherein the controller is further configured to control the at least one component support to move the at least one gas turbine engine component within the chamber while the at least one fluid application device applies the corresponding fluid stored in the selected tank to the at least one gas turbine engine component. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the base is inclined towards the at least one port. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to control one or more parameters of the at least one fluid application device, and wherein the one or more parameters comprise at least one of a fluid flow rate of the at least one fluid application device, a fluid pressure of the at least one fluid application device, an opening period of the at least one fluid application device, and a droplet size of the at least one fluid application device. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one fluid application device comprises a plurality of fluid application devices, and wherein the plurality of fluid application devices follows a profile of the at least one gas turbine engine component. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a heating device disposed upstream of the at least one fluid application device, wherein the heating device is configured to heat and store the corresponding fluid before the at least one fluid application device applies the corresponding fluid stored in the selected tank to the at least one gas turbine engine component. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one syphon conduit configured to remove the corresponding fluid applied by the at least one fluid application device to the at least one gas turbine engine component, and wherein the at least one syphon conduit is further configured to transport the corresponding fluid removed from the at least one gas turbine engine component to the at least one port. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the power source comprises a rectifier. 
     
     
         15 . A method for wet treating at least one gas turbine engine component, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a chamber comprising a base and a plurality of sidewalls extending from the base, wherein the chamber is configured to receive and at least partially enclose the at least one gas turbine engine component;   providing at least one component support configured to support the at least one gas turbine engine component within the chamber;   providing a plurality of tanks configured to store a corresponding plurality of fluids, wherein at least one tank from the plurality of tanks comprises an electrolytic fluid;   providing an electrode at least partially within the chamber proximal to the at least one gas turbine engine component;   providing a power source;   providing at least one fluid application device selectively fluidly coupled to the plurality of tanks, wherein the at least one fluid application device is at least partially disposed within the chamber, and wherein the at least one fluid application device is configured to apply a fluid to the at least one gas turbine engine component;   providing at least one delivery valve disposed upstream of the at least one fluid application device for selectively fluidly coupling the at least one fluid application device to the plurality of tanks;   providing at least one port disposed in the base of the chamber, wherein the at least one port is configured to collect the fluid applied by the at least one fluid application device; and   providing at least one recovery valve disposed downstream of the at least one port for selectively fluidly coupling the at least one port to the plurality of tanks.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 selecting which of the plurality of tanks to selectively couple with the at least one fluid application device based on a predetermined sequence;   controlling the at least one delivery valve, such that the selected tank is fluidly coupled with the at least one fluid application device;   controlling the at least one fluid application device, such that the at least one fluid application device applies the corresponding fluid stored in the selected tank to the at least one gas turbine engine component; and   controlling the at least one recovery valve, such that the at least one recovery valve allows a flow of the corresponding fluid collected at the at least one port to the selected tank.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising, when the selected tank comprises the electrolytic fluid:
 providing the electrode at least partially within the chamber proximal to the at least one gas turbine engine component;   applying the electrolytic fluid to the at least one gas turbine engine component, such that the electrolytic fluid contacts the electrode and the at least one gas turbine engine component via a reservoir of the electrolytic fluid;   electrically connecting the power source to the electrode and the at least one gas turbine engine component; and   controlling the power source to provide opposite polarities to the electrode and the at least one gas turbine engine component.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising, when the selected tank comprises the electrolytic fluid:
 providing the electrode at least partially within the chamber proximal to the at least one gas turbine engine component;   providing a halo at least partially within the chamber and at least partially surrounding the at least one gas turbine engine component without contacting the at least one gas turbine engine component;   applying the electrolytic fluid to the at least one gas turbine engine component, such that the electrolytic fluid contacts the at least one gas turbine engine component, the electrode, and the halo via a reservoir of the electrolytic fluid;   electrically connecting the power source to the electrode and the halo; and   controlling the power source to provide opposite polarities to the electrode and the halo.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 providing a plurality of delivery conduits corresponding to the plurality of tanks, wherein each of the plurality of delivery conduits fluidly couples the corresponding tank to the at least one delivery valve; and   providing a plurality of recovery conduits corresponding to the plurality of tanks, wherein each of the plurality of recovery conduits fluidly couples the at least one recovery valve to the corresponding tank.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising controlling the at least one component support to move the at least one gas turbine engine component within the chamber while the at least one fluid application device applies the corresponding fluid stored in the selected tank to the at least one gas turbine engine component.