US 12,269,074 B2
System and method for cleaning turbine components
Mark Dean Pezzutti, Mason, OH (US)
Assigned to General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US)
Filed by General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US)
Filed on Dec. 19, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/084,173.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/330,594, filed on Apr. 13, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0330716 A1, Oct. 19, 2023
Int. Cl. B08B 7/00 (2006.01); B08B 5/04 (2006.01)
CPC B08B 7/0071 (2013.01) [B08B 5/04 (2013.01); B08B 2205/00 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of cleaning surface oxides from an aircraft part to be cleaned, the method comprising:
when an opening of a furnace is closed, operating one or more vacuum pumps to achieve a predetermined vacuum level in a workspace of the furnace and heating the workspace to a predetermined temperature using heating elements, the workspace being completely contained within an interior of the furnace and being defined by one or more internal walls of the furnace;
operating a gas purifier to remove impurities in a gas to create a purified gas, the purified gas being of a purity and composition that is effective to disassociate oxides on a surface or in a crack of the aircraft part to be cleaned when the workspace is heated to the predetermined temperature and the predetermined vacuum level is achieved in the workspace;
disposing a containment structure within the workspace and placing the aircraft part to be cleaned within the containment structure, the containment structure occupying a first volume that is substantially less than a second volume occupied by the workspace; and
directing the purified gas into the containment structure via a passageway or pipe that is coupled to the containment structure and crosses portions of the workspace, all the heating elements being disposed outside the containment structure on the one or more internal walls, the containment structure being configured to completely enclose and surround the aircraft part to be cleaned and having a first opening in communication with the pipe or passageway to allow the purified gas to be drawn into the containment structure from the passageway or pipe, the purified gas then proceeding in a stream across a length of the containment structure and the aircraft part to be cleaned and being drawn through the containment structure by the one or more vacuum pumps, the purified gas exiting the containment structure via a second opening in the containment structure without dispersing into the workspace.