US 11,952,906 B2
Machine foam cleaning system with integrated sensing
Nicole Jessica Tibbetts, Delason, NY (US); Bernard Patrick Bewlay, Niskayuna, NY (US); Michael Eriksen, Cincinnati, OH (US); Keith Anthony Lauria, Wells, NY (US); Richard Schliem, Grand Rapids, MI (US); Erica Sampson, Scotia, NY (US); and Eric Telfeyan, Delanson, NY (US)
Assigned to General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US)
Filed by General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US)
Filed on Jun. 2, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/830,857.
Application 17/830,857 is a continuation of application No. 15/957,572, filed on Apr. 19, 2018, granted, now 11,371,385.
Prior Publication US 2022/0298927 A1, Sep. 22, 2022
Int. Cl. F01D 25/00 (2006.01); B08B 3/00 (2006.01); B08B 9/00 (2006.01)
CPC F01D 25/002 (2013.01) [B08B 9/00 (2013.01); B08B 3/003 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system comprising:
a pumping device configured to clean an internal structure of a turbine engine by directing a foam detergent into the turbine engine to reduce an amount of one or more contaminants inside the turbine engine, the foam detergent directed into the turbine engine such that an effluent portion of the foam detergent exits from the turbine engine with at least some of the one or more contaminants;
one or more sensors configured to measure a characteristic of the effluent portion of the foam detergent that exits from inside the turbine engine; and
a controller configured to:
select a limit from a plurality of limits, wherein each of the limits is associated with a different level of the characteristic;
use the limit from the plurality of limits to determine a cleaning time period based on different changes in exhaust gas temperature margins;
control the pumping device to direct the foam detergent into the turbine engine;
receive the characteristic of the effluent portion of the foam that exits from inside the turbine engine measured by the one or more sensors; and
compare the measured characteristic to the selected limit.