Cleaning apparatus and method for fuel and other passages

• US 5,401,324 A
• Filed: 04/14/1994
• Issued: 03/28/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fuel Systems Textron Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Fuel Systems Textron Incorporated
• Inventors: Huddas, Richard V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dean, Richard O.
• Assistant Examiner(s): VINCENT, SEAN E
• Application Number:
  US08/227,788
• Time in Patent Office: 348 Days
• Field of Search: 134/21, 134/22.12, 134/22.18
• US Class Current: 134/21
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 9/00 Cleaning hollow articles by methods or apparatus specially adapted thereto B08B6/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 9/0323 Arrangements specially designed for simultaneous and parallel cleaning of a plurality of conduits
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 9/0328 by purging the pipe with a gas or a mixture of gas and liquid
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/002 Cleaning of turbomachines
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 77/04 Cleaning of, preventing corrosion or erosion in, or preventing unwanted deposits in, combustion engines cleaning of fuel injection apparatus F02M65/00
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 65/008 of injectors only
• CPC Class Codes: F23D 11/386 Nozzle cleaning

Abstract

Apparatus for cleaning an internal passage of an article, such as a fuel passage of a gas turbine or other engine. The apparatus comprises a container for containing cleaning fluid, means for communicating a first end of the passage to the cleaning fluid in the container, and cleaning fluid conduit means communicated to a second end of the passage in a manner to draw cleaning fluid from the container to flow through the passage from the first end toward the second end in response to flow of cleaning fluid through the conduit means. The apparatus includes means for blocking flow of cleaning fluid through the conduit means so as to direct the cleaning fluid therein to flow through the passage from the second end toward the first end and into the container.

Claims

1. Method for cleaning an internal passage of an article, comprising:

communicating a first end of the passage to a cleaning fluid,

establishing a relative vacuum at a second end of the passage by flowing cleaning fluid through a vacuum-generating device communicated to said second end, whereby the cleaning fluid is drawn through the passage from said first end toward said second end, and

blocking flow of cleaning fluid downstream of the vacuum-generating device so as to direct cleaning fluid to flow into said passage from said second end toward said first end.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first end is communicated to the cleaning fluid by immersing said first end in said cleaning fluid.