Page 28 - AAA SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2018 Online Magazine

CLEAR THE

PIPES

An automated steam cleaning system makes it
possible to clean all heat exchangers found in
common engine types

Jay Menon

he desire to improve the air- hours it took previously. Even the most persistent dirt can be
craft cleaning process has led to removed effortlessly thanks to the system’s high cleaning per-
Lufthansa Technik (LHT) introduc- formance. And after being cleaned, the heat exchangers are
Ting the world’s first automated steam as good as new and regain their original performance levels,”
cleaning system for engine heat exchangers. Balka says. By linking this ultra-modern system to Lufthansa
The in-house development, which is currently Technik’s Digital Shop Floor, engineers are able to determine
called “CLEAR,” makes it possible to clean from their workstations when the cleaning process is complete,
all heat exchangers found in common engine and the heat exchanger is ready to be reinstalled in the engine.
types without the use of chemical cleaning “This new system not only demonstrates Lufthansa Technik’s
agents. The method has already been clas- innovative power; it also marks another milestone on the way
sified as patentable by the German Patent to tomorrow’s digitally networked engine maintenance,” says
Office. Project MaBalka. The company did not indicate whether there
are plans to make the system commercially available.
“Not only is it far more efficient than
the previous practice of cleaning CLEAR is not the first innovative cleaning technology LHT has
heat exchangers manually; it also debuted this year. In July, the company launched a waterless
saves resources and protects the engine wash procedure called Cyclean Dry Ice, which uses
environment – in the true spirit of blasts of dry ice pellets to dislodge dirt. The technology is set
Green MRO,” Project Manager to go on the market in 2019. As of 2019, the new procedure will
Anna Balka. be available alongside the water-based Cyclean engine wash.
Lufthansa Technik will then be the first and only company in
Heat exchangers are located in different the world to offer efficient and gentle cleaning of engines with
places in the engine. They ensure the tem- dry ice, thus making another significant contribution to green
perature of the air flow through compressor MRO in the aviation industry. Effects of Engine Wash. A core
stages, combustion chamber as well as high engine wash lowers the exhaust gas temperature (EGT), thus
and low-pressure turbines. The new system reducing the fuel demand. This has the effect of not only cutting
can be adjusted specifically to every heat costs but of also sparing the environment by producing lower
exchanger and its level of contamination. The emissions and consuming less fossil fuels. At the same time the
cleaning process itself is fully automated. “All improvement of the EGT margin leads to longer engine on-wing
heat exchangers can be completely cleaned time as the material is subject to less stress as well as to lower
in about an hour instead of the average 16 overhaul costs. Overall, an engine wash substantially reduces

28 | September/October 2018 www.GBP.com.sg/AAA