ILA 2008: Cyclean digs the dirt on engines

Lufthansa Technik has developed its “Cyclean engine wash”, a new method for washing engines quickly and effectively.

Thanks to the new technique, engine efficiency is enhanced so that costs are cut, while the environment benefits from lower CO² emissions. Cyclean is available for every engine type in the Lufthansa Technik portfolio and is offered by the company’s airline support teams worldwide. The new engine washes are not just available at Lufthansa Technik stations, but can also be performed directly in the field.

Every flight exposes an engine to continuous dirt accumulation, especially during taxi, take-off and landing. This accumulation of dirt is referred to in the trade as “compressor fouling” and means that over time the compressor has to work steadily harder to compress the required quantity of air. This has the effect of reducing engine service life and, as fouling deposits build up on an engine, it consumes more fuel.

Regular washing now ensures that the engine’s high-pressure compressor works more cleanly and efficiently so that on average the operating temperature is lower than on an engine with substantial fouling deposits. Thanks to the improved performance, maintenance costs can be cut throughout the entire life cycle of an engine – and pollution is also reduced.

On the basis of typical flight data, Cyclean can bring airlines savings of between US$18,000 and $180,000 per aircraft (depending on aircraft and engine type).

Cyclean is a mobile machine that can be used without either the thrust reverser or the engine cowlings having to be opened – and it takes only an hour to complete, at the gate if necessary. A headpiece with two nozzles tailored to each engine type can be attached directly to the spinner and 70ºC hot water is sprayed straight into the core at a pressure of up to 100 bar. Because the water jet is targeted in this way, a lot less is needed than is the case with conventional methods. For example, only 110 litres are required for the CF6-80 engine type, down from 250 litres.

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Source: Flight Daily News