Research on cleaning technology and damage assessment of single-stage compressor rotating blades with dry ice as agent

Abstract

Numerical investigations based on the Euler-Lagrange approach were carried out first to verify the efficiency of the on-wing cleaning of the compressor blades of aero engines by taking dry ice instead of aqueous solvents as agent. The coupling between particles and the gas phase as well as the interaction between particles and blades were considered by means of comprehensive simulations of the movement of dry ice in the blasting device and the rotating blade channel of the single-stage compressor. Then, the factors that influence dry ice cleaning efficiency were verified and analyzed through dry ice cleaning test on single-stage compressor rotating blades. Finally, the damage assessment of the blade surface and coating under low temperature and impact force was completed. According to the results, the erosion rate cloud map obtained by simulation calculations and the cleaning effect image obtained by the test both showed that the interaction between particles and blades was mainly in the area near the leading edge of the blade. The main variables that affected the cleaning efficiency were the blade rotating speed, the dry ice mass flow rate and the cleaning angle. Furthermore, the highest cleaning efficiency was acquired when the blade rotational speed was 2500 r/min, the dry ice mass flow rate was 6 kg/min and the cleaning angle was 90°. Under these conditions, the blade surface and the coating are not damaged. Dry ice cleaning is a feasible technology in terms of on-wing aero engines, which has broad prospects of applications.