Performance of Gas Turbine Compressor Cleaners

Deposits are regularly removed from compressor blades and vanes of installed jet engines and gas turbines by compressor washing. A compressor cleaner is sprayed into the compressor while operating at reduced or normal rpm. Recently developed compressor cleaners are claimed to be ecologically sound. In addition, many new compressor cleaners contain a corrosion inhibitor. The cleaning efficiency of eight (old and new) compressor cleaners was determined by means of simulated compressor washing of compressor blades that had become fouled in service. For the situation simulated, the cleaning efficiency of new, ecologically sound cleaners turned out to be poor as compared with old compressor cleaners. The corrosion inhibition offered by those cleaners that contain a corrosion inhibitor was found to be satisfactory.