Author(s)

ARTHUR RUDEK, GERALD RUSS & BARRY DUIGNAN

Abstract

A high speed camera investigation is presented into the behavior of CO2 dry-ice particles in an application of dry-ice blasting to the defouling of commercial aircraft engine compressors. An image acquisition system is deployed in the compressor section of an aircraft engine and is used to determine the evolution of dry-ice particle size and velocity from the nozzle exit to the entrance to the engine’s high pressure compressor as the engine is cranked. A comparison study between CO2 dry-ice particle laden flows and airflows with single Polyoxymethylene (POM) particles of various diameters is also presented. Measurements are made using a range of blasting system pressures and using sonic and supersonic blasting nozzles. The behavior of large CO2 dry-ice particles (dP ≥ 1 mm) in this discontinuously and inhomogenously laden flow is compared to that of single POM particles under similar flow conditions and is found to behave similarly. The experiments presented turn out to be useful for supporting development of special purpose dry-ice blasting systems.

Keywords

aircraft engine defouling, CO2 dry-ice blasting, HSC experiment, solid particle laden flow