Pratt & Whitney's fuel burn reducing engine wash system to be provided at more North American airports
(photo: Pratt & Whitney)
Wed 11 Mar 2009 – Aviation services provider ReadyJet has signed a multi-year agreement to provide Pratt & Whitney’s EcoPower aircraft engine washing system at major airports throughout the United States and Canada. Regular engine washing with the system can increase the fuel economy of an aircraft by up to one percent, with CO2 emissions reductions of hundreds of tonnes per engine. Engines cleaned regularly have also shown to emit less exhaust pollutants, and lower turbine temperatures, up to 15 degrees, enable longer service time.
ReadyJet (USA) and AvEx Flight Support (Canada) are introducing EcoPower initially at Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto, Philadelphia, Detroit and Atlanta airports.
“This is a truly cost-effective engine washing system,” says Rich Castellano, CEO of ReadyJet and AvEx Flight Support. “The mobile system can service aircraft parked at the gate, saving airlines time and money. Not only does this improve our customer’s bottom line through fuel burn reductions and extended on-wing engine life, an ROI is realized in as little as 30 days, and is environmentally friendly through effluent collection and emissions reduction.
“With multi-engine cleaning capability, a commercial twinjet can be cleaned in approximately two hours, and with its closed loop system design, the effluent is collected and the water purified and reused.”
The EcoPower system atomizes high-pressure water into a fine mist with a uniquely designed nozzle that enables it to penetrate deeper into the engine’s core, not just the compressor, cleaning all surfaces including the fan blades. The process involves no toxic chemicals, hazardous water or detergents.
Airlines already using the EcoPower system include Southwest Airlines, United Airlines and Singapore Airlines.
