MAINTENANCE CLEANING OF US NAVY ESCAPE SYSTEMS USINGSUPERHEATED- STEAM GENERATING SYSTEMS

摘要

The current method of cleaning aircraft ejection seats consists of applying an organic solvent or isopropyl alcohol by brush or low lint cloth. This method of cleaning the ejection seat/ or ejection seat components is xtremely laborintensive and generates significant quantities of cleaning residue. This residue must be disposedof as HAZ-MAT.Each year, our naval industrial base is further restricted from using specific Ozone DepletingSubstances, in the cleaning of aircraft parts. As a result, less effective m eans of cleaningcomponents are usually implemented. The Aircrew Escape Systems Fleet Support Team (AESFST) has procured five models of a specialportable steam cleaning system (figure 1), for evaluation. The use of steam is to eliminate or greatly reduce the use of organic solvents and isopropyl alcohol, as well as man-hours in the cleaning of naval ejection seats/ components. These five models show potential, from other steam cleaning systems, due to their portability and the steam pressures they produce. Theirpressure production ranges from 190 to 300psi. This system uses distilled or de-ionized water as a cleaning solution to generate steam at a temperature of 500 degrees Fahrenheit. The attractiveness of this system, to the AESFST, is that with this high temperature steam, the item being cleaned becomes virtually dry after steam spray is removed. The evaluation is being performed by the Fleet maintainers at: MCAS Miramar; MCAS Beaufort; NAS North Island; NAS Oceana, NAS Kingsville and by NAVAIR Depots North Island and Jacksonville. The evaluation is underway and the key factor ofmoisture intrusion will determine what seats/components (if any) are cleared for this type of cleaning The AESFST submitted an article, on ourevaluation of the Mini-Max cleaning and wastemanagement system, to the Navy EnvironmentalNews, magazine (Currents), which publishes newideas and trends in environmental policy andcompliance. The evaluation was featured in thewinter, 2001 edition.