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Method US Patent 10,703,510

How the DASH Aero process works

A contained cleaning station, built under the tail cone, that lets an APU compartment be cleaned with steam and hot water wherever the aircraft is parked.

The contained cleaning station, looking forward at the underside of the tail cone. Schematic, not to scale. With the APU access doors open, a water impervious curtain, including a collection basin on the platform, is erected under the compartment. The compartment and inlet plenum are cleaned with steam and hot water, and the runoff is pumped to storage for disposal in accordance with local regulations. 1ACCESS DOOR, OPEN 2CURTAIN 3COLLECTION BASIN 4ELEVATED PLATFORM 5STEAM AND HOT WATER 6RUNOFF TO STORAGE APU
Fig. 2The contained cleaning station, looking forward at the underside of the tail coneSchematic, not to scale

Procedure

Six steps, and the ramp stays dry.

  1. Arrive and position

    The equipment arrives on a truck and trailer and parks clear of the aircraft. An elevated platform goes under the tail cone, beneath the APU compartment.

    No wash bay, floor drain or hangar is needed. The station brings its own containment.

  2. Open and enclose

    The APU access doors are opened. A water impervious curtain, including a collection basin on the platform, is erected under the compartment.

    The curtain and basin arrangement is the heart of the patent. It turns an open compartment into a closed wash station.

  3. Clean

    Working inside the enclosure, the technician cleans the inlet plenum, the intake duct and every surface of the compartment with steam and hot water.

    The contamination is removed, including oil, hydraulic residue, grease and dirt.

  4. Capture

    Everything that runs off the compartment falls into the basin and is transferred from there to storage containers.

    None of it touches the ramp, which is what makes the gate a viable place to perform the cleaning.

  5. Dispose

    The collected water is disposed of per local regulations.

    In the US, EPA guidance says aircraft wash water must not go to a storm drain. More on that

  6. Close up and record

    The curtain comes down, the doors are closed, and the job is recorded under our ISO 9001:2015 quality management system.

    Certified by DEKRA, certificate 112711.00. View the certificate

On schedule

Maintenance, not recovery.

Look at how the manufacturer describes cleaning the APU inlet and compartment and you find it in the troubleshooting path: a smell is reported, someone inspects, then someone cleans. By then the aircraft has a write-up against it and the work happens when it has to, not when it suits.

DASH Aero plans cleanings on a schedule agreed with the operator. Residue is removed before it has had time to become a report, and the work is fitted into ground time the aircraft already has.

A scheduled clean does not replace any task in your approved maintenance program, and it is not a substitute for finding a leak. It removes what has collected, so that it is not there to be carried into the bleed air.

Where the wash water goes, from the APU compartment to disposal. Schematic, not to scale. Steam and hot water are applied inside the enclosure formed by the curtain and the basin. Runoff falls into the basin, is pumped to storage on the equipment unit, and leaves the airport to be disposed of in accordance with local regulations. The ramp drain is never used. 1STEAM AND HOT WATER 2RUNOFF TO THE BASIN 3PUMPED TO STORAGE 4OFF SITE FOR DISPOSAL 5RAMP DRAIN, NEVER USED
Fig. 5Where the wash water goes, from the compartment to disposalSchematic, not to scale

FAQ

About the method

Is the process patented?

Yes. US Patent 10,703,510 B2, "APU cleaning system and method", granted July 7, 2020. The inventors are David Allen and Joseph "Sandy" Showalter II, the founders of DASH Aero.

Can the work be done at the gate?

Yes. Because the runoff is captured under the aircraft and never reaches the ground, the station can be set up on the ramp, at the gate or in a hangar.

Why steam and hot water?

Heat does most of the work on oil and grease, and it does it with much less water than a cold rinse. Less water means less to capture and dispose of.

Who does the work?

DASH Aero technicians, trained on the procedure and working under our ISO 9001:2015 quality management system.

Talk to the people who designed the process.

Tell us your fleet, your bases and what prompted the question. The first conversation is with someone who has done this work on the ramp, not with a sales team.

Start the conversation

(317) 439-5000info@dash-aero.com