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Early days...
Juniper’s commercial engine wash system originated from the military wash rigs Juniper designed in the 1980s. The rigs were first trialed commercially in the early 1990s at Gatwick Airport with Virgin Atlantic using shepherd’s hook type washing probes directing the washing solution into the booster from positions behind the fan.
These trials achieved marginal improvements in EGT and SFC. However, as jet fuel in those days was not expensive in relative terms, the washing of engines could not at that time be financially justified.
We were advised to direct our system at the high cycle operators using Boeing 737s fitted with the CFM56-3 engine, as these were suffering from loss of EGT margin requiring engines to be taken off-wing for repair. BMI at East Midlands Airport assisted Juniper in developing the washing probes for this engine and carried out many trials.
These trials used RMC Compressor Washing Fluid followed by water rinsing. The system proved effective and kept engines on the wing longer, although an occasional side effect resulted in smoke in the cabin on the first take-off after the wash. No matter how carefully the post wash test was carried out this situation could not be resolved satisfactorily so the system was mainly used by MRO’s, as the first flight after the wash carried no passengers thus eliminating the danger of a costly return to field.
In a bid to resolve this problem, Juniper fitted heaters in their wash rigs which enabled hot water washes to be carried out. This eliminated the need for washing detergents, which it had now been established, was the cause of the smoke. This new procedure using hot water only was tested by Air Canada on the CFM56-5C engine fitted to their Airbus A340s and proved very successful. The post-wash cabin smoke was completely eliminated and good returns of EGT and corresponding SFC gains were achieved.
Airtours, the package holiday group in Manchester, were very keen on this method of water washing and with their help we were able to develop washing probes for the CFM56 group of engines, V2500, RB211-535E4, TRENT 772 and many of the CF6 family of engines.