GE’s innovative jet engine cleaning technology 360 Foam Wash has reached a major milestone ahead of the 2021 Dubai Airshow. GE Aviation and customers have completed the 1,000th 360 Foam Wash since 2017, when GE first began testing foam wash on fielded engines, or engines in service with customers.

Included in this milestone are foam washes performed as part of technology trials with GE Aviation’s On Wing Support team at customer sites, as well as washes that are performed by customers who’ve adopted it as part of their aircraft maintenance processes.

GE’s 360 Foam Wash is an alternative to the water wash method. It restores engine performance leading to reductions in fuel consumption. The process involves injecting a specially-formulated, proprietary solution that removes dust and dirt particles in the engine.

When compared to cleaning jet engines with water wash, foam wash can save an estimated 15,900 gallons of fuel and 168 tons of CO2 emissions per year on a GEnx-powered Boeing 787 aircraft.* With a GE90-powered Boeing 777,  foam wash has the potential to save an estimated 35,500 gallons of fuel and 377 tons of CO2 emissions per year compared to GE90 engines cleaned with water wash**.

“This milestone could not have been reached without our global airline customers. In the Middle East, airlines were key partners on the technology development to improve the performance of their GE-powered fleets,” said Tom Levin, vice president and general manager of GE Aviation’s After Market Strategic Solutions.

To date, seven airline customers have been awarded technical licenses for 360 Foam Wash for their GEnx and GE90 aircraft engines, including Emirates, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, Royal Jordanian Airlines and Saudi Arabian Airlines.

During technology trials with GE90 and GEnx engines, the 360 Foam Wash solution has allowed customers in the Middle East and Asia-Pacific regions to improve engine performance by reducing build-up of deposits in the engine, lowering engine exhaust temperatures, and improving engine compressor efficiency. These improvements led to reduced fuel consumption and increased engine time on wing.

The system is self-contained, allowing it to be used inside maintenance hangars or outdoors. GE’s 360 Foam Wash is approved for use on multiple GE engine programs, including models of GE90, GEnx, CF34 and CF6.

*Estimates for GEnx fuel savings based on 650 cycles a year, with each cycle lasting six hours on a two-engine Boeing 787 Dreamliner operating in the Middle East

.

** Estimates for GE90 fuel savings based on 700 cycles a year, with each cycle lasting 6.5 hours on a two-engine Boeing 777 operating in the Middle East.