Nauru Airlines - the latest operator to introduce the Cyclean engine wash program

Nauru Airlines, the national carrier of the Pacific island Republic of Nauru, has become the latest operator to introduce the Cyclean engine wash program, an industry-wide initiative developed by global aviation services provider Lufthansa Technik to improve aircraft efficiency and sustainability.

Well over 100,000 aircraft engines have been Cyclean-treated to remove accumulated contaminants including sand, salt, chemicals, and unburned hydrocarbons, which impede performance and increase carbon emissions.

The Cyclean engine wash system delivers high pressure, atomised heated water directly into the compressor, and through the gas path to the core, via two revolving nozzle sprays attached to the engine inlet, removing impurities which cause ‘compressor fouling’.

This problem forces engines to work harder, raising operating temperatures, increasing component deterioration, burning more fuel, and creating greater emissions.

The Cyclean system, designed by Lufthansa Technik, and approved on almost 40 engine variants from six manufacturers, precisely targets core components, reducing by up to one per cent the amount of fuel required by the engine and extending component life. Over a year, the improvement is significant.

This process also negates the need for any blanking of engine systems or post engine run requirements after washing, and can be performed quickly at airport gates during stopovers, using mobile treatment units which eliminate the need to tow aircraft to maintenance facilities. Waste water is collected as it exits the engine, further reducing waste.

The first Cyclean treatment for Nauru Airlines was performed this week on one of its five Boeing 737 aircraft, a freighter, at Brisbane International Airport, Australia, and further treatments are planned for other aircraft.

In Australia, the Cyclean program is managed and delivered at both Melbourne and Brisbane Airports by 145 Aviation Services on behalf of Lufthansa Technik. Since 2015, when it started Cyclean services in Australia, 145 Aviation Services, a sister company of Permagard Aviation, has also treated aircraft for airlines including Qantas and Jetstar.