The Boeing CH-47 Chinook was originally deployed in Vietnam in the early 1960s and is principally used for the movement of troops, artillery, ammunition, fuel, water, supplies and equipment on the battlefield. It is also used for disaster relief, medical evacuations, fire fighting, parachute drops, and search and rescue.
The Centrisep EAPS from Pall is designed to protect helicopter engines from particle erosion by continuously separating dust and sand from inlet air. It contains numerous vortex generator tubes with diameters of approximately 3/4 in. These induce a swirling motion that causes particles and water droplets to be thrown, by centrifugal force, outwards towards the walls of the vortex generators. The contaminants are then scavenged overboard with a small portion of the inlet air, while clean air flows through the centre of the vortex generator tubes into the engine.
The engine can be used when operating the helicopter in harsh desert environments, where sand, dust and other damaging particles can quickly erode unprotected engines, resulting in power loss or failure.
"The Centrisep EAPS provides critical protection for personnel and aircraft by preventing airborne contamination that can cause engine failure and by enhancing safety, reliability, availability, and performance,” said Jim Western, president of Pall Aeropower.
Shipments will begin in December 2011 and be completed by November 2012.
