SATELLITE PROPULSION TUBE CLEANING

The Problem

To operate in the vacuum of space satellite systems must be void of foreign object debris (FOD). The directional control thruster systems are made up of a significant number of small diameter tubes with manufacturing soils left behind. Particles in the I.D. and small diameter nozzles are incompatible.

ACT Solution

This large aerospace company commissioned a custom ACT machine to connect to a wide variety of bent and straight tubes, many with complex geometries that are critical to the fit up on the propulsion system. Tubes are flushed with known clean ultra-filtered deionized water with sampling ports for analyzing the solution cleanliness. Cycles can be set to repeat to deliver an initial flush followed by a secondary flush. The solution is blown out of the tube with Nitrogen gas. This “old school” system is analog by customer request.

Basic System Info