A large international freight carrier used a well-known d-limonene-based product (Citri-safe by Inland Chemical) to clean various soils on the belly of the aircraft, APU areas, landing gear housing areas stained with burned, caked-on Skydrol, and other substances. The issues with the current product were availability and escalating costs. The current product increased annually at rates well above inflation, and the user wanted an economical and reliable alternative.
Problem: How to reduce cost of MRO cleaning without sacrificing quality and performance?
After being qualified by HSE, we brought in Techspray PWR-4 Citrus HF Degreaser and put it to the test in the hangar on actual aircraft. The solvent was used on an aviation qualified cheesecloth type wiper in a wipe-on, wipe-off process. The cleaning performance of PWR-4 Citrus HF was as good as the current product, is readily available, and reasonably priced compared to what they were paying.
Health & Safety Advantages
Getting PWR-4 Citrus HF Degreaser accepted by the HSE manager went smoothly because of a number of environmental and safety advantages:
- Low toxicity – PWR-4 Citrus HF is a combination of citrus-based solvent and petroleum distillates, so much lower toxicity that common solvents found in aviation MRO applications like methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), trichloroethylene (TCE), n-propyl bromide (nPB), toluene, and xylene.
- High flashpoint – It also has a flashpoint greater than 140º F, which makes it a safer alternative to MEK (16°F/-9°C), toluene (39°F/4°C), and xylene (90°F/32°C).
Testing Techspray PWR-4 Citrus HF Degreaser
PWR-4 Citrus HF was effective at cleaning off large areas of caked on Skydrol mixed with dirt and grime, brake residue, or even “snarge” from bird strikes.
PWR-4 Citrus HF was tested by wiping down the area with a soaked rag. The citrus-based solvent has slower evaporation, which provides greater soak-in time to break up heavy deposits of residue. A pre-soak is a good practice on thick buildups. The low surface tension of PWR-4 Citrus HF provided superior wetting to clean in even the tightest spots.
Techspray’s Aviation MRO Product Line
PWR-4 Citrus HF was engineered for aviation MRO applications, so it has been qualified with Airbus AIMS09-00-002 and Boeing BSS7432 specifications.
Techspray also offers a broad array of other products for aviation MRO including:
- Aerosol degreasers – PWR-4 Aviation Degreaser which meets Boeing D6 17487, Rev T, Airbus UK ABR9-0140 General Purpose Cleaning Solvents, and MIL-PRF29608 (AS) 2008.
- Contact cleaners – G3 Contact Cleaner, which meets Boeing D6 17487, Rev P.
- Oxygen system cleaning solvent - Liquid Oxygen Validation Solvent, which meets SAE ARP1176 and NASA/TP-2015-218207.
- Vapor degreaser solvents - PWR-4 Industrial Maintenance Cleaner
- Aviation clean and prep wipes – IPA, Acetone, MEK, and MPK wipes that meet AMS3819C and BMS15-5 standards.
Contact us if you have questions about how our products work or which are the best solutions for your aircraft maintenance operation!
