Pall Corporation, Pall Aerospace, working in co-operation with Turbomeca, has introduced a certified upgrade of the Centrisep Engine Air Cleaner for Eurocopter's AS350 series. By removing airborne contamination, the Centrisep Air Cleaner enhances helicopter reliability, availability, safety and performance.
"We currently operate 15 Pall Centrisep air cleaners that have accumulated over 10,000 flying hours and have experienced better performance than with barrier filters that we have previously used," says John Mandernach, Vice President of Maintenance, Maverick Helicopters, Las Vegas. "It's virtually maintenance free. No extensive inspections and filter cleaning, no expensive by-pass door motors are required, and no differential pressure switches or filters elements to replace."
The AS350 Squirrel helicopter, is made by Eurocopter and is powered by a Turbomeca engine.
The Centrisep air cleaner upgrade fits the entire range of AS350s, including the EC130. More than one hundred sets of this latest system have already been shipped to 26 helicopter operators, including 11 in North America. Built to cope with all airborne contaminants, it is certified for Inadvertent Entry into Icing Conditions. The AS350 Centrisep air cleaner is a flat panel fitted to the engine cowl, resting on the engine inlet duct, (qualified by STC EASA.R.S. 00753, June 2005).
Air enters the cleaner via multiple Centrisep vortex tubes, each of which create a swirling motion that forces particles in the airflow to be thrown radially outwards and to be continuously scavenged overboard. Available engine power remains constant throughout the engine’s entire in-service life and the air cleaner is virtually maintenance-free. Exhaustive operational missions in hostile conditions have demonstrated the Centrisep air cleaner’s superior performance over other filtration devices that demand regular maintenance and cleaning. In addition it is resistant to being incapacitated by particulate, ice or snow, therefore no by-pass door is required.
For the more than 1,000 AS350s currently operating the previous Centrisep air cleaner design, retrofit kits are available. The Pall Centrisep air cleaner is the OEM option for the AS350 and EC130 helicopters.
