Operation of a Burner Rig for Thermal Gradient Cycling of Thermal Barrier Coatings

Author(s):  
J. P. Feist ◽  
P. Y. Sollazzo ◽  
C. Pilgrim ◽  
J. R. Nicholls

Thermal barrier coatings (TBC), in combination with sophisticated cooling systems are crucial for the operation of highly efficient gas turbines. New generations of coatings will need to show increased cycling capability as a future energy mix will contain a high proportion of renewable energy which will be subject to rapid changes in supply. This will require gas turbines to be on stand-by to fill shortages in power supply with short notice. Furthermore, higher operating temperatures are sought to improve the efficiency of the engine. It is, therefore, an aim of the industry to find a coating composition or structure which will enable the operation at temperatures greater than 1250°C and with high cycling capability. Test methods are required to meet these new operating conditions to validate new coatings. The maximum temperature limit of commonly used isothermal or cyclic oxidation tests is usually the temperature at which the substrate will start to significantly oxidise. However, there is the technical need to test the ceramic top layer at elevated surface temperatures up to 1500°C while keeping the substrate ‘cool’. Such capability would allow the effects of ceramic sintering, and deposit induced damage to be assessed at the TBC surface. This only can be performed on a complete coating system, when a thermal gradient is established throughout the coating. This paper reviews a burner test facility, designed and built by Sensor Coating Systems Ltd. (SCS), which combines severe and frequent cycling with the exposure of the coating to high surface temperatures and active cooling of the substrate. Further, this test can include thermal shock by active cooling of the surface at the end of each cycle. The paper will consider different operating conditions and will review experiences in building and operating the rig, including results from thermal barrier coating tests on electron beam physical vapour deposition (EBPVD) and atmospheric plasma spray (APS) samples. Further, the rig is capable of testing optical techniques such as pyrometry and thermographic phosphor thermometry for measuring surface temperature in controlled laboratory conditions and example of this will be presented. The paper also will reflect on the ISO 13123:201 standard for this type of test.

Author(s):  
M. Kirschner ◽  
T. Wobst ◽  
B. Rittmeister ◽  
Ch. Mundt

One of the major problems facing the users of aircraft engines and stationary gas turbines in dusty and dirty environments is erosion, causing engine performance deterioration. Thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) are often applied on metal engine components as combustor heat shields or tiles as well as turbine blades allowing enhanced operating temperatures and resulting in increased thermal efficiency of the turbine and also reduced fuel consumption and gaseous emission. Erosive attack by airborne dust or fly ash, coarse particles causes coating degradation resulting in lifing issues of engine components. In the present study an erosion test facility was used to simulate the mechanisms of coating degradation expected in gas turbines in a more realistic way closer to real engine conditions. A loading situation combining thermal gradient cycling and erosive media was used. The experiments has been performed with an arc heated plasma wind tunnel (total enthalpy up to 20 MJ/kg), which is available at the Institute for Thermodynamics at the University of the Federal Armed Forces in Munich, Germany. The experimental setup and the integration of the air jet erosion test rig into the existing plasma wind tunnel will be elucidated. Different plasma sprayed thermal barrier coating materials, including the standard TBC material yttria-stabilised zirconia, were investigated regarding their erosion resistance. For validation and verification, samples of nickel-based Mar-M 247 and INCO 718 alloys have been used.


Author(s):  
M. Kirschner ◽  
T. Wobst ◽  
B. Rittmeister ◽  
Ch. Mundt

One of the major problems facing the users of aircraft engines and stationary gas turbines in dusty and dirty environments is erosion, causing engine performance deterioration. Thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) are often applied on metal engine components as combustor heat shields or tiles as well as turbine blades allowing enhanced operating temperatures and resulting in increased thermal efficiency of the turbine and also reduced fuel consumption and gaseous emission. Erosive attack by airborne dust or fly ash, coarse particles causes coating degradation resulting in lifting issues of engine components. In the present study, an erosion test facility was used to simulate the mechanisms of coating degradation expected in gas turbines in a more realistic way closer to real engine conditions. A loading situation combining thermal gradient cycling and erosive media was used. The experiments have been performed with an arc heated plasma wind tunnel (PWT total enthalpy up to 20 MJ/kg), which is available at the Institute for Thermodynamics at the University of the Federal Armed Forces in Munich, Germany. The experimental setup and the integration of the air jet erosion test rig into the existing PWT will be elucidated. Different plasma sprayed TBC materials, including the standard TBC material yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ), were investigated regarding their erosion resistance. For validation and verification, samples of nickel-based Mar-M 247 and INCO 718 alloys have been used.


Coatings ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 812 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rogerio S. Lima

Porous (~10–20%) ZrO2-7–8 wt.% Y2O3 (YSZ) thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) manufactured via air plasma spray (APS) and exhibiting a thickness range of ~250–500 µm, provide thermal insulation from the hot combustion gases to the metallic parts located in the hot stationary sections of gas turbine engines (e.g., combustion chambers of aerospace turbines). The objective of this paper was to measure and report the thermal gradient values in a benchmark porous (~15%) APS YSZ TBC, working within the known acceptable maximum temperature envelop conditions of a TBC/substrate system, i.e., T-ysz ~1300 °C and T-sub ~1000 °C. In order to accomplish this objective, the following steps were performed. A benchmark APS YSZ TBC exhibiting two distinct thicknesses (~260 and ~460 µm) was manufactured. In addition, a thermal gradient laser-rig was employed to generate a temperature drop (ΔT) along the coated coupon, with the target operate within the acceptable maximum temperature capabilities of this type of TBC/substrate architecture. This target was achieved, i.e., T-ysz values were not higher than ~1300 °C while the substrate temperatures did not reach values above ~1000 °C. The ΔTs for the ~260 and ~460 µm YSZ TBCs were ~280 and ~465 °C, respectively. The thermal gradient value for both YSZ TBCs was ~0.90 °C/µm, which falls within those reported in the literature for porous APS YSZ TBCs.


2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-67
Author(s):  
Esmaeil Poursaeidi ◽  
◽  
Farzam Montakhabi ◽  
Javad Rahimi ◽  
◽  
...  

The constant need to use gas turbines has led to the need to increase turbines' inlet temperature. When the temperature reaches a level higher than the material's tolerance, phenomena such as creep, changes in mechanical properties, oxidation, and corrosion occur at high speeds, which affects the life of the metal material. Nowadays, operation at high temperatures is made possible by proceedings such as cooling and thermal insulation by thermal barrier coatings (TBCs). The method of applying thermal barrier coatings on the turbine blade creates residual stresses. In this study, residual stresses in thermal barrier coatings applied by APS and HVOF methods are compared by Tsui–Clyne analytical model and XRD test. The analytical model results are in good agreement with the experimental results (between 2 and 8% error), and the HVOF spray method creates less residual stress than APS. In the end, an optimal thickness for the coating is calculated to minimize residual stress at the interface between the bond coat and top coat layers.


Author(s):  
J. Wigren ◽  
J.-F. de Vries ◽  
D. Greving

Abstract Thermal barrier coatings are used in the aerospace industry for thermal insulation in hot sections of gas turbines. Improved coating reliability is a common goal among jet engine designers. In-service failures, such as coating cracking and spallation, result in decreased engine performance and costly maintenance time. A research program was conducted to evaluate residual stresses, microstructure, and thermal shock life of thermal barrier coatings produced from different powder types and spray parameters. Sixteen coatings were ranked according to their performance relative to the other coatings in each evaluation category. Comparisons of residual stresses, powder morphology, and microstructure to thermal shock life indicate a strong correlation to thermal barrier coating performance. Results from these evaluations will aid in the selection of an optimum thermal barrier coating system for turbine engine applications.


Author(s):  
I. G. Wright ◽  
B. A. Pint

Thermal barrier coatings are intended to work in conjunction with internal cooling schemes to reduce the metal temperature of critical hot gas path components in gas turbine engines. The thermal resistance is typically provided by a 100-250 μm thick layer of ceramic (most usually zirconia stabilized with an addition of 7–8 wt% of yttria), and this is deposited on to an approximately 50 μ thick, metallic bond coating that is intended to anchor the ceramic to the metallic surface, to provide some degree of mechanical compliance, and to act as a reservoir of protective scale-forming elements (Al) to protect the underlying superalloy from high-temperature corrosion. A feature of importance to the durability of thermal barrier coatings is the early establishment of a continuous, protective oxide layer (preferably α-alumina) at the bond coating—ceramic interface. Because zirconia is permeable to oxygen, this oxide layer continues to grow during service. Some superalloys are inherently resistant to high-temperature oxidation, so a separate bond coating may not be needed in those cases. Thermal barrier coatings have been in service in aeroengines for a number of years, and the use of this technology for increasing the durability and/or efficiency of industrial gas turbines is currently of significant interest. The data presented were taken from an investigation of routes to optimize bond coating performance, and the focus of the paper is on the influences of reactive elements and Pt on the oxidation behaviour of NiAl-based alloys determined in studies using cast versions of bond coating compositions.


Author(s):  
Robert Eriksson ◽  
Zhe Chen ◽  
Krishna Praveen Jonnalagadda

Thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) are ceramic coatings used in gas turbines to lower the base metal temperature. During operation, the TBC may fail through, for example, fatigue. In this study, a TBC system deposited on a Ni-base alloy was tested in tensile bending fatigue. The TBC system was tested as-sprayed and oxidized, and two load levels were used. After interrupting the tests, at 10,000–50,000 cycles, the TBC tested at the lower load had extensive delamination damage, whereas the TBC tested at the higher load was relatively undamaged. At the higher load, the TBC formed vertical cracks which relieved the stresses in the TBC and retarded delamination damage. A finite element (FE) analysis was used to establish a likely vertical crack configuration (spacing and depth), and it could be confirmed that the corresponding stress drop in the TBC should prohibit delamination damage at the higher load.


Author(s):  
Kevin Knipe ◽  
Albert C. Manero ◽  
Stephen Sofronsky ◽  
John Okasinski ◽  
Jonathan Almer ◽  
...  

An understanding of the high temperature mechanics experienced in Thermal Barrier Coatings (TBC) during cycling conditions would be highly beneficial to extending the lifespan of the coatings. This study will present results obtained using synchrotron x-rays to measure depth resolved strains in the various layers of TBCs under thermal mechanical loading and a superposed thermal gradient. Tubular specimens, coated with Yttria Stabilized Zirconia (YSZ) and an aluminum containing nickel alloy as a bond coat both through Electron Beam - Physical Vapor Deposition (EBPVD), were subjected to external heating and controlled internal cooling generating a thermal gradient across the specimen’s wall. Temperatures at the external surface were in excess of 1000 °C. Throughout high temperature testing, 2-D high-resolution XRD strain measurements are taken at various locations through the entire depth of the coating layers. Across the YSZ a strain gradient was observed showing higher compressive strain at the interface to the bond coat than towards the surface. This behavior can be attributed to the specific microstructure of the EB-PVD-coating, which reveals higher porosity at the outer surface than at the interface to the bond coat, resulting in a lower in plane modulus near the surface. This location at the interface displays the most significant variation due to applied load at room temperature with this effect diminishing at elevated uniform temperatures. During thermal cycling with a thermal gradient and mechanical loading, the bond coat strain moves from a highly tensile state at room temperature to an initially compressive state at high temperature before relaxing to zero during the high temperature hold. The results of these experiments give insight into previously unseen material behavior at high temperature which can be used to develop an increased understanding of various failure modes and their causes.


2002 ◽  
Vol 2002.2 (0) ◽  
pp. 219-220
Author(s):  
Masato NAKAYAMA ◽  
Tooru HISAMATSU ◽  
Taiji TORIGOE ◽  
Tsuneji KAMEDA ◽  
Hideyuki ARIKAWA ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
J. P. Feist ◽  
P. Y. Sollazzo ◽  
S. Berthier ◽  
B. Charnley ◽  
J. Wells

Thermal barrier coatings are used to reduce the actual working temperature of the high pressure turbine blade metal surface and hence permit the engine to operate at higher more efficient temperatures. Sensor coatings are an adaptation of existing thermal barrier coatings to enhance their functionality, such that they not only protect engine components from the high temperature gas, but can also measure the material temperature accurately and determine the health of the coating e.g. ageing, erosion and corrosion. The sensing capability is introduced by embedding optically active materials into the thermal barrier coatings and by illuminating these coatings with excitation light phosphorescence can be observed. The phosphorescence carries temperature and structural information about the coating. Accurate temperature measurements in the engine hot section would eliminate some of the conservative margins which currently need to be imposed to permit safe operation. A 50K underestimation at high operating temperatures can lead to significant pre-mature failure of the protective coating and loss of integrity. Knowledge of the exact temperature could enable the adaptation of the most efficient coating strategies using the minimum amount of air. The integration of an on-line temperature detection system would enable the full potential of thermal barrier coatings to be realised due to improved accuracy in temperature measurement and early warning of degradation. This in turn will increase fuel efficiency and reduce CO2 emissions. Application: This paper describes the implementation of a sensor coating system on a Rolls-Royce jet engine. The system consists of three components: industrially manufactured robust coatings, advanced remote detection optics and improved control and readout software. The majority of coatings were based on yttria stabilized zirconia doped with Dy (dysprosium) and Eu (europium), although other coatings made of yttrium aluminium garnet were manufactured as well. Coatings were produced on a production line using atmospheric plasma spraying. Parallel tests at Didcot power station revealed survivability of specific coatings in excess of 4,500 effective operating hours. It is deduced that the capability of these coatings is in the range of normal maintenance schedules of industrial gas turbines of 24,000 hours or even longer. An advanced optical system was designed and manufactured permitting easy scanning of coated components and also the detection of phosphorescence on rotating turbine blades (13k RPM) at stand-off distances of up to 400mm. Successful temperature measurements were taken from the nozzle guide vanes (hot), the combustion chamber (noisy) and the rotating turbine blades (moving) and compared with thermocouple and pyrometer installations for validation purposes.


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