Gas Turbines
Gas Turbines
TSS provides advanced thermal spray services specifically designed for gas turbines in both aerospace and industrial applications.
The aerospace industry was among the first to fully adopt thermal spray coatings, which are now critical to the performance of modern aircraft engines. Hundreds of essential engine components rely on these coatings, and without them, turbines cannot operate at optimal efficiency.
Aircraft and stationary gas turbines face a variety of degradation challenges, including metal-to-metal wear, fretting, hot corrosion, and particle erosion, all of which are exacerbated by high-temperature operating conditions. Thermal spray coatings provide the necessary surface protection to extend the life of these critical components.
Thermal spray coatings enable turbines to withstand multiple forms of environmental damage, including:
Oxidation and corrosion protection
Thermal barrier coatings to increase operational temperature capability
Impact, sliding, and fretting wear resistance
Low- and high-temperature erosion and corrosion protection
Typical thermal-sprayed components in gas turbines include:
Turbine blades
Flame tubes
HPT outer stationary seal liners
And other critical engine parts
By applying advanced coatings using Plasma, HVOF, or other thermal spray technologies, TSS ensures enhanced durability, efficiency, and reliability for gas turbines operating in the most demanding conditions.
Application challenges and solutions
Table
Thermal barrier
Tip clearance
thermal spray thermal barrier coating using plasma spray
Abradable coating using plasma spray
Lubricity
Lubricity coatings applied using plasma spray
Other contents
Without effective protective coatings, corrosion can severely impact the performance and durability of structural components.
In the power generation sector, corrosion can cause pitting, which may compromise the mechanical integrity of rotating compressor blades and vanes. Additionally, corrosion and oxidation can roughen the gas-washed surfaces of airfoils, increasing aerodynamic drag and reducing compressor efficiency.
Thermal spray coatings provide an effective solution, protecting critical components from corrosion, preserving aerodynamic performance, and ensuring reliable, long-term turbine operation.
Erosion is the gradual loss of material from a solid surface due to mechanical interaction with fluids or solid particles, typically occurring when particles or water droplets impact at high velocity.
In industrial gas turbines, sand and particulate erosion in compressors can lead to a reduction in compression ratio, adversely affecting overall turbine efficiency and performance.
Thermal spray coatings provide a robust solution, protecting compressor blades, vanes, and other critical components from erosion, maintaining aerodynamic integrity, and ensuring long-term operational reliability.
Galling is a severe form of mechanical wear, defined by ASTM G40 as “surface damage occurring between sliding solids, characterised by microscopic, often localised roughening and the formation of protrusions above the original surface.”
It occurs when two surfaces slide under load, causing movement and plastic deformation that may transfer material from one surface to another.
In gas turbine components, galling on blades and vanes can significantly increase maintenance and repair costs, reduce component lifespan, and compromise turbine reliability.
Protective thermal spray coatings, such as HVOF or plasma-sprayed solutions, help minimise galling by enhancing surface hardness and wear resistance, ensuring long-lasting, high-performance turbine operation.
Components operating in high-temperature environments require effective thermal protection to maintain both performance and durability. At TSS Surface Technologies, we provide advanced thermal protective coatings designed to extend the operational life of critical turbine components.
In the industrial gas turbine sector, turbine blades are exposed to temperatures of up to 1,650°C, far exceeding the melting points of commonly used high-temperature materials, such as superalloys with a melting point around 1,300°C.
Without adequate thermal protection, these extreme conditions can result in severe oxidation and hot corrosion of combustor and basket components. Unprotected blades and vanes also lose load-carrying capability, as elevated temperatures reduce the mechanical strength of structural materials.
Thermal spray coatings provide a robust solution, shielding components from high-temperature degradation, preserving mechanical integrity, and ensuring reliable, long-term turbine operation.
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