Thermal spray technology growth in gas turbine coatings

For many years coatings have been successfully applied to aerospace engine components to improve life and performance. The key success areas have been in thermal barrier coatings, clearance control, oxidation/hot corrosion and wear coatings. Today, design engineers in the industrial gas turbine sector have leveraged the "aerospace" technology into the power generation industry. This paper gives a general overview of key coatings used in the compressor and turbine sections. Design requirements will be reviewed and compared between aerospace and power generation coatings. Application process improvement areas will also be discussed as a method of reducing component cost. Therefore, the total solution will be more reproducible, cost effective coatings that add value. This will result in engineered components that operate at higher temperatures and/or last for longer periods of time.