Simulation for thermal barrier coatings on high temperature engine nozzles

Nozzles are very important parts of jet engines. Engines get their forward thrust from the nozzles by high temperature and high-pressure jets. Ceramic barrier coatings are therefore employed to protect the nozzle by plasma spray. it is impossible to measure the inner and outer surface temperature of a nozzle continuously, so that it is very important to predict the temperature distribution and the stress distribution along cross-section of a nozzle by simulation and calculation with FEA method and the Ansys software. In this paper, six thermal barrier coatings are designed for the all-inner surface and the partial outer surface of nozzle. Finite element model of the nozzle with axial symmetry is set up. The thermal-stress coupling PLANE 13- 2D coupled-field solid element is utilized. The temperature field and the stress field of the nozzle with different coatings when exposed to hot gas is simulated and calculated. The temperature distribution and the stress distribution under instantaneous states along the cross-section of throat in the nozzle are analyzed where hot load is the heaviest. Thus it provides a scientific method for selecting materials of the substrate and coatings, as well as for optimizing the coatings.