Abstract: A method of depositing a catalytically reactive coating to a substrate including selecting a target light off temperature for a predetermined catalytic combustion environment, selecting a thermal barrier coating composition, selecting a catalytic material and codepositing the thermal barrier coating composition and the catalytic material onto the substrate in proportions selected to produce the target light off temperature when exposed to the combustion environment. The method may include controlling the codepositing step to cause the thermal barrier coating composition to interact with the catalytic material to produce a phase having a light off temperature different from the respective light off temperatures of the thermal barrier coating composition and the catalytic material. A catalyst element may include a substrate and a first layer comprising a thermal barrier coating composition and a catalytic material throughout its depth disposed over a first portion of the substrate.

Abstract: A combustion catalyst coating (36) applied to the surface of a ceramic thermal barrier coating (34) which is supported by a metal substrate (32). The microstructure of the thermal barrier coating surface provides the necessary turbulent flow and surface area for interaction of the catalyst and a fuel-air mixture in a catalytic combustor of a gas turbine engine. The temperature gradient developed across the thermal barrier coating protects the underlying metal substrate from a high temperature combustion process occurring at the catalyst surface. The thermal barrier coating deposition process may be controlled to form a microstructure having at least one feature suitable to interdict a flow of fuel-air mixture and cause the flow to become more turbulent than if such feature did not exist.

Abstract: A ceramic thermal barrier coating material (10) containing nano-sized features is predicted to exhibit improved high temperature performance than a comparable material containing fewer of such features. In a coating deposited by an APS process, the nano-sized features may be intersplat columns (32). In a coating deposited by an EB-PVD process, the nano-sized features may be a mixed oxide layer (22) formed of nano-sized mixed oxide particles, or nano-sized alumina projections (24) extending across the interface from the mixed oxide layer into the insulating material layer (20). Alternatively, the nano-sized features may be secondary columnar grains (36) extending laterally from primary columnar grains (34) in a columnar-grained ceramic material.

Abstract: A combustion catalyst coating (36) applied to the surface of a ceramic thermal barrier coating (34) which is supported by a metal substrate (32). The microstructure of the thermal barrier coating surface provides the necessary turbulent flow and surface area for interaction of the catalyst and a fuel-air mixture in a catalytic combustor of a gas turbine engine. The temperature gradient developed across the thermal barrier coating protects the underlying metal substrate from a high temperature combustion process occurring at the catalyst surface. The thermal barrier coating deposition process may be controlled to form a microstructure having at least one feature suitable to interdict a flow of fuel-air mixture and cause the flow to become more turbulent than if such feature did not exist.

Abstract: The claimed invention relates to a method for determining the extent of an oxidation reaction of a coated metallic turbine component within a turbine, comprising determining a plurality of reference oxidation rates for a plurality of locations on the turbine component for a plurality of different turbine operating conditions. The invention also relates to selecting an appropriate oxidation rate from a family of reference oxidation rate data and estimating the oxidation of the coated turbine blade or vane.

Abstract: A exemplary method of depositing a coating on a substrate using a spray process is provided that may include selecting a desired dominant feature (62) for the coating and controlling the spray process (64, 68) to have at least one of an in-flight particle temperature distribution and an in-flight particle velocity distribution predicted to produce the dominant feature. One aspect allows for adjusting (64, 68) the at least one distribution to cause the distribution to shift from an in-flight Gaussian particle distribution to an in-flight non-Gaussian particle distribution. It may be determined whether the dominant feature for the coating is deposited within acceptable limits (66) and adjusting the at least one in-flight particle distribution (68) if the dominant feature for the coating is not deposited within acceptable limits. One aspect allows for depositing on the substrate a spray jet of particles having a bimodal distribution of particle temperature and a bimodal distribution of particle velocity.

Abstract: A exemplary method of depositing a coating on a substrate using a spray process is provided that may include selecting a desired dominant feature (62) for the coating and controlling the spray process (64, 68) to have at least one of an in-flight particle temperature distribution and an in-flight particle velocity distribution predicted to produce the dominant feature. One aspect allows for adjusting (64, 68) the at least one distribution to cause the distribution to shift from an in-flight Gaussian particle distribution to an in-flight non-Gaussian particle distribution. It may be determined whether the dominant feature for the coating is deposited within acceptable limits (66) and adjusting the at least one in-flight particle distribution (68) if the dominant feature for the coating is not deposited within acceptable limits. One aspect allows for depositing on the substrate a spray jet of particles having a bimodal distribution of particle temperature and a bimodal distribution of particle velocity.

Abstract: A ceramic thermal barrier coating (46) having a plurality of segmentation gaps (44) formed in its top surface (56) to provide thermal strain relief. The surface width of the gaps may be limited to minimize the aerodynamic impact of the gaps. The gaps may be formed as continuous grooves (68) extending along a flow path of a fluid stream traveling over the thermal barrier coating. Such grooves may be used in the fluid stream without removing the ridge (60) created by splashing of molten material onto the surface of the coating during a laser engraving process used to form the grooves, since the fluid stream is flowing parallel to the ridge. Preferred failure planes (A1, A2, A3) may be formed through the thickness of the coating in order to stimulate the generation of a fresh surface when a portion of the coating fails by spalling. The bottom geometry of the gaps may be formed to have a generally U-shape in order to minimize stress concentration.

Abstract: A combustion catalyst coating (36) applied to the surface of a ceramic thermal barrier coating (34) which is supported by a metal substrate (32). The microstructure of the thermal barrier coating surface provides the necessary turbulent flow and surface area for interaction of the catalyst and a fuel-air mixture in a catalytic combustor of a gas turbine engine. The temperature gradient developed across the thermal barrier coating protects the underlying metal substrate from a high temperature combustion process occurring at the catalyst surface. The thermal barrier coating deposition process may be controlled to form a microstructure having at least one feature suitable to interdict a flow of fuel-air mixture and cause the flow to become more turbulent than if such feature did not exist.