TiCrCN-NiCo Coating for Gas Turbine Seal Wear Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wear-resistant coatings for gas turbine engine components fail to withstand high friction and temperature conditions, leading to premature wear and potential seal mechanism failure, which can result in fluid leakage and costly repairs.
Innovation Solution
A wear-resistant coating composed of titanium chrome carbonitride and nickel cobalt, applied using a high velocity oxyfuel (HVOF) thermal spray process, which provides enhanced hardness and bonding capabilities without the need for a bond coat, effectively reducing wear and deterioration on seal plate surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If existing wear-resistant coatings are applied to seal plate surfaces, then wear resistance is improved, but the coatings crack and spall under high engine speeds and pressures
Solution Approach 1:
The coating uses a composite material system consisting of titanium chrome carbonitride (TiCrCN) ceramic particles embedded in a nickel cobalt (NiCo) metal matrix. This composite structure combines the hardness and wear resistance of the ceramic phase with the ductility and toughness of the metal matrix, preventing crack propagation and spalling while maintaining coating integrity under high engine speeds and pressures
Solution Approach 2:
The invention optimizes the composition parameters by controlling the weight percentages of TiCrCN (50-90 wt%) and NiCo (10-50 wt%), and adjusts the coating application parameters through HVOF thermal spray process to achieve optimal coating density, adhesion, and microstructure that resist cracking and spalling under operational stresses
2Force
If the seal plate material is made softer to reduce friction, then friction is reduced, but the seal plate wears and deteriorates faster
Solution Approach 1:
The TiCrCN-NiCo composite coating provides a balanced structure where the ceramic TiCrCN phase offers extreme hardness and wear resistance, while the NiCo metal matrix provides adequate ductility and friction reduction, achieving both low friction and high wear resistance simultaneously
Solution Approach 2:
The coating creates a localized protective layer on the seal plate surface with optimized material properties - the TiCrCN ceramic particles provide localized hardness and wear resistance at the contact interface, while the overall coating structure maintains appropriate friction characteristics
3Power
If engine speed and pressure are increased to improve performance, then power output is improved, but existing coatings crack and spall
Solution Approach 1:
The TiCrCN-NiCo composite coating's unique combination of ceramic hardness and metal ductility enables it to withstand the high mechanical stresses, centrifugal forces, and thermal loads generated by increased engine speed and pressure without cracking or spalling
Solution Approach 2:
The optimized composition ratios and HVOF process parameters create a coating with enhanced mechanical properties including higher elastic modulus, strength, and fracture toughness, allowing the coating to survive the increased stress conditions from higher engine performance operation
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The coating significantly reduces wear and extends the lifespan of gas turbine engine components by maintaining contact integrity under high-speed and high-pressure conditions, with improved hardness and thermal conductivity compared to existing coatings, thus preventing seal mechanism failure.
Implementation Method 1
applied using a high velocity oxyfuel (HVOF) thermal spray process
Data Source
AI summary
A coating (17) suitable for use as a wear-resistant coating for a gas turbine engine component (16) comprises titanium chrome carbonitride and nickel cobalt.