Tailoring Zirconia Coatings for Performance in a Marine Gas Turbine Environment

Abstract

Zirconia coatings represent an advanced materials technology that offers significant durability and performance benefits for marine gas turbines. Thin zirconia coatings offer superior resistance to hot corrosion attack from fuel (sulfur, vanadium, and sodium) and air (sea salt) impurities present in marine engine environments. Thicker zirconia coatings reduce transient thermal stresses and heat transferred into air-cooled components. This paper describes the development of zirconia coatings, applied by the electron beam evaporation-physical vapor deposition process, that are tailored to provide superior durability in a marine engine environment.