Evaluation on thermal gradient fatigue characteristics of thermal barrier coating through finite element analysis

Abstract

A gas turbine is a power plant unit that converts thermal energy into rotational energy by rotating a blade using hightemperature and high-pressure combustion gas. A gas turbine blade is directly exposed to a high-temperature flame. Various studies have aimed to improve the durability of the blade in harsh conditions. One proposes coating the blade with a thermal barrier to protect it from the flame, using a ceramic material with better thermal insulation. Another proposes using internal cooling, by creating an air flow path inside the blade to lower its temperature. Because both these techniques create a thermal gradient in the cross section of the blade, they amplify the difference in thermal expansion, thereby producing thermal stress in the blade and the thermal barrier coating. This study investigates the internal cooling effect on thermal gradient fatigue by using finite element analysis. © Copyright The Korean Society for Precision Engineering.