This paper describes the results obtained from an evaluation of several platinum aluminide coated first stage turbine blades returned from the field. The IN-738LC blades had accumulated from 3,900 to 27,500 service hours in Centaur (1) 50 industrial gas turbine engines, operating in a high temperature oxidizing environment. The coating performance and condition were assessed using optical and electron microscopy. The condition of the coating was correlated to blade operating temperatures, which were estimated using the gamma prime coarsening technique. The degradation mechanism of the coating, remaining coating life, and blade repairability were also addressed.
Severe hot corrosion of gas turbine blades and vanes can result from the use of fuels contaminated with sodium and sulfur. A program has been initiated to survey currently available commercial as well as advanced developmental hot corrosion resistant coatings and select a list of coatings for application to Solar Centaur first-stage blades and vanes. A subsequent engine test program will be run on high-sulfur marine diesel fuel doped with sodium to produce severe hot corrosion conditions. The coatings will be tested in a rainbow fashion for a period up to 15,000 hours.
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