HVOF and HVAF Coatings of Agglomerated Tungsten Carbide-Cobalt Powders for Water Droplet Erosion Application

Abstract

Water droplet erosion (WDE) is a phenomenon caused by impingement of water droplets of several hundred microns to a few millimeters diameter at velocities of hundreds of meters per second on the edges and surfaces of the parts used in such services. The solution to this problem is sought especially for the moving compressor blades in gas turbines and those operating at the low-pressure end of steam turbines. Thermal-sprayed tungsten carbide-based coatings have been the focus of many studies and are industrially accepted for a multitude of wear and erosion resistance applications. In the present work, the microstructure, phase analysis and mechanical properties (micro-hardness and fracture toughness) of WC-Co coatings are studied in relation with their influence on the WDE resistance of such coatings. The coatings are deposited by high-velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) and high-velocity air fuel (HVAF) processes. The agglomerated tungsten carbide-cobalt powders were in either sintered or non-sintered conditions. The WDE tests were performed using 0.4 mm water droplets at 300 m/s impact velocity. The study shows promising results for this cermet as WDE-resistant coating when the coating can reach its optimum quality using the right thermal spray process and parameters.