The Application and Experience of HVOF Coatings in the Repair and Overhaul of Industrial Gas Turbines

Abstract

High Velocity Oxy-Fuel thermal spray systems (HVOF), also known as High Velocity Combustion systems (HVC) are high energy thermal spray combustion processes, producing very hard, high density coatings. These coatings are used in areas where high wear resistance is of particular importance, with metal carbide coatings being typical in gas turbine applications. Gas turbines use hard face coatings in such areas where vibration is the initial source of the problem. The areas tend to be in the hot end of the gas turbines although certain areas of the cold end are also affected. To date the hard face coating that has been predominately applied in gas turbines particularly in the hot end, is the Praxair (Union Carbide) “D” gun coating. As a result to date, the “D” gun system has had a virtual monopoly with regards to the overhaul/repair of gas turbine components where hard face coating was required. However new HVOF systems have come on to the market Examples are: CDS, Plasma Technik; Diamond Jet, Metco; Top Gun, UPT U.K. (Miller); Jet Kote, Deloro Stellite; Gun. Metallisation and JP 5000, Hobart Tafa. As a result gas turbine overhaul bases are now in a position to offer a more competitve coating service, producing comparable, and in some cases superior, coatings to those produced by the “D” gun process. This paper covers, from the Rolls Wood Group point of view, the developments of the HVOF systems, where they appear to be today and how these systems, now allow overhaul bases to offer services not previously available and the ability to develop new coating applications.