Viable SPS Solutions for Aeroderivative Gas Turbine Engines

Aeroderivative gas turbine engines employ EBPVD TBC to perform under the most demanding operating conditions. While traditional air plasma spray (APS) TBC cannot match EB-PVD performance, suspension plasma spray (SPS) TBC now provides a potential option. SPS TBCs demonstrate unique columnar microstructures, which are capable of adhering to and performing on EBPVD type bondcoats. The following work reviews the potential of SPS relative to aeroderivative engine needs. Specifically, SPS TBC performance is contrasted to EBPVD to demonstrate where the two technologies differ and where they can complement one another.