Thermal barrier coatings, components, method and apparatus for determining past-service conditions and remaining life thereof
First Claim
1. A method for determining at least one of past-service conditions and remaining useful life of at least one of a component of a combustion engine and a thermal barrier coating thereof, said method comprising:
- (1) providing a combustion-engine component comprising a thermal barrier coating that comprises at least one photoluminescent (“
PL”
) material that can be excited by a first radiation at a first wavelength range and emits a second radiation at a second wavelength range different from said first wavelength range in response to said first radiation;
said second radiation having a characteristic property that correlates with an amount of a crystalline phase in said thermal barrier coating, which amount changes as said combustion-engine component is exposed to elevated temperatures;
(2) directing said first radiation having said first wavelength range at said thermal barrier coating of said combustion-engine component;
(3) measuring said characteristic property of said second radiation;
(4) determining said amount of said crystalline phase present in said thermal barrier coating from said characteristic property of said second radiation; and
(5) determining at least one of past-service conditions and remaining useful life of at least one of said component of said combustion engine and said thermal barrier coating thereof from said amount of said crystalline phase.
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Abstract
A method for determining past-service conditions and/or remaining useful life of a component of a combustion engine and/or a thermal barrier coating (“TBC”) of the component comprises providing a photoluminescent (“PL”) material in the TBC, directing an exciting radiation at the TBC, measuring the intensity of a characteristic peak in the emission spectrum of the PL material, and correlating the intensity of the characteristic peak or another quantity derived therefrom to an amount of a new phase that has been formed as a result of the exposure of the component to extreme temperatures. An apparatus for carrying out the method comprises a radiation source that provides the exciting radiation to the TBC, a radiation detector for detecting radiation emitted by the PL material, and means for relating a characteristic of the emission spectrum of the PL material to the amount of the new phase in the TBC, thereby inferring the past-service conditions or the remaining useful life of the component.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A method for determining at least one of past-service conditions and remaining useful life of at least one of a component of a combustion engine and a thermal barrier coating thereof, said method comprising:
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(1) providing a combustion-engine component comprising a thermal barrier coating that comprises at least one photoluminescent (“
PL”
) material that can be excited by a first radiation at a first wavelength range and emits a second radiation at a second wavelength range different from said first wavelength range in response to said first radiation;
said second radiation having a characteristic property that correlates with an amount of a crystalline phase in said thermal barrier coating, which amount changes as said combustion-engine component is exposed to elevated temperatures;
(2) directing said first radiation having said first wavelength range at said thermal barrier coating of said combustion-engine component;
(3) measuring said characteristic property of said second radiation;
(4) determining said amount of said crystalline phase present in said thermal barrier coating from said characteristic property of said second radiation; and
(5) determining at least one of past-service conditions and remaining useful life of at least one of said component of said combustion engine and said thermal barrier coating thereof from said amount of said crystalline phase. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for determining at least one of past-service conditions and remaining useful life of at least one of a component of a combustion engine and a thermal barrier coating thereof, said method comprising:
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(1) providing a combustion-engine component comprising a thermal barrier coating that comprises at least two PL materials that can be excited by a first radiation at a first wavelength range and emits at least a second radiation in a second wavelength range different from said first wavelength range in response to said first radiation, said second radiation emitted by each of said PL materials having a different characteristic property attributable to each of said PL materials, said characteristic property correlating with an amount of a crystalline phase in said thermal barrier coating, which amount increases as said combustion-engine component is exposed to elevated temperatures;
(2) directing said first radiation having said first wavelength range at said thermal barrier coating of said combustion-engine component;
(3) measuring said characteristic property of said second radiation;
(4) determining said amount of said crystalline phase present in said thermal barrier coating from said characteristic property of said second radiation;
(5) determining a remaining amount of said thermal barrier coating; and
(6) determining at least one of past-service conditions and remaining useful life of at least one of said component of said combustion engine and said thermal barrier coating thereof from said amount of said crystalline phase and said remaining amount of said thermal barrier coating.
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17. An apparatus for determining at least one of past-service conditions and remaining useful life of at least one of a component of a combustion engine and a thermal barrier coating thereof, said apparatus comprising:
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(1) a source of first radiation having a first wavelength range, said first radiation being directed at said thermal barrier coating that comprises at least one PL material capable of emitting a second radiation having a second wavelength range in response to an excitation by said first radiation;
(2) a radiation detector being capable of detecting said second radiation and being disposed to receive and measure a characteristic property thereof; and
(3) means for relating said characteristic property of said second radiation to one of an amount of a crystalline phase in said thermal barrier coating, past-service conditions, and remaining useful life of said combustion-engine component. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A thermal barrier coating on an engine component, said thermal barrier coating comprising zirconia and at least one metal oxide that is capable of retarding a formation of a zirconia monoclinic phase when said engine component is exposed to elevated temperatures, said at least one metal oxide being doped with at least one metal ion that is excitable by a first radiation having a first wavelength range and emits a second radiation having a second wavelength range in response to an excitation by said first radiation, a spectrum of said second radiation having a characteristic property that is identifiable with and quantifiable in relation to an amount of the zirconia monoclinic phase.
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35. A thermal barrier coating on an engine component, said thermal barrier coating consisting essentially of zirconia and at least one metal oxide that is capable of retarding a formation of a zirconia monoclinic phase when said engine component is exposed to thermal cycling, said at least one metal oxide being doped with at least one metal ion that is excitable by a first radiation having a first wavelength range and emits a second radiation having a second wavelength range in response to an excitation by said first radiation, a spectrum of said second radiation having an characteristic property that is identifiable with and quantifiable in relation to an amount of the monoclinic phase;
- wherein said at least one metal oxide is selected from the group consisting of yttrium aluminum oxide garnet, calcia, magnesia, india, scandia, and ytterbia.
- View Dependent Claims (36)
Specification