EcoGate - Engineered coatings for next generation gas turbine components

This project is a first attempt to produce protective coatings on substrates that result from new technologies and materials, and are currently explored in the gas turbine industry, aiming at finding alternative solutions to the conventional structural parts used today, so that significant improvements in engine efficiency and reduced gas emissions can be attained.

These substrates are metallic parts produced by Additive Manufacturing (AM) and parts made of Ceramic Matrix Composite (CMC). The surface of such parts has special characteristics, from both material and surface topography points of view, thus the coatings and coating techniques needs to be designed and adapted accordingly. The main goal of this project is to explore and develop high temperatures protective coatings on AM and CMC substrates.

The project will focus mostly on surface preparation, design and deposition of the coatings as well as on common coating characterisation. The complementary experience and expertise of a carefully chosen network of industrial partners is enabled in this projects, to accomplish the above and, thereby, address the industrial demands for the new type of coatings.

The following collaboration partners, covering the entire value chain, has been established: University West (UW) a leading thermal spray academic R&D group in Sweden; Höganäs AB (Höganäs) a global leader in development of feedstock materials for thermal spraying; GKN Aerospace (GKN) a leading company in developing coatings for gas turbine applications; Siemens Industrial Turbomachinery AB (Siemens) one of the world´s largest suppliers of power plants and turbines; Curtiss-Wright Surface Technologies AB (CWST) a company with long experience in providing surface engineering solutions for various industrial applications.