Evaluation of Mechanical Reliability of Silicon Nitride Vanes After Field Tests in an Industrial Gas Turbine
This paper provides a review of recent studies undertaken to examine the mechanical and thermal stability of silicon nitride ceramic vanes with and without an oxide-based environmental barrier coating (EBC) after field tests in an industrial gas turbine. Two commercially available silicon nitride vanes (i.e., AS800 and SN282) were evaluated, where the AS800 vanes had an EBC and the SN282 vanes did not. The average temperature and pressure of gas impinging upon the vanes were approximately 1066°C and 8.9 atm, respectively. Both silicon nitride vanes were subjected to exposure time up to 1818h. Scanning electron microscopy was used to provide an insight into the changes in the microstructures of silicon nitrides and EBC arising from the environmental effects. The recession of the airfoils resulting from the volatilization of the normally protective silica layer, and /or EBC, was also measured using a coordinate measuring machine. The long-term chemical as well as structural stability of the secondary phases as well as EBC were characterized using x-ray diffraction. The surface strength of exposed airfoils was evaluated using a miniature biaxial test specimen, which was prepared by a diamond core drilling.