Researchers at the University of Virginia have made a major breakthrough in turbine engine technology. The team of scientists has developed a new protective coating that improves turbine efficiency, per a recent article published in Tech Xplore.
According to UVA professor Elizabeth J. Opila, a lead researcher on the project, hotter engines are more efficient. However, higher temperatures pose a risk to the turbines. When the turbines get hot, combustion produces reactive gases that can damage the turbines.
To counteract this, the research team created a protective coating that shields the turbines from heat damage while optimizing energy efficiency.
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To develop this protective coating, the researchers used refractory metal alloys — a type of durable, heat-resistant material — in conjunction with rare earth oxides, such as yttrium, erbium, and ytterbium. They then used computer simulations and machine learning to test different combination of materials
"By combining multiple rare earth oxides, tailoring properties to better protect the underlying substrate can be achieved with just a single layer," Kristyn Ardrey, a Ph.D. alumna of Opila's lab and first author of the paper, told Tech Xplore. "This allowed us to achieve better performance without complex multi-layer coatings."
In the energy industry, efficiency means less fuel consumption. And when fuel consumption decreases, operating costs decrease as well, saving turbine users money.
Efficiency also means lower emissions, reducing the total amount of pollution emitted into the atmosphere.
Moving forward, more testing is needed because the new coatings are some of the first with multicomponent rare earth oxides. Published in Scripta Materialia, the team's findings are still a key step in turbine energy technology.
"Reducing fuel consumption and emissions while improving engine performance is not only good for industries like energy and aviation," Professor Opila told Tech Xplore. "It also means a cleaner environment and lower costs for everyday consumers."
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