ZEISS Power & Energy | Hot Gas Path

The hot gas path of a gas turbine comprises critical components designed to endure extreme temperatures and harsh conditions. Advanced coatings enhance resistance to high temperatures, oxidation, and thermal fatigue, extending the turbine's lifespan and performance. Transition pieces connect the combustion area to the turbine's first stage, optimizing gas flow. Heat shields protect the turbine structure from intense heat, using high-temperature resistant materials and ceramic coatings to ensure thermal stability. These components are crucial for efficiency, requiring precise manufacturing to meet performance standards.

Coating in the hot gas path of gas turbines

The coating process in the hot gas path of gas turbines is essential for enhancing component performance and longevity. Specialized coatings improve resistance to high temperatures, oxidation, and thermal fatigue, while also optimizing aerodynamic efficiency. Thermal barrier coatings play a crucial role in protecting these components, ensuring reliable and efficient turbine operation under extreme conditions.

The challenge

Achieving uniform coating distribution on components along the hot gas path requires meeting stringent minimum standards for coating thickness and quality. This involves precise application techniques to ensure consistent surface waviness and roughness. Strong adhesion is particularly essential for additively manufactured parts with intricate geometries, emphasizing the need for robust bonding between the coating layers and the substrate.
Our solution

Innovative optical measurement systems such as ZEISS ScanBox and ZEISS ATOS 5 for Airfoil provide comprehensive surface measurements. They deliver detailed insights into the coating process, including the part geometry and surface conditions of the components subjected to coating.

Alternatively, high-precision coordinate measuring systems (CMM) are utilized to measure critical sections.

ZEISS Microscopy Solutions offer high-resolution imaging and analysis for precise examination of coating thickness, uniformity, and bonding between the different layers.

PiWeb reporting providing documentation throughout the entire process, starting from initial production and continuing through repair and the end of life of the parts.

ZEISS Optical 3D Metrology

ZEISS CMMs

Transition piece

The transition piece, located within the combustion chamber, connects the combustion area to the first stage of the turbine. It serves an aerodynamic function by directing the ignited and expanding hot gases from the chamber towards the turbine's initial stage. Properly guiding the flow and ensuring the optimal angle of the hot gases as they enter the first stage are critical for minimizing efficiency losses and achieving optimal performance.

The challenge geometry and dimension

Free-form surfaces and complex geometries require quality control at every production step. As multiple parts are assembled, each must adhere to specific criteria and tolerances to ensure proper functionality and fit, thereby preventing costly breakdowns. Dimensional data also serves as critical input for subsequent manufacturing stages, particularly for airflow-relevant components where free-form surfaces are essential for functionality.

This is especially pertinent for components such as the transition piece, heat shield, swirler, and other related parts.
Our solution for geometry and dimension

Innovative optical measurement systems such as ZEISS ScanBox and ZEISS ATOS 5 provide comprehensive surface measurements, offering detailed insights into the geometry of aerodynamic surfaces and the critical sections for part assembly.

These systems integrate seamlessly into the production workflow, facilitating thorough documentation throughout the product's lifecycle, with PiWeb reporting providing real-time feedback and enables timely adjustments.

ZEISS Optical 3D Metrology

ZEISS PiWeb

Heat shield

These components safeguard the combustion chamber and the housing components of the hot gas path, ensuring structural and thermal stability during operation. They are evenly distributed in a 360° configuration and mounted in rows according to the design specifications and predefined locations. Constructed from high-temperature resistant materials such as ceramics or cast metal alloy coated with ceramic layers, only parts that meet the precise geometric dimensions and proper coatings can guarantee smooth operation.

The challenge material and defect analysis

Analyzing metal alloys, ceramic materials, and other materials is essential to ensuring the maximum quality and performance of all components. The combination of a material’s characteristics and special manufacturing methods, such as casting and ceramic coating, presents challenges in providing high-performance components that must also withstand high demands on temperature. The quality of parts must be continuously improved by conducting defect analysis both before and after their lifecycle.
Our solution for material and defect analysis

Innovative optical measurement systems like ZEISS ScanBox and ZEISS ATOS 5 provide comprehensive surface measurements. These systems deliver detailed insights into the geometry and surface conditions of the components, as well as the thermal coating.

ZEISS Microscopy Solutions offer high-resolution imaging and analysis for the precise examination of casting and ceramic quality. Metal alloys can be analyzed for their microstructure and composition, and defects can be investigated to determine their root cause.

ZEISS Optical 3D Metrology

ZEISS Industrial Microscopy