TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Air Platform, Materials/Processes

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: F-35 - Joint Strike Fighter, ACAT I

The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals, their country of origin, and what tasks each would accomplish in the statement of work in accordance with section 3.5.b.(7) of the solicitation.

OBJECTIVE: Develop and apply erosion resistant coatings to large size compressor airfoils.

DESCRIPTION: Aircraft operating in sand/dust environments experience erosion of the gas turbine engine compressor airfoils that deteriorates engine performance; increases fuel consumption; increases maintenance, logistic support, and costs; and decreases safety-of-flight. Solutions from inlet barrier filters to erosion-resistant coatings have been applied to helicopter engines operating in desert environments and have resulted in increased engine time-on-wing and engine performance retention. Erosion-resistant coatings have been applied on helicopter engines with compressor airfoils measuring no greater than 10 cm in length. The Joint Strike Fighter Short Take-off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) aircraft will operate in desert environments and ingest abrasive particles during the critical take-off and landing stages of operation. The compressor airfoils on the JSF STOVL aircraft�s integrally bladed rotors (IBR) for both the lift-fan and cruise engines are much larger than compressor airfoils on helicopter engines. For example, a first-stage IBR can measure approximately 1 meter in diameter. The large-size IBRs are expensive to manufacture and replace; hence, the potential of an erosion-resistant coating maintaining component efficiency and delaying component degradation of large diameter IBRs will be critical in reducing total operating costs. This project seeks erosion-resistant coatings that can be applied on large diameter, integrally bladed rotors for gas turbine engine compressors on a production basis. The coatings must be able to withstand the austere operating environments of gas turbine engines such as high cycle fatigue and stresses due to surge and aerodynamic and centrifugal loads. At the same time, they should not spall or delaminate after absorbing foreign object damage.

PHASE I: Determine the feasibility of applying erosion-resistant coatings on large-diameter integrally bladed rotors for gas turbine engine compressors on a production basis.

PHASE II: Demonstrate the application of the coating on a large diameter IBR. Conduct erosion tests on coated, large diameter IBRs. Demonstrate that the coating process for large diameter IBRs is ready for application on a production basis. Provide non-recurring and recurring costs to apply production coatings.

PHASE III: Transition application of the selected erosion-resistant coatings to the JSF engine compressors.

PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: The application of erosion-resistant coatings on large diameter compressor airfoils and IBRs has potential application for compressor airfoils on large turbofan engines powering commercial aircraft fleets.

REFERENCES:
1. Tabakoff, W. and Simpson G., "Experimental Study of Deterioratiion and Retention on Coated and Uncoated Compressor and Turbine Blades," 40th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting &Exhibition, Reno, NV, Jan 14-17, 2002.

2. Klein, M.A. and Simpson G., "The Development of Innovative Methods for Erosion Testing a Russian Coating on GE T64 Gas Turbine Engine Compressor Blades" GT2004-54336, Turbo Expo 2004, Vienna, Austria, June 14-17, 2004.

KEYWORDS: Erosion; resistant; coatings; airfoils; integrally bladed rotors (IBRs); gas turbine engines.

** TOPIC AUTHOR (TPOC) **

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