Development of Reliable Spray and Fuse Coatings for Boiler Protection

Abstract

Abstract Spray and Fuse coatings are ideally suited to boiler environments. The fusing step gives to optimized coatings a uniform chemistry and microstructure, a metallurgical bonding, no through porosity, a low oxide content and no cracking. The relative simplicity of the traditional processing equipment is suited to on-site and automated application including coating repair. Although enjoying considerable success in traditional boilers, their advance into new applications appears restrained by the issue of substrate property modifications during fusing. This paper studies the modification in substrate boiler tube materials (microstructure and mechanical properties) associated with the coating of advanced NiCrBSi alloys. Charpy impact, tensile strength, yield strength, elongation and thermal expansion coefficient testing between 22°C and 450°C are measured. By optimal coating design to a specific substrate, the effect on mechanical property modifications by fusing could be dramatically reduced to allow new and reliable coatings systems to be demonstrated for advanced applications. The future for Spray and Fuse coatings in boilers is discussed.