The significance of thermal contact resistance in two-layer thermal-barrier-coated turbine vanes

A study was conducted to determine whether the thermal contact resistance (TCR) between layers is important in heat transfer through two-layer plasma-sprayed thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) applied to turbine vanes. The results obtained with a TBC system of an NiCrAlY bond and an yttria-stabilized zirconia ceramic showed that the TCR between the layers was negligible. This result also verified other results obtained with a different coating system of an NiCr bond and a calcia-stabilized zirconia ceramic.