Corrosion resistant coatings for silicon carbide heat exchanger tubes -- Volume 3. Final report

The development of a silicon carbide (SiC) heat exchanger is a critical step in the development of the Externally-Fired Combined Cycle (EFCC) power system. SiC is the only material that provides the necessary combination of resistance to creep, thermal shock, and oxidation. While the SiC structure materials provide the thermomechanical and thermophysical properties needed for an efficient system, the mechanical properties of the SiC tubes are severely degraded through corrosion by the coal combustion products. To obtain the necessary service life of thousands of hours at temperature, a protective coating is needed that is stable with both the SiC tube and the coal combustion products, resists erosion from the particle laden gas stream, is thermal shock resistant, adheres to SiC during repeated thermal shocks (start-up, process upsets, shut-down), and allows the EFCC system to be cost competitive. This demanding set of technical performance and cost drivers was used in reviewing and selecting candidate protective materials. After a review of open literature, discussion with leading researchers in materials for coal combustion environments, and preliminary thermodynamic studies, a total of ten materials were identified for future study that were grouped into three categories: alumina-based materials, materials stable with SiO{sub 2}, and low expansion materials