Methods for the protection of a thermal barrier coating system and methods for the renewal of such a protection

Abstract

A method for the application and/or renewal of a protection for a thermal barrier coating system of a heat engine involves a thermal barrier coating system that includes a bond coat layer () and a thermal barrier coating layer () of porous structure (), wherein the bond coat layer () is located between and in contact with a base metal () of a heat engine component and with the thermal barrier coating layer () and bonds the thermal barrier coating layer () to the base metal (). At least one substance is applied inside the engine as a liquid or carried by a liquid by spraying and/or by flowing it across a hot gas exposed surface () of the barrier coating layer () of the heat engine component mounted within the heat engine in the assembled state prior to the initial start-up of the engine, before the first operation interval, or during a washing cycle of the thermal engine and/or at the end of an operation interval, before a subsequent operation interval, wherein the substance covers and/or at least partly penetrates into the porous structure (), and concomitantly or subsequently hardens to remain within the pores () and/or on the upper surface () of the thermal barrier coating layer. Preferably, but not necessarily, for the application, the turbine washing equipment of the engine is used.