Rocket Technology Based Thermal Barrier Coatings for Hypersonic Wind Tunnels

The overall objective of this Phase II effort is to decisively demonstrate the feasibility of using thermal barrier coatings (TBC) for hypersonic wind tunnel nozzle applications. The primary technical issue that needs to be resolved is the development of a prototype wind tunnel nozzle that is water cooled and utilizes vacuum plasma sprayed TBCs for long life and high pressure nozzle performance. To that end, Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC) released an SBIR Phase I solicitation under Topic AF05-298, describing the requirement for the development of a hypersonic nozzle system that will withstand the extreme environment of hypersonic test facilities. During the Phase I effort, the specific requirement to deliver technical validation of thermal barrier coating applications for nozzle systems and to show the Contractor’s approach is feasible to meet all the technical objectives, was demonstrated in a hot fire test environment. Under the Phase II program, a milled channel nozzle system design will be developed that allows high pressure water cooling on the coolant side with thermal barrier coatings on the hot gas wall side. This combined approach will provide excess margin to allow higher enthalpy test environments.