Wear Testing and Anti-Wear Performance Analysis of Surface Coating Materials for Stay Vanes of a Francis Turbine

The wear of the flow passage components of the turbine due to sediment in sandy rivers is an inevitable challenge for hydroelectric units, often requiring frequent maintenance of hydraulic turbines. Consequently, the anti-wear protection technologies of hydraulic turbine components have garnered significant attention. In this study, three coating materials were analyzed for the stay vanes of the Francis turbine commonly used in hydropower stations. These materials, including JX ceramic metal wear-resistant material (JX33083), 3D printing additive manufacturing cermet material, and Foshilan polymer material, were tested for sediment wear, and their anti-wear performance was evaluated. The research results indicate that the anti-wear performance of the three coating materials is almost identical when the velocity on the surface of the stay vanes is below 7.5 m/s. Notably, 3D printing additive manufacturing cermet material demonstrates the best anti-wear performance when the velocity exceeds 7.5 m/s. The anti-wear effect of this coating material is 3.27 times more wear-resistant than Foshilan polymer material and 6.39 times more wear-resistant than JX ceramic metal wear-resistant material. Hence, these research findings provide a technical basis for the selection, operation, and maintenance of anti-wear coatings for the stay vanes of turbines in hydropower stations.