The world of transportation is one of the many industries that can benefit immensely from thermal barrier coatings. Thermal barrier coatings are a protective layer that protects commonly used material, such as various forms of metal, from receiving damage from extreme temperatures and corrosion.
That dual functionality gives thermal barrier coatings an incredibly broad application as they permit materials to function more efficiently in many contexts while also having a longer overall lifespan. But while those benefits permit thermal barrier coatings to be widely used across many contexts, the purpose of this article is to highlight the topic of thermal barrier coating for transportation applications.
Thermal Barrier Coating Applications for Different Transportation Industries
Given the brief introduction to the main functionality of thermal barrier coatings, you can likely imagine many of the ways in which people use them in the transportation industry. In fact, in most situations that involve extreme temperatures or the potential for corrosion, both of which are highly prevalent in transportation, thermal barrier coatings provide fantastic benefits. To learn more about how these coatings benefit different sectors of the transportation industry, read on through the sections below.
Air Travel
The first transportation industry for which we will consider the applications of thermal barrier coatings is the air travel industry. Hundreds of millions of passengers rely on air travel each year, and for each of the flights they take, the planes they rely on must undergo extreme temperature changes and exposure to the elements at high altitudes.
Considering the fundamental ability of thermal barrier coatings to protect metals from extreme temperature changes, it is no surprise that the air travel industry has many uses for them. For example, one of the most beneficial applications for thermal barrier coatings in air travel is in turbine engines.
During most phases of a flight, the turbines of an aircraft will experience incredible increases in heat. For the past several decades, thermal barrier coatings have helped to reduce the amount of degradation of materials within the turbine that would otherwise be vulnerable in the face of those extreme temperature shifts.
Rail
The railway industry is another prominent segment of the transportation industry that can also benefit greatly from multiple applications of thermal barrier coatings. As is true of the airline industry, the rail industry is also set to expand its use gradually in the years to come. In response to this expansion, it becomes increasingly necessary to create and maintain dependable rail infrastructure, and thermal barrier coatings certainly have a role in that effort.
Railroad tracks, whether they serve subways or longer-distance trains, consist mainly of metal and wood. Both of these issues are susceptible to corrosion due to regular exposure to the elements. When corrosion goes unchecked, those tracks can cause failures that may significantly impact the use of certain lines.
As you might guess by now, an application of thermal barrier coating is a dependable way to reduce the effect and rate of corrosion on railroad tracks, which allows them to operate for longer without the need for repair.
Additionally, thermal barrier coatings are not only helpful to railroad tracks but also to the trains that run along them. For instance, using thermal barrier coatings in train engines protects the engine material from the extreme temperatures that the operation of the engine produces. This leads to a longer-lasting, more efficient engine with better fuel economy.
Ships and Ferries
Transportation across bodies of water using ships and ferries is another perfect scenario in which thermal barrier coatings can provide an advantage. In this case, one of the biggest detriments to the material used to construct ships is the constant presence of water during marine travel.
Excessive moisture will inevitably lead to corrosion and oxidation of the metals we use to construct ships in the absence of a protective layer. Thermal barrier coatings prove to be one of the best ways to prevent this form of material degradation.
Additionally, it is possible to effectively apply thermal barrier coatings to several different parts of a ship, including the hull, deck, ballasts, engine, and much more. Likewise, thermal barrier coatings are a necessary protective layer whether using a ship to transport people or to ship goods and other materials.
Automotive Transportation
One of the most commonly used forms of transportation, at least for the average American citizen, is automotive transportation. Unsurprisingly, since cars and the roads we drive on are regularly exposed to extreme temperatures and the corrosive effect of precipitation and other elements, thermal barrier coatings also have plenty of applications in the automotive industry.
The gas engines in a standard automobile rely on combustion to function. Naturally, this act of combustion leads to some surprisingly high temperatures within certain parts of a car. Thermal barrier coatings help to protect engine components so that they can last longer and operate more efficiently throughout their lifespan.
Interestingly, the asphalt we use to construct many of our roadways is also vulnerable to extreme temperature changes. As was true for the internal components of a car, thermal barrier coatings can protect and increase the longevity of the roads our cars drive on.
Furthermore, there are plenty of ways to apply thermal barrier coatings in the production of automobiles. Many of the complex machinery used to create cars gain better protection from heat and a better ability to operate efficiently when they receive an application of thermal barrier coating.
The Best Thermal Barrier Coating Products for the Automotive Industry
No matter what segment of the transportation industry you operate within, it is safe to say that you can benefit from the use of a thermal barrier coating in one or multiple ways. The issue is that not all thermal barrier coatings are equally effective. If you want to ensure that your applications of thermal barrier coating in your segment of the transportation industry are as high-quality as possible, contact ThermaCote today!