Thermal History Coating

The proposal for the User Club can be downloaded here

A new temperature indicating technology which:

• Allows full 2D temperature profiling of complex components
• Memorises past thermal exposures from 300 to 1700°C
• Will replace thermal paints due to better specs

What are thermal history coatings?

STS has developed an innovative technology for temperature sensing of surfaces. It allows identification and measurement of peak temperatures of surfaces with high thermal exposure. Thermal History Coatings consist of ceramic luminescence ceramic materials. The luminescence, which changes permanently when the material experiences temperature variations, can be detected and converted to temperature information using a look-up table. It allows both the short and long term measurement of thermal characteristics of components.

Why will this technology replace thermal paints?

Thermal paints change colour irreversibly due to chemical changes when exposed to high temperatures. The colour changes are then compared to calibration colour charts by a skilled human operator and peak surface temperatures are identified. Thermal paints suffer from a number of practical and environmental disadvantages. Our Thermal History Coating technology overcomes these disadvantages. This enables new market applications to other industries that do not use thermal paints.

What are the advantages of using the STS Thermal History Coating technology?

• Large temperature range covered with few coatings/paints
  The active components of these STS Coatings/Paints allow the continuous measurement of temperatures between 300 and 1400°C, with potential to go further to 1700°C.
• Temperature accuracy about  ±5-10°C
  The STS Thermal History Coatings/Paints have shown temperature accuracy between 5 and 10°C over the whole dynamic temperature range. This is better than thermal paints.
• Can be applied as a paint or coating
  The STS Thermal History Paints are easy to apply and remove after use. When applied as paint, they do not alter the thermal behaviour of the component during testing. The STS Thermal History Coatings are applied as a robust coating using APS (Atmospheric Plasma Spray), which could withstand harsh environments for much longer than thermal paints.
• Automated and objective temperature reading
  Surfaces are interrogated at room temperature after exposure. The readout is done using specialised optical instrumentation, developed by STS. As opposed to thermal paints, the readout is objective and can be automated for full 2D profiling of complete, complex individual components or assemblies.
• In-situ measurements possible
  The STS Thermal History Coatings/Paints can be interrogated in-situ, without the need for dismantling of the components or assemblies. Furthermore, the interrogation does not require a controlled lighting environment, and could thus be performed as a borescope-type interrogation.
• REACH
  The STS Thermal History Coating/Paints do not contain heavy metals which use is restricted by the European Union regulation concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation & restriction of Chemicals.

Is this technology available? User Club

In discussions with respective users the company has been advised to seek to obtain a generic international standard for the technology. Further, it has been suggested that this standard might best be achieved by forming a Users Club of interested parties.  The Users Club would be open to current users of thermal paints with associated membership open to all other companies not currently utilising thermal paints because of their technical limitations, but having requirements for thermal imaging of components or assemblies.
Initially we are seeking expressions of interest from any parties who feel this technology is of interest or of potential benefit to them.

The proposal for the User Club can be downloaded here