Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Flow characteristic of in-flight particles in supersonic plasma spraying process

  • Original
  • Published:
Heat and Mass Transfer Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In this paper, a computational model based on supersonic plasma spraying (SAPS) is developed to describe the plasma jet coupled with the injection of carrier gas and particles for SAPS. Based on a high-efficiency supersonic spraying gun, the 3D computational model of spraying gun was built to study the features of plasma jet and its interactions with the sprayed particles. Further the velocity and temperature of in-flight particles were measured by Spray Watch 2i, the shape of in-flight particles was observed by scanning electron microscope. Numerical results were compared with the experimental measurements and a good agreement has been achieved. The flight process of particles in plasma jet consists of three stages: accelerated stage, constant speed stage and decelerated stage. Numerical and experimental indicates that the H2 volume fraction in mixture gas of Ar + H2 should keep in the range of 23–26 %, and the distance of 100 mm is the optimal spraying distance in Supersonic atmosphere plasma spraying. Particles were melted and broken into small child particles by plasma jet and the diameters of most child particles were less than 30 μm. In general, increasing the particles impacting velocity and surface temperature can decrease the coating porosity.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

ρ g :

Heavy particles density (kg/m3)

\(\vec{V}_{g}\) :

Heavy particles velocity vector (m/s)

dt :

Infinitesimal time

n i :

The ith species particles number per unit volume (m−3)

\(\vec{V}_{i}\) :

The ith species particles velocity (m/s)

dω i :

The ith species particles change rate per unit volume (m−3)

Fν t :

Volume force term which equal to the total force of mass force, electric field force and Lorentz force (N)

P g :

Gas pressure (N/m2)

μ :

Gas dynamic viscosity (Pa s)

\([\dot{\varepsilon }]\) :

Strain rate tensor

\(\vec{E}\) :

Electric current density (N/C)

\(\vec{J}\) :

Electric current density (A/m2)

ɛ :

Internal energy (J)

\(\vec{q}\) :

Heat through unit area in unit time (J)

ρ e :

Charge density (C/m3)

\(\vec{A}\) :

Magnetic vector potential

μ m :

Magnetic permeability of medium (H/m)

μ 0 :

Vacuum magnetic permeability of medium (H/m)

σ e :

Electrical conductivity (s/m)

ϕ :

Electric potential (V)

\(\vec{J}_{\text{U}}\) :

The other source term

\(\vec{u}_{e}\) :

Velocity of charged particles (m/s)

\(\vec{B}\) :

Magnetic induction intensity (T)

ψ :

Convective heat-transfer coefficient

\(\vec{F}_{L}\) :

Lorentz force (N)

m d :

Particle mass (kg)

\(\vec{\upsilon }\) :

Particle velocity vector (m/s)

C D :

Gas drag coefficients

\(\vec{U}\) :

Gas velocity vector (m/s)

A d :

Droplet frontal area (m2)

Re :

Reynolds number

F p :

Forces on particle (N)

d p :

Particle diameter (m)

F T :

Thermophoretic force (N)

K g :

Gas thermal conductivity (W/m K)

K p :

Particle thermal conductivity (W/m K)

C 1 :

Constant number, C 1 = 1.17

C 2 :

Constant number, C 2 = 1.14

C 3 :

Constant number, C 3 = 2.18

∇T :

Temperature gradient (K)

Kn :

Knudsen number

T:

Temperature (K)

Pr s :

Prandel number of plasma gas evaluated at the surface temperature

ρ s :

Mean density of gas phase around the particle (kg/m3)

K f :

Film temperature defined as the average value of gas temperature at cell where the particle is located and at the immediate vicinity by the particle surface (K)

c p,f :

Film specific heat capacity (J/kg K)

H :

Particle enthalpy (J/kg)

r p :

Particle radius (m)

T f :

Gas temperature surrounding the particles (K)

T s :

Particle surface temperature (K)

k :

Boltzmann constant

ζ :

Emission coefficient

Q vap :

Energy dissipation by particle evaporation

A V :

The coefficient of finite volume V

A V′ :

Coefficient of adjacent volume element

S U :

Source term

\(\phi\) :

Variables

φ :

The radiation coefficient of particle

E ra :

Radiation energy (J)

λ :

The flame wavelength (nm)

λ 1, λ 2 :

Selected wavelength

C 1, C 2 :

Constant

Oh :

Ohnesorge number

ρ p,L :

Particles density in liquid phase

σ p :

Droplet surface tension coefficient

ρ c :

Coating density (kg/m3)

ρ r :

Relative density of coating (kg/m3)

Po :

Porosity of coating

i :

The ith species particles

g :

Gas

p :

Particle

s :

Particle surface

t :

Total

f :

Film

c :

Coating

r :

Relative

ra :

Radiation

L :

Liquid

V :

Volume

V′ :

Adjacent volume

T :

Temperature

vap :

Evaporation

d :

Droplet

D:

Drag

e :

Charged particle

m :

Medium

U:

Source

References

  1. Zhu S, Xu BS, Yao JK (2005) High quality ceramic coatings sprayed by high efficiency hypersonic plasma spraying gun. Mater Sci Forum 3981:475–479

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Han ZH, Xu BS, Wang HJ, Zhou SK (2007) A comparison of thermal shock behavior between currently plasma spray and supersonic plasma spray CeO2–Y2O3–ZrO2 graded thermal barrier coatings. Surf Coat Technol 201:5253–5256

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Zhang XC, Xu BS, Tu ST, Xuan FZ, Wang HD, Wu YX (2008) Porosity, mechanical properties, residual stresses of supersonic plasma-sprayed Ni-based alloy coatings prepared at different powder feed rates. App Surf Sci 254:3879–3889

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Vardelle A, Fauchais P, Dussoubs B, Themelis NJ (1998) Heat generation and particle injection in a thermal plasma torch. Plasma Chem Plasma Process 18:551–574

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Fang JC, Xu WJ, Zhao ZY, Wang L (2007) In-flight behaviors of ZrO2 particle in plasma spraying. Surf Coat Technol 201:5671–5675

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Guessasma S, Montavon G, Coddet C (2005) Velocity and temperature distributions of alumina–titania in-flight particles in the atmospheric plasma spray process. Surf Coat Technol 192:70–76

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Kubel EJ (1990) Powders dictate thermal-spray-coating properties. ADV Mater Process 12:24–32

    Google Scholar 

  8. Vardelle M, Vardelle A, Fauchais P, Li KI, Dussoubs B, Themelis NJ (2001) Controlling particle injection in plasma spraying. J Therm Spray Technol 10:267–284

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Vaidya A, Streibl T, Li L, Sampath S, Kovarik O, Greenlaw R (2005) An integrated study of thermal spray process–structure–property correlations: a case study for plasma sprayed molybdenum coatings. Mater Sci Eng A 403:191–204

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Srinivasan V, Friis M, Vaidya A, Streibl T, Sampath S (2007) Particle injection in direct current air plasma spray: salient observations and optimization strategies. Plasma Chem Plasma Process 27:609–623

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Zhang W, Zheng LL, Zhang H, Sampath S (2007) Study of injection angle and carrier gas flow rate effects on particles in-flight characteristics in plasma spray process: modeling and experiments. Plasma Chem Plasma Process 27:701–716

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Datta S, Pratihar DK, Bandyopadhyay PP (2012) Modeling of input-output relationships for a plasma spray coating process using soft computing tools. Appl Soft Comput 12:3356–3368

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Liu B, Zhang T, Gawne DT (2000) Computer modelling of the influence of process parameters on the heating and acceleration of particles during plasma spraying. Surf Coat Technol 132:233–243

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Marchand C, Chazelas C, Mariaux G, Vardelle A (2007) Liquid precursor plasma spraying: modeling the interactions between the transient plasma jet and the droplets. J Therm Spray Technol 16:705–712

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Ahmed I, Bergman TL (2000) Three-dimensional simulation of thermal plasma spraying of partially molten ceramic agglomerates. J Therm Spray Technol 9:215–224

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Wei P, Wei Z, Li S, Tan C, Du J (2014) Splat formation during plasma spraying for 8 mol% yttria-stabilized zirconia droplets impacting on stainless steel substrate. Appl Surf Sci 321:538–547

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Ahmed I, Bergman TL (2006) Optimization of plasma spray processing parameters for deposition of nanostructured powders for coating formation. J Fluid Eng Trans ASME 128:394–401

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Li L, Vaidya A, Sampath S (2006) Particle characterization and splat formation of plasma sprayed zirconia. J Therm Spray Technol 15:97–105

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Zhang H, Wei G, Zheng L (2003) Numerical and experimental studies of substrate melting and re-solidification during thermal spraying. J Mater Sci Technol 9:137–140

    Google Scholar 

  20. Lajun F, Kaibo C, Ali L (2007) Numerical simulation on calefaction and acceleration process of ceramic powders in plasma spray. Hot Work Technol 35:46–51

    Google Scholar 

  21. Li HP, Chen X (2001) Three-dimensional simulation of a plasma jet with transverse particle and carrier gas injection. Thin Solid Films 390:175–180

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Zhao WT, Wu JH, Bai Y (2013) Melting refining mechanisms in supersonic atmospheric plasma spraying. Plasma Chem Plasma Process 32:1227–1242

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Fusheng HU, Zhengying WEI, Bolin LIU (2013) Numerical analysis of spraying process with high efficiency atmospheric supersonic plasma gun. Mater Sci Technol 21:137–142

    Google Scholar 

  24. Fusheng H, Zhengying W, Liu Bolin D, Jun TC, Zhihai H (2012) Three dimensional numerical analysis of plasma spraying using supersonic plasma gun. Appl Mech Mater 190:222–226

    Google Scholar 

  25. Chang CH, Ramshaw JD (1993) Numerical of simulation of argon plasma jet flowing into cold-air. Plasma Chem Plasma Process 13:189–209

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Cheng K, Chen X (2004) Prediction of the entrainment of ambient air into a turbulent argon plasma jet using a turbulence-enhanced combined-diffusion-coefficient method. Int J Heat Mass Transf 47:5139–5148

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  27. Zhang W (2008) Integration of process diagnostics and three dimensional simulations in thermal spraying. Stony Brook University, Stony Brook

    Google Scholar 

  28. Ramachandran K, Nishiyama H (2002) Three-dimensional effects of carrier gas and particle injections on the thermo-fluid fields of plasma jets. J Phys D Appl Phys 35:307–317

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Talbot L (1981) Thermophoresis—a review rarefied gas dynamics. AIAA Book, New York

    Google Scholar 

  30. Patterson MA, Reitz RD (1998) Modeling the effects of fuel spray characteristics on diesel engine combustion and emissions. SAE Paper 980131. J Engines 107:27–43

    Google Scholar 

  31. Issa RI (1985) Solution of the implicitly discretized fluid flow equations by operator-splitting. J Comput Phys 62:40–65

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  32. Liu B, Zhang T, Gawne DT (2000) Computational analysis of the influence of process parameters on the flow field of a plasma jet. Surf Coat Technol 132:202–216

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Amsden AA, O’Rourke PJ, Butler TD (1989) KiVA-II: a computer program for chemically reactive flows and fuel sprays. In Report LA-11560-MS Los Alamos National Laboratory

  34. Joseph DD, Belanger J, Beavers GS (1999) Breakup of a liquid drop suddenly exposed to a high-speed airstream. Int J Multiphase Flow 25:1263–1303

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behavior materials. Thanks to the help of Supersonic Plasma Spraying Laboratory of Xi’an Jiaotong University.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behavior of Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710049, China

    Zhengying Wei & Y. Bai

  2. School of Mechanical Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China

    Pei Wei, Zhengying Wei, Guangxi Zhao & Jun Du

Authors
  1. Pei Wei
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Zhengying Wei
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Guangxi Zhao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Jun Du
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Y. Bai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Zhengying Wei.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Wei, P., Wei, Z., Zhao, G. et al. Flow characteristic of in-flight particles in supersonic plasma spraying process. Heat Mass Transfer 52, 1739–1753 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00231-015-1693-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00231-015-1693-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation