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Improvement of In-Flight Alumina Spheroidization Process Using a Small Power Argon DC-RF Hybrid Plasma Flow System by Helium Mixture

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Abstract

For the further improvement of in-flight alumina spheroidization process with a low-power direct-current radiofrequency (DC-RF) hybrid plasma flow system, the effect of a small amount of helium gas mixture in argon main gas and also the effect of increasing DC nozzle diameter on powder spheroidization ratio have been experimentally clarified with correlating helium gas mixture percentage, plasma enthalpy, powder in-flight velocity, and temperature. The alumina spheroidization ratio increases by helium gas mixture as a result of enhancement of plasma enthalpy. The highest spheroidization ratio is obtained by 4% mixture of helium in central gas with enlarging nozzle diameter from 3 to 4 mm, even under the constant low input electric power given to a DC-RF hybrid plasma flow system.

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Abbreviations

d DC :

DC nozzle diameter (mm)

d p :

particle diameter (μm)

p :

operating pressure (kPa)

Q c :

central gas flow rate (NL/min)

Q car :

particle carrier gas flow rate (NL/min)

Q sw :

swirling sheath gas flow rate (NL/min)

T g :

gas temperature (K)

T m :

melting point of Al2O3 (K)

T p :

particle temperature (K)

V p :

particle velocity (m/s)

ΦHe :

helium percentage (%)

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Acknowledgments

We would like to give our sincere thanks to Mr. K. Katagiri and Mr. N. Ito with our institute for his eager technical support. This research was partially supported by Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A) (2005-2007) from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science and a GCOE program Grant (2008-2013) of world center of education and research for transdisciplinary flow dynamics from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Fluid Science, Tohoku University, 2-1-1 Katahira, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8577, Japan

    Hidemasa Takana, Tomoki Nakajima & Hideya Nishiyama

  2. Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan

    Juyong Jang & Junji Igawa

  3. Khristianovich Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, SB RAS, Novosibirsk, Russia

    Oleg P. Solonenko

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  1. Hidemasa Takana
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  2. Juyong Jang
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  3. Junji Igawa
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  4. Tomoki Nakajima
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  5. Oleg P. Solonenko
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  6. Hideya Nishiyama
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Correspondence to Hidemasa Takana.

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Takana, H., Jang, J., Igawa, J. et al. Improvement of In-Flight Alumina Spheroidization Process Using a Small Power Argon DC-RF Hybrid Plasma Flow System by Helium Mixture. J Therm Spray Tech 20, 432–439 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11666-010-9547-3

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