A study of wire breakup and in-flight particle behaviour during wire flame spraying of aluminium

Lunn, Geoff D.; Riley, M.A.; McCartney, D.G.

Abstract

Although wire flame spraying has been used for many years, there has been relatively little attention given to understanding the process dynamics. In this work, imaging of the molten wire tip, particle imaging using the Oseir Spray Watch system and particle capture (wipe tests) have all been employed to quantify plume behaviour. Aluminium wire feedstock is melted and then breaks-up close to the exit of the spray nozzle in a non-axisymmetric manor. The mean velocity and diameter of the particles detected by the Spray Watch system change little with stand-off distance with values of approximately 280 m/s and 70 μm respectively for the spray parameters employed. The particle diagnostic system could not detect particles ⪅ 45 μm in diameter and it is estimated that these account for no more than 53 % of the sprayed material. Overall, wire flame spraying generates a surprisingly stable particle stream.

Citation

Lunn, G. D., Riley, M., & McCartney, D. (in press). A study of wire breakup and in-flight particle behaviour during wire flame spraying of aluminium. Journal of Thermal Spray Technology, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11666-017-0639-1

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Sep 4, 2017
• Online Publication Date: Sep 25, 2017
• Deposit Date: Sep 19, 2017
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 25, 2017
• Journal: Journal of Thermal Spray Technology
• Print ISSN: 1059-9630
• Electronic ISSN: 1544-1016
• Publisher: Springer Verlag
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11666-017-0639-1
• Keywords: Wire flame spraying, Thermal spray diagnostics, Wire break-up, Thermally sprayed aluminium
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/884348
• Publisher URL: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11666-017-0639-1
• Contract Date: Sep 19, 2017