ABSTRACT
Use the RF plasma torch taking the place of the DC plasma torch to Improving the
Solution Precursor Plasma Spray (SPPS). In this process, the atomized precursor salt
solution droplets with the ceramic coatings are axially injected into the plasma
environment with carrier gas. The droplets are motioned and rapidly heated up and
result in the temperature of droplets increasing and the solvent evaporated. With the
solute concentration increasing and reaching the critical super-saturation (CSS), the
solute separated out which results in the formation of hollow shell or solid particles. The
process of the hollow shell particles containing the solution moving continuative in the
plasma spraying, the internal solution of particles heated up and evaporated results in
the vapor produced and internal pressure increasing and finally the particles ruptured.
Thus, the whole movement and evaporation process of the droplets has important effect
to the final substrate of the coating.
First of all, a model is established to simulate the temperature and velocity field of
RF-ICPS. The influence of input power and current frequency and gas flow are
considered. By analyzing, we take the data which the follow-up simulation model can
use.
And then, a movement and evaporation model is developed to simulate the
behavior of an individual precursor droplet in RF-ICPS plasma environment. It
simulates the motion and heat transfer of droplet in RF-ICPS field based on neglecting
the internal temperature gradient by numerical simulation. The variable physical
properties of solution and the influence of Stefan flow to the film modified theory are
considered. The influence of the different operation parameters to the evaporation and
motion of droplet are predicted.
At last, a thermal physics model is developed to analyze the behavior of an
individual droplet and hollow shell particle which contains the internal circulation
model, mass and heat transfer model and internal pressure of particle model. With
employing the simple homogeneous nucleation hypothesis and equilibrium saturation of
solute, the microcosmic morphologies of the particles are confirmed. The influence of
the Hill’s spherical vortex to the mass and heat transfer of the internal solution are
considered. The variation of the temperature and concentration distribution and pressure
are presented by the different injection parameters compared.
A better comprehending of the process of precursor salt solution injection into RF-
ICPS plasma and the mechanism of droplet evaporation can be enriched finally by this
study.
The financial support of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Project
50706027), the Scientific Innovation Foundation of Shanghai Education Commission
(Project 09YZ206), the Scientific Research Foundation for the Returned Overseas
Chinese Scholars, and Shanghai Leading Academic Discipline Project (Project J50501)
is gratefully acknowledged.