Analysis of Solidification in Spray Atomized and Codeposited Metal-matrix Composites Part Ⅰ: Atomization

Analysis of Solidification in Spray Atomized and Codeposited Metal-matrix Composites Part Ⅰ: Atomization

Fluid mechanics, heat transfer and liquid-to-solid phase transformation are assessed in optimizing the spray atomization and codeposition process parameters for size refinement and microstructural uniformity of the deposited material. Atomization gas velocities, atomized droplets velocities, convective heat transfer coefficients, thermal histories of the solidifying droplets, freezing rates, fraction solid evolution and solid-liquid interface propagation velocity are calculated. The influence, on the deposit microstructural features, of process parameters like the atomization gas pressure, the pouring tube orifice diameter, the geometrical features of the atomization device,the potency of , pre-existing or injected as reinforcement, nucleation sites, the wetting angle between the liquid melt bnd impurity particles acting as preferred nucleation sites, the in-flight distance of the solidifying droplets in the atomization chamber, i5 evaluated. As a result of the evaluation, appropriate choice of the adjustable process parameters for the production of powders and/or deposits with desired grain size and microstructure, can be made.