Published 12 issues per year
ISSN Print: 1044-5110
ISSN Online: 1936-2684
Indexed in
A STUDY OF LIQUID METAL ATOMIZATION USING CLOSE-COUPLED NOZZLES, PART 1: GAS DYNAMIC BEHAVIOR
ABSTRACT
Liquid metal atomization using close-coupled nozzles is an established technique for fabricating fine (< 100-μm) metal powders for a variety of industrial uses. Despite its widespread use, however, the interrelationships among gas dynamics, nozzle geometry, processing parameters, and particle size remain ill-defined. As a result, efforts to reduce powder costs by improving particle size control and energy efficiency remain hindered. This study examines and compares examples of a convergent and a converging-diverging (c-d) close-coupled nozzle on the basis of their gas dynamic behavior (Part 1) and their liquid metal atomization performance (Part 2). In Part 1, Schlieren photography and Mach number and Pitot pressure measurements are used to characterize the gas dynamic behavior of the nozzles (without liquid metal present) operating at stagnation pressures between 2 and 5 MPa. In Part 2, their liquid metal atomization behavior is examined by high-speed Schlieren photography, and particle size distributions are measured to compare their atomization performance. Results showed that the two nozzles performed similarly in gas flow and atomization tests over most of the range of Po examined, despite their significantly different geometries. The active atomization zone appeared to extend far downstream, indicating that gas velocity decay by turbulent diffusion may play a limiting role in atomization. This also suggests that the importance of the gas-to-liquid mass flux ratio has a physical basis associated with a ratio of velocity decay length to breakup length scales. These observations have potentially important implications for designing efficient liquid metal atomization processes for producing low-cost metal powders.
-
Zeoli N., Gu S., Kamnis S., RETRACTED: Numerical modelling of metal droplet cooling and solidification, International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 51, 15-16, 2008. Crossref
-
Zeoli N., Tabbara H., Gu S., CFD modeling of primary breakup during metal powder atomization, Chemical Engineering Science, 66, 24, 2011. Crossref
-
Zeoli N., Gu S., Computational simulation of metal droplet break-up, cooling and solidification during gas atomisation, Computational Materials Science, 43, 2, 2008. Crossref
-
Jeyakumar M., Kumar S., Gupta G. S., The Influence of Processing Parameters on Characteristics of an Aluminum Alloy Spray Deposition, Materials and Manufacturing Processes, 24, 6, 2009. Crossref
-
Zeoli N., Gu S., Computational validation of an isentropic plug nozzle design for gas atomisation, Computational Materials Science, 42, 2, 2008. Crossref
-
ZHAO Wen-jun, CAO Fu-yang, NING Zhi-liang, SUN Jian-fei, Flow field simulation of double layer atomizer, Transactions of Nonferrous Metals Society of China, 19, 2009. Crossref
-
Tong Mingming, Browne David J., Modelling compressible gas flow near the nozzle of a gas atomiser using a new unified model, Computers & Fluids, 38, 6, 2009. Crossref
-
Zeoli N., Gu S., Numerical modelling of droplet break-up for gas atomisation, Computational Materials Science, 38, 2, 2006. Crossref
-
Planche M.P., Khatim O., Dembinski L., Coddet C., Girardot L., Bailly Y., Velocities of copper droplets in the De Laval atomization process, Powder Technology, 229, 2012. Crossref
-
Planche Marie-Pierre, Khatim Othmane, Dembinski Lucas, Bailly Yannick, Coddet Christian, Evaluation of the splats properties and relation with droplets diameters in atomization process using a De Laval Nozzle, Materials Chemistry and Physics, 137, 3, 2013. Crossref
-
Tillmann W., Abdulgader M., Wire Composition: Its Effect on Metal Disintegration and Particle Formation in Twin-Wire Arc-Spraying Process, Journal of Thermal Spray Technology, 22, 2-3, 2013. Crossref
-
Zhao Wenjun, Cao Fuyang, Ning Zhiliang, Zhang Guoqing, Li Zhou, Sun Jianfei, A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) investigation of the flow field and the primary atomization of the close coupled atomizer, Computers & Chemical Engineering, 40, 2012. Crossref
-
Mullis Andrew M., Cochrane Robert F., McCarthy Ian N., Adkins Nicholas J., Log-Normal Melt Pulsation in Close-Coupled Gas Atomization, Metallurgical and Materials Transactions B, 44, 4, 2013. Crossref
-
Tillmann W., Abdulgader M., Anjami N., Hagen L., Studying the Effect of the Air-Cap Configuration in Twin-Wire Arc-Spraying Process on the Obtained Flow Characteristics Using Design of Experiment Oriented Fluid Simulation, Journal of Thermal Spray Technology, 2014. Crossref
-
Nellesen J., Abdulgader M., Tillmann W., Beckmann F., 3D µCT and SEM Analysis of Resolidified Tips of Cored Wires Used in Twin-Wire Arc Spraying, Journal of Thermal Spray Technology, 2014. Crossref
-
Firmansyah Dudi Adi, Kaiser Rashed, Zahaf Riyan, Coker Zach, Choi Tae-Youl, Lee Donggeun, Numerical simulations of supersonic gas atomization of liquid metal droplets, Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, 53, 5S3, 2014. Crossref
-
Wang M.-R., Chen P.-J., Characteristics of an internal-mixing atomiser with supersonic configuration for metal powder production, Materials Research Innovations, 19, sup8, 2015. Crossref
-
Hwang Won-Sub, Kim Kui-Soon, Choi Jeong-Yeol, Numerical Study on the Atomization Process of a Supersonic Gas-Metallic Liquid Atomizer, Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences, 44, 7, 2016. Crossref
-
Li L., Zou H., Cai S., Thermal behaviour of gas atomised Al–20Mg–2Zr alloy powder, Materials Science and Technology, 32, 9, 2016. Crossref
-
Li Xing-gang, Fritsching Udo, Spray Transport Fundamentals, in Metal Sprays and Spray Deposition, 2017. Crossref
-
Schwenck Daniel, Ellendt Nils, Fischer-Bühner Jörg, Hofmann Peter, Uhlenwinkel Volker, A novel convergent–divergent annular nozzle design for close-coupled atomisation, Powder Metallurgy, 60, 3, 2017. Crossref
-
Sivaprasad Palla V., Girase Narendra, Sarkar Supriya, Wijk Olle, Role of Modelling in the Development of High Performance Steels for Important Engineering Applications, Advanced Materials Research, 794, 2013. Crossref
-
Zhao Hui, Liu Haifeng, Breakup Morphology and Mechanisms of Liquid Atomization, in Environmental Impact of Aviation and Sustainable Solutions, 2020. Crossref
-
Fauchais Pierre L., Heberlein Joachim V. R., Boulos Maher I., Powders, Wires, Cords, and Rods, in Thermal Spray Fundamentals, 2014. Crossref
-
He Wenchao, Lv Xuewei, Pan Feifei, Li Xueqin, Yan Zhiming, Novel preparation process of iron powders with semisteel by rotary cup atomizer, Powder Technology, 356, 2019. Crossref
-
Chen Bo, Gao Dianrong, Li Yanbiao, Chen Chaoqun, Yuan Xiaoming, Wang Zesheng, Sun Peng, Investigation of the droplet characteristics and size distribution during the collaborative atomization process of a twin-fluid nozzle, The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, 107, 3-4, 2020. Crossref
-
Kaiser Rashed, Kim Songkil, Lee Donggeun, Deep data analysis for aspiration pressure estimation in a high-pressure gas atomization process using an artificial neural network, Chemical Engineering and Processing - Process Intensification, 153, 2020. Crossref
-
Xu Lianghui, Zhou Xianglin, Li Jinghao, Hu Yunfei, Qi Hang, Wen Wei, Du Kaiping, Ma Yao, Yu Yueguang, Numerical Simulations of Molten Breakup Behaviors of a de Laval-Type Nozzle, and the Effects of Atomization Parameters on Particle Size Distribution, Processes, 8, 9, 2020. Crossref
-
Ridolfi Maria Rita, Folgarait Paolo, Numerical modeling of secondary breakup in molten metals gas-atomization using dimensionless analysis, International Journal of Multiphase Flow, 132, 2020. Crossref
-
Bigg T. D., Mullis A. M., Spatially Resolved Velocity Mapping of the Melt Plume During High-Pressure Gas Atomization of Liquid Metals, Metallurgical and Materials Transactions B, 51, 5, 2020. Crossref
-
Zhang Shuai, Alavi Sina, Kashani Arash, Ma Yushan, Zhan Yinxiao, Dai Wanxiang, Li Wenju, Mostaghimi Javad, Simulation of Supersonic High-Pressure Gas Atomizer for Metal Powder Production, Journal of Thermal Spray Technology, 30, 7, 2021. Crossref
-
Boulos Maher I., Fauchais Pierre L., Heberlein Joachim V. R., Powders, Wires, and Cords, in Thermal Spray Fundamentals, 2021. Crossref
-
Urionabarrenetxea Ernesto, Avello Alejo, Rivas Alejandro, Martín José Manuel, Experimental study of the influence of operational and geometric variables on the powders produced by close-coupled gas atomisation, Materials & Design, 199, 2021. Crossref
-
Silva Flávia Costa da, Lima Moysés Leite de, Colombo Giovanna Fiocco, Evaluation of a Mathematical Model Based on Lubanska Equation to Predict Particle Size for Close-Coupled Gas Atomization of 316L Stainless Steel, Materials Research, 25, 2022. Crossref
-
Sikka Raghav, Vågsæther Knut, Bjerketvedt Dag, Lundberg Joachim, Experimental Investigation on the Spray Behaviour of Bluff Body Air-Assisted Atomizer Designs, Fluids, 7, 9, 2022. Crossref
-
Zhang Min, Zhang Zhaoming, Liu Qiusheng, Withdrawn: Research progresses in flow field of close-coupled atomizer and atomization mechanism, Advanced Powder Materials, 2022. Crossref
-
Sikka Raghav , Vågsæther Knut , Bjerketvedt Dag , Lundberg Joachim , ATOMIZATION CHARACTERISTICS OF AN ANNULAR SHEET WITH INNER AIR IN A SONIC TWIN-FLUID ATOMIZER , Atomization and Sprays, 33, 1, 2023. Crossref