Numerical Forecast of the Melting and Thermal Histories of Particles Injected in a Plasma Jet

TL;DR

This paper presents a finite element numerical simulation of the melting and thermal history of a bi-layer particle in a plasma jet, accounting for phase change and environmental conditions, relevant for coating processes.

Contribution

It introduces a temperature-based phase-change finite element model for simulating bi-layer particle melting in plasma jets, aligning with existing literature but offering detailed phase change evolution.

Findings

Successfully modeled melting process of bi-layer particle

Results agree with previous finite volume enthalpy-based simulations

Illustrated phase change evolution during plasma jet transit

Abstract

This work presents the numerical simulation of the melting process of a particle injected in a plasma jet. The plasma process is nowadays applied to produce thin coatings on metal mechanical components with the aim of improving the surface resistance to different phenomena such as corrosion, temperature or wear. In this work we studied the heat transfer including phase-change of a bi-layer particle composed of a metallic iron core coated with ceramic alumina, inside a plasma jet. The model accounted for the environmental conditions along the particle path. The numerical simulation of this problem was performed via a temperature-based phase-change finite element formulation. The results obtained with this methodology satisfactorily described the melting process of the particle. Particularly, the results of the present work illustrate the phase change evolution in a bi-layer particle during its motion in the plasma jet. Moreover, the numerical trends agreed with those previously reported in the literature and computed with a finite volume enthalpy based formulation.