ARL Center for Cold Spray - Cold Spray Process

ARL Center for Cold Spray

Cold Spray Process

Cold Spray is a material-deposition process whereby particles of diameters between 1 and 40 microns in diameter are impacted at high velocity onto a substrate. The particles are placed in a gas stream of nitrogen, helium or air. The stream is then heated and accelerated through a de Laval supersonic nozzle at speeds ranging from 1000 to 2500 meters per second. The particle stream is directed towards a substrate, where the particles are consolidated in the solid state.

The Cold Spray Process - Animation Images Representing the Powder Feeder, Fume Hood, Gas Heater, Robot Arm and Spray Nozzle

Measured Impact Velocity

CFD calculated aluminum particle velocities exiting a typical nozzle are shown below. Velocimeter measurements made of the particle velocities on a cross section of an operating nozzle verify the calculated velocities.

Graph Displaying he ARL Cold Spray Measured Impact Velocity
 

Last Update / Reviewed: October 13, 2010

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