Improvement of Plasma Gun Performance using Comprehensive Fluid Element Modeling: Part I

The use of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to model the operation of thermal-spray processes has gained interest in the thermal-spray community, able to provide an understanding as to how a process functions, and better how to make a process work better. Advancements to the science of modeling now permits the ability to create a comprehensive model of a plasma gun that not only simulates the dynamics of the gas, but also the mechanics of arcs (plasma), thermodynamics, and entrained particulates to form a nearly complete model of a working thermal-spray process. Work presented includes the methods and procedures used to validate the model to a Sulzer Metco TriplexProTM-200 plasma gun and exploration of the operating regime to give an in depth and insightful look into the physics behind the operation of a triple-arc cascaded plasma gun.