| The wire arc thermal spray process has proven to be a very economical and flexible method for metal deposition. The wire arc process has seen an increase in research efforts due to the industry's growing interest. The objective of this study has been to improve control over the particle properties, i.e. velocity, size, and spray pattern, by modifying design features according to fluid dynamic principles. A new nozzle design with shroud flows allowed for increased control over particle trajectories. The performance of this design has been characterized through in-flight diagnostics of the particles and flow visualization of the wire arc jet. It has been found that nozzle design has the greatest effect on the divergence of the spray pattern. |
