The influence of nozzle design on HVOF exit gas velocity and coating microstructure

A simple device was constructed for determining a value for the average combustion gas velocity at the exit plane of a high-velocity oxyfuel gun. This device was used to measure the velocities of a standard factory-made barrel nozzle and a specially designed de Laval nozzle as a function of the fuel/oxygen ratio and the total mass flow rate. The Mach number of the de Laval nozzle was 1.42. The maximum combustion gas exit velocities determined for the standard and the de Laval nozzles were 1100 and 1550 mis, respectively, The maximum velocity depends on the fuel/oxygen ratio but is independent of the total flow rate. The effect of increased combustion gas velocity on coating quality is demonstrated.