Abstract
In this study, numerical analysis is performed to adopt the equivalence ratio on the high velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) thermal spray coating systems equipped with a minimum length nozzle. The analysis is applied to investigate the axisymmetric, steady-state, turbulent, and chemically combusting flow both within the torch and in a free jet region between the torch and the substrate to be coated. The combustion is modeled using a single-step and eddy-dissipation model which assumes that the reaction rate is limited by the turbulent mixing rate of the fuel and oxidant. As the diameter of the nozzle throat is increased, the location of the Mach shock disc moves backward from the nozzle exit. As the throat diameter and the divergent portion are 6 mm and 8 mm, respectively, the pressure in the HVOF system is the lowest at the chamber and the expanding gas is steadily maintained with both high velocity and high temperature for different equivalence ratios. Thus, relatively minor amendments of the equivalence ratio and the geometry of HVOF can lead to improved control over coating characteristics.