Numerical analysis on the collision behaviors of in-flight droplets during gas atomization

Abstract

Recently, it is exceedingly required to produce metal powders with tailored shape and phase altogether in order to fabricate high performance functional parts such as magnetic core or electro-magnetic noise suppressor for high frequency usage. Therefore, the collision phenomena of in-flight droplets against chamber wall or neighboring in-flight droplets each other is investigated by a computational method in order to get useful information about how to design the atomizing system and how to tailor process parameters not to make irregular-shaped powders during gas atomization process. As a results, smaller powders, lower melt temperature are known to be favorable for droplets not to collide against chamber wall. In additions, powders of narrower size distribution range, lower droplet generation rate, lower melt temperature, lower gas velocity are desirable to prevent droplet-collisions against neighboring in-flight droplets.