Simultaneous measurement of particle size, velocity, and temperature in thermal plasmas

The in-flight measurement of particle parameters (size, velocity, temperature, and local number density) can prove insight into the plasma processing of solid materials. A measurement technique for simultaneously obtaining the size, velocity, and temperature of particles entrained in high-temperature flow fields is described. Particle size and velocity are obtained from a combination laser-particle-sizing system and laser Doppler velocimeter. The particle temperature is determined by a two-color pyrometry technique and the data rate is a measure of relative particle number density. Typical measured temperatures and velocities for the 5-100 μm particles used in plasma spraying are 1600-3500 K and 100-300 m/s, respectively. Since particle size, velocity, and temperature are measured simultaneously, cold particles (<1600 K) are identified and their relative number density can be quantified. Data from two plasma spray systems, a metal one (Ni-Al) and a metal oxide one (Al₂O₃), are presented and their application to understanding the plasma spray-coating process is illustrated