Nozzle Geometry Evaluation for Cold Spray Applications by Using 3D-CFD Calculations

In cold spray applications, optimum process conditions to accelerate particles may vary with different densities of the feedstock. These conditions could depend on the geometry of the spray nozzle, suggesting possible benefits of material-specific nozzle designs. The present study developed a nozzle geometry optimization concept based on three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (3D-CFD) simulations to provide a specific nozzle design. Applying a design of experiments (DoE) approach, the proposed model seeks an optimal nozzle geometry, using aluminum Al6061 and pure copper with mean particle diameters of 40 µm as examples. Different geometry parameters were varied to reach the highest particle velocities before impact on the substrate, such as the nozzle’s divergent section length, throat cross section, and expansion ratio. The process gas was nitrogen with set stagnation pressure and temperature of 5 MPa and 500 °C, respectively. For high particle impact velocities, the simulation identified the divergent section length as the most influential parameter, followed by the throat cross section. In addition, the results show that the expansion ratio must be carefully tuned to avoid over-expansion of the gas already inside the nozzle, which is detrimental to the particle acceleration.