Optimal design of a novel cold spray gun nozzle at a limited space

Numerical analysis for the accelerating behavior of spray particles in cold spraying is conducted using a computational fluid dynamics program, FLUENT. The optimal design of the spray gun nozzle is achieved based on simulation results to solve the problem of coating for the limited inner wall of a small cylinder or pipe. It is found that the nozzle expansion ratio, particle size, accelerating gas type, operating pressure, and temperature are main factors influencing the accelerating behavior of spray particles in a limited space. The experimental results using the designed short nozzle with a whole gun length of < 70 mm confirmed the feasibility of optimal design for a spray gun nozzle used in a limited space.