Impacting particle temperature monitoring during plasma spray deposition

Abstract

Instrumentation for monitoring the thermal history of individual plasma sprayed particles as they impact on a substrate is described. A double-wavelength fibre optic temperature sensor is focused on a small spot on the substrate surface to record the cooling rate of particles impacting on this region. Discrimination against in-flight particles intersecting the pyrometer field of view is obtained by a second fibre optic sensor viewing the same spot at an angle and working in coincidence with the first sensor. Typical recorded thermograms are presented and interpreted with reference to a numerical thermal propagation model.