Numerical modelling of sequential droplet impingements

During the process of thermal spray coating, molten powders are sprayed and deposited on substrates to generate protective coatings. It is essential to have a clear understanding of the physics of droplet impingement on the surface of substrates for better control of the generation of splats and the structure of coating. A numerical model is developed in this paper to simulate the dynamics of transient flow during the impingement process, including spreading, break-up, air entrapment and solidification. The computation is achieved using the technique of volume of fluid surface tracking within a fixed Eulerian structured mesh. The three-dimensional simulation is able to accurately give a demonstration of dynamic flow patterns such as the generation of fingers, satellite droplets and pores during impingement. The numerical model is validated with experimental data from the tin droplet measurement and excellent agreement is found between the simulation and the experiment. (Some figures in this article are in colour only in the electronic version)