Esta tese apresenta um modelo matemático para simulação numérica do escoamento com turbilhonamento (swirl) em tochas de plasma térmico de arco não transferido que operam em corrente contínua, assim como os resultados obtidos com as simulações para estudo de casos. O modelo magneto-hidrodinâmico (modelo MHD) bidimensional permitiu simular a interação entre o escoamento e o arco elétrico usando uma configuração axissimétrica, que abrange as seguintes regiões: entrada do gás; interior da tocha; jato de plasma livre no ambiente. O modelo foi implementado num código numérico baseado no Método dos Volumes Finitos para a solução numérica das equações governantes. Para os estudos foram simulados casos com diferentes condições operacionais (vazão de gás; intensidade de corrente elétrica; gases plasmogênicos: ar e argônio; intensidade de turbilhonamento). A fim de verificar a qualidade do modelo, alguns resultados foram comparados com a literatura e apresentaram boa concordância: a maior diferença obtida entre valores de temperatura experimentais e valores calculados foi -10%, e a média das diferenças obtidas nas comparações foi de aproximadamente ±3,2%. Os perfis de temperatura e de velocidade obtidos para a região do arco e para o jato de plasma resultante permitiram o estudo do comportamento do escoamento na tocha de plasma em diferentes condições. Conclui-se que o modelo desenvolvido é apto à realização de investigações numéricas do escoamento em tochas de plasma e dos efeitos do turbilhonamento na interação arco/escoamento. / This thesis presents a mathematical model for numerical simulation of swirling flow in DC non-transferred arc thermal plasma torches, as well as the results obtained from simulations to case studies. The two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic model (MHD model) allowed simulate the interaction between the flow and the electric arc using an axisymmetric configuration, covering the following areas: gas inlet; inside the torch; free jet of plasma in the environment. The model was implemented in a computer code based on the Finite Volume Method (FVM) to enable the numerical solution of the governing equations. For the study, cases were simulated with different operating conditions (gas flow rate; electric current intensity; plasmogenic gases: air and argon; swirl intensity). In order to verify the quality of the model, some results were compared with the literature and showed good agreement: the biggest difference between experimental temperature values and calculated values was 10%, and the average of the differences obtained in the comparisons was approximately ±3.2%. The resulting profiles of temperature and velocity obtained for the region of the arc and the plasma jet allowed the study of the flow behavior in the plasma torch in different conditions. It is concluded that the model developed is able to carry out numerical investigations of the flow in plasma torches and the effects of swirl in the interaction arc/flow.

Au cours de la dernière décennie, la technologie de projection à la torche à plasmasous très faible pression (VLPPS) (inférieure à 10 mbar) a attiré l’attention denombreux chercheurs car ce procédé permet d’envisager la possibilité de réaliser desdépôts de structure voisine de celle des dépôts en phase vapeur avec une cinétiqueproche de celle de la projection thermique classique. Cette technologie vise donc àévaporer totalement ou partiellement des poudres afin de déposer des revêtementsdenses avec une structure colonnaire ou mixte.Le travail effectué dans cette étude à consisté à étudier et à développer des moyenspour assurer la fusion et l’évaporation de matériaux céramiques en vue d’élaborer desrevêtements de haute qualité et à caractériser les propriétés de ces revêtements.Dans une première approche des dépôts denses et homogènes de zircone stabilisée àl’yttrine (YSZ) ont été obtenus sur un substrat « inox » en utilisant des torches àplasma « classiques » de type F100 et F4 sous très faible pression (1 mbar) en utilisantde façon originale un principe d’injection axiale via l’alimentation en gazplasmagènes. Un spectromètre d’émission optique a été utilisé pour analyser lespropriétés du jet de plasma et notamment apprécier le taux d’évaporation du matériau.La composition et la microstructure des dépôts ont été caractérisées par diffraction desrayons X et microscopie électronique à balayage. Les résultats ont montré que lapoudre YSZ a été partiellement évaporée et que les dépôts obtenus disposent d’unemicrostructure hybride composée de « splats » formés par des particules fondues etune « matrice » (en faible quantité) résultant de la condensation de vapeurs provenantde l’évaporation des particules surchauffées.Afin de tenter d’augmenter le taux de vaporisation, l’anode de la torche F100 a étéallongée et un dispositif d’arc transféré complémentaire a été réalisé afin d’éleverl’énergie du jet de plasma et de favoriser l’échange thermique. Les effets de cedispositif sur les propriétés du jet de plasma ont été évalués par spectrométried’émission optique et calcul de la température électronique. Des dépôts de YSZ etd’alumine (Al2O3) ont été élaborés à la pression de 1 mbar. Les dépôts de YSZ ontaffiché une microstructure hybride similaire à celle obtenue précédemment alors quepour les dépôts d’alumine, seul un dépôt lamellaire « classique » a été observé. Lacapacité d’évaporation est donc restée limitée. La microstructure, les propriétésmécaniques et les propriétés de résistance aux chocs thermiques des dépôts de YSZont été étudiées plus en détail et comparées avec celle de dépôts réalisés dans desconditions plus classiques. Une tenue améliorée en termes de résistance aux cyclagesthermiques a notamment été observée.Afin de répondre aux attentes en matière de niveau de densité de puissance du jet lelaboratoire s’est équipé d’une une nouvelle torche à plasma tri-cathode expérimentaleélaborée par la société AMT. Cette torche a été modélisée et testée dans un premiertemps en conditions atmosphériques, révélant une limitation importante du rendementde projection. A partir de ces premiers résultats expérimentaux une nouvellegéométrie de buse a été proposée afin d’améliorer le rendement de projection. Il aalors été constaté que le rendement de la projection avait été considérablementaugmenté par cette modification et que la microstructure du dépôt était également plusfavorable. Ce travail devra maintenant se poursuivre par l’intégration de cette torche dans l’enceinte sous pression réduite. / During the last decade, very low pressure plasma spraying (VLPPS) technology(below 10 mbar) attracted attention because it could allow to produce coatings with astructure similar to that of vapor deposited materials (PVD) with kinetics close to thatof thermal spray. This technology aims to fully or partially evaporate the feedstockmaterials in order to build rapidly dense, thin, and columnar coatings.The work during this thesis preparation was thus devoted to the study anddevelopment of tools and techniques allowing fusion and evaporation of ceramicmaterials in order to obtain high quality deposits with new performance and then tocharacterize the properties of those deposits. In a first approach dense and homogeneous yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) coatingswere deposited successfully on a stainless steel substrate using “classical” plasmaspray torches such as F100 and F4 under very low pressure (1 mbar) by means ofusing an original way of introducing the feedstock material in the core of the plasmajet via the plasma gas port. Optical emission spectroscopy was used to analyze theproperties of the plasma jet and especially to observe the feedstock materialevaporation rate. The phase composition and the microstructure of the coatings werecharacterized by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. Results showedthat the YSZ powder was partially evaporated and that the coatings possessed aduplex microstructure which was composed of splats formed by the impingement ofmelted particles and a little amount of a matrix formed by the condensation of thevapor emitted by overheated particles.In order to try and increase the evaporation rate, a home-made transferred arc nozzlewas made and mounted on a F100 plasma torch in order to enhance the energy levelof the plasma jet and then to increase thermal exchanges. The effects of thetransferred arc nozzle on the plasma jet properties were evaluated by optical emissionspectroscopy and electron temperature calculation. YSZ and alumina (Al2O3) coatingsWere elaborated using such a nozzle below 1 mbar. It was found that the YSZ coatingsdisplayed a duplex microstructure similar to that obtained in the previous experiments.However, no vapor condensation could be observed in the case of the Al2O3 coatingsindicating that the evaporation capacity of the system remained limited.The microstructure, the mechanical properties and the thermal shock resistance of theYSZ coatings were studied in more details and compared to that of deposits madeusing classical thermal spray routes. An enhanced resistance to thermal shock couldthus be observed for the coatings with a duplex structure.In order to find a solution for a substantial increase in the energy density of theplasma jet, the laboratory commissioned a novel experimental tri-cathode plasmatorch made to the AMT Company. This new torch was modeled and first testedunder atmospheric conditions, which revealed a poor spray yield. Following thosefirst experimental results, a modified nozzle was designed. As a result, the sprayefficiency was considerably increased and the coating fabricated by the tri-cathodetorch displayed a better microstructure. Now this work has to be pursued with theintegration of this torch in the low pressure spray tank.

The electrodeless plasma discharge is typically driven by radio frequency (RF) power supply within the range (0.2 &iexcl / 40 MHz). The applied power is coupled into the plasma inductively called inductively coupled plasma (ICP). RF ICP technique has achieved significance importance in a diversity of research and industrial applications for over the last threes decades. It is still required to undertake both theoretical and experimental research. In this work, RF ICP technique is applied on the torch modeling in 2D. Based on extended electromagnetic vector potential representation, an axisymmetric model in 2D is proposed for the calculations of the electromagnetic fields in an RF ICP torch. The influence of axial vector potential is included to the vector potential formulations. This is achieved by imposing a helical current carrying wire configuration. The corresponding governing equations are solved numerically by applying finite element method (FEM) using commercial partial differential equation solver (Flex PDE3). Based on this model, the plasma behavior and properties are examined in terms of plasma parameters. Besides, a comparative iii analysis is made between proposed model called helical configuration and the one currently available in the literature called circular configuration. This study shows relatively little difference between temperature fields predicted by two models. However, significant difference is observed between corresponding flows and electromagnetic fields. Especially, tangential flow which is observed in helical configuration vanishes in circular configuration. The proposed model offers an effective means of accounting for the variations of the helical coil geometry on the flow and temperature fields and achieving a better representation of the electromagnetic fields in the discharge. Finally, it is concluded that minimum number of turns (n = 2) yields significant difference between two models whereas, maximum allowable number of turns yield no distinctions on the results of two models in terms of azimuthally applied current. However, axial effect of current still exists but very small with respect to the result obtained with minimum number of turns.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-17T14:07:05Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 MarcioWDM_TESE.pdf: 5811012 bytes, checksum: feda974076398f5c8fbcb84ae56af460 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-09-17 / Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior / Metal substrates were coated by thermal spraying plasma torch, they were positioned at a distance of 4 and 5 cm from the nozzle exit of the plasma jet. The starting materials were used for deposition of tantalum oxide powder and aluminium. These two materials were mixed and ground into high-energy mill, then immersed in the torch for the production of alumina coating infused with particles of tantalum with nano and micrometric size. The spraying equipment used is a plasma torch arc not transferred, which operating in the range of 250 A and 80 V, was able to produce enough heat to ignite aluminothermic between Ta2O5 and aluminum. Upon reaching the plasma jet, the mixing powders react with the heat of the blaze, which provides sufficient energy for melting aluminum particles. This energy is transferred through mechanisms of self-propagating to the oxide, beginning a reduction reaction, which then hits on the surface of the substrate and forms a coating on which a composite is formed by a junction metal - ceramic (Ta +Al2O3). The phases and quantification of each were obtained respectively by X-ray diffraction and the Rietveld method. Morphology by scanning electron microscopy and chemical analysis by energy dispersive spectroscopy EDS. It was also performed measurements of the substrate roughness, Vickers microhardness measurements in sprays and determination of the electron temperature of the plasma jet by optical emission spectroscopy EEO. The results confirmed the expectation generated around the end product of spraying the mixture Ta2O5 + Al, both in the formation of nano-sized particles and in their final form. The electron excitation temperature was consistent with the purpose of work, in addition, the thermodynamic temperature was efficient for the reduction process of Ta2O5. The electron excitation temperature showed values of 3000, 4500 and 8000 K for flows10, 20 and 30 l / min respectively, these values were taken at the nozzle exit of the plasma jet. The thermodynamic temperature around 1200 ? C, was effective in the reduction process of Ta2O5 / Substratos met?licos de a?o inox 416 foram revestidos por aspers?o t?rmica em tocha de plasma. Eles foram posicionados a uma dist?ncia de 4 e 5 cm em rela??o ao bocal de sa?da do jato de plasma. Os materiais de partida utilizados para as deposi??es foram p?s de ?xido de t?ntalo e alum?nio. Esses dois p?s foram misturados e mo?dos em moinho de alta energia, em seguida, imersos na tocha para produ??o de revestimento de alumina impregnada com part?culas de t?ntalo com tamanho nano e microm?tricos. O equipamento de aspers?o utilizado foi uma tocha de plasma de arco n?o transferido que opera na faixa de 250 A e 30 V. Ao atingirem o jato de plasma, os p?s da mistura aquecem at? a temperatura de igni??o da rea??o aluminot?rmica. O calor gerado fornece energia suficiente para a fus?o do produto da rea??o. Esse produto fundido ao chocar-se na superf?cie do substrato forma um revestimento composto por uma jun??o metal cer?mica (Ta + Al2O3). A identifica??o das fases e sua quantifica??o foram obtidas respectivamente por difra??o de raios X e pelo m?todo de Rietveld. Para determina??o da morfologia e composi??o das part?culas foram utilizados microscopia eletr?nica de varredura e an?lise qu?mica por espectroscopia de energia dispersiva EDS, respectivamente. Tamb?m foram executadas medidas de rugosidades no substrato, medi??es de microdureza Vickers nas aspers?es e determina??o da temperatura eletr?nica do jato de plasma por espectroscopia de emiss?o ?tica EEO. Os resultados obtidos confirmaram a expectativa gerada em torno do produto final da aspers?o da mistura Ta2O5 + Al, tanto na forma??o de part?culas nanom?tricas de t?ntalo quanto no formato final delas. A temperatura de excita??o dos el?trons apresentou valores de 3000, 4500 e 8000 K para fluxos de 10, 20 e 30 l/min respectivamente, esses valores foram tomados na sa?da do bocal do jato de plasma. A temperatura termodin?mica, em torno de 1200 ?C mostrou-se eficiente para o processo de redu??o do Ta2O5

Le contexte de cette thèse est la production du vecteur énergétique hydrogène par thermolyse de la vapeur d’eau consistant en la dissociation de la molécule H2O en oxygène (O) et hydrogène (H). Le dispositif employé est une torche à plasma d’arc non transféré développée au LAEPT. Après l’exposition de la théorie sur la physique des plasmas et la spectrométrie d’émission atomique nécessaire à l’exploitation des mesures, cette thèse présente l’évolution de la torche à plasma ainsi que son environnement nécessitée par la présence de gaz instables et explosifs. Les mesures des différentes grandeurs électriques, hydrauliques et spéctrométriques ont permis la détermination des caractéristiques physique et chimique d’un plasma formé d’un mélange de vapeur d’eau – d’argon. La détermination de grandeurs telles que la température du jet plasma, la conductivité électrique, l’enthalpie massique et la densité électronique, est basée sur la comparaison entre expérimentation et théorie. / The context of this thesis is the production of hydrogen as an energy vector by steam thermolysis consisting in the dissociation of H2O molecule into oxygen (O) and hydrogen (H). The process used is a plasma torch device developed by the LAEPT. After presenting the theory of plasma physics and atomic emission spectroscopy which will help to make the most of the measured realized, this thesis will show the evolution of the plasma torch device and the experimental environment required to work with explosive and unstable gases. Some measurements like electrical, hydraulic and spectroscopy magnitudes made it possible to determine the chemical and physical characteristics of a water vapor – argon plasma. A comparison between experiments and theoretical knowledge will enable to determine the temperature of a flow of plasma, electrical conductivity, enthalpy and the electronic density.

Esta tese apresenta um modelo matemático para simulação numérica do escoamento com turbilhonamento (swirl) em tochas de plasma térmico de arco não transferido que operam em corrente contínua, assim como os resultados obtidos com as simulações para estudo de casos. O modelo magneto-hidrodinâmico (modelo MHD) bidimensional permitiu simular a interação entre o escoamento e o arco elétrico usando uma configuração axissimétrica, que abrange as seguintes regiões: entrada do gás; interior da tocha; jato de plasma livre no ambiente. O modelo foi implementado num código numérico baseado no Método dos Volumes Finitos para a solução numérica das equações governantes. Para os estudos foram simulados casos com diferentes condições operacionais (vazão de gás; intensidade de corrente elétrica; gases plasmogênicos: ar e argônio; intensidade de turbilhonamento). A fim de verificar a qualidade do modelo, alguns resultados foram comparados com a literatura e apresentaram boa concordância: a maior diferença obtida entre valores de temperatura experimentais e valores calculados foi -10%, e a média das diferenças obtidas nas comparações foi de aproximadamente ±3,2%. Os perfis de temperatura e de velocidade obtidos para a região do arco e para o jato de plasma resultante permitiram o estudo do comportamento do escoamento na tocha de plasma em diferentes condições. Conclui-se que o modelo desenvolvido é apto à realização de investigações numéricas do escoamento em tochas de plasma e dos efeitos do turbilhonamento na interação arco/escoamento. / This thesis presents a mathematical model for numerical simulation of swirling flow in DC non-transferred arc thermal plasma torches, as well as the results obtained from simulations to case studies. The two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic model (MHD model) allowed simulate the interaction between the flow and the electric arc using an axisymmetric configuration, covering the following areas: gas inlet; inside the torch; free jet of plasma in the environment. The model was implemented in a computer code based on the Finite Volume Method (FVM) to enable the numerical solution of the governing equations. For the study, cases were simulated with different operating conditions (gas flow rate; electric current intensity; plasmogenic gases: air and argon; swirl intensity). In order to verify the quality of the model, some results were compared with the literature and showed good agreement: the biggest difference between experimental temperature values and calculated values was 10%, and the average of the differences obtained in the comparisons was approximately ±3.2%. The resulting profiles of temperature and velocity obtained for the region of the arc and the plasma jet allowed the study of the flow behavior in the plasma torch in different conditions. It is concluded that the model developed is able to carry out numerical investigations of the flow in plasma torches and the effects of swirl in the interaction arc/flow.

The aim of the Master thesis is the investigation of the influence of microwave discharge for skin wound healing. Microwave discharge used for this work was argon microwave plasma generated by the surface wave and direct vortex torch. The theoretical part is focused on basic information about plasma and processes that occur in plasma discharge under specific conditions. Plasma generates various active particles such as hydroxyl radicals, nitric oxide radicals, excited nitrogen molecules, atomic nitrogen, argon and oxygen. All of these particles together with plasma generated photons are usable in biomedical applications and summary of them is shown in the theoretical part. The experimental part is focused on the comparison of torch discharge and microwave plasma generated surface wave in skin wound healing. The model wounds on laboratory mousses were treated by plasma and wound healing was examined during 3 weeks after the plasma treatment. Both plasma systems showed healing acceleration. Application of torch discharge was proved to be the most effective method in the healing of skin defects. Additionally, determination of active particles was taken by optical emission spectroscopy. Based on these measurements, plasma parameters were determined: electron temparutare, rotational and vibrational temperatures. To determine role of different plasma active species, the treatment of indigo coloured artificial skin model was treated under various conditions by both plasma systems. Results show that the direct interaction between plasma particles is the main effect, role of radiation, only, is more or less negligible. Finally, the plasma vortex system was visualized using fast camera at selected powers and gas flows.

In der vorliegenden Habilitationsarbeit wurden technisch-konstruktive Lösungsansätze basierend auf einem entwickelten strömungs-thermomechanischen/magneto-hydro-dynamischen Simulationsmodell zur Entwicklung/Charakterisierung eines physikalischen Prozesswirkprinzips des betrachteten Mikro- und Hochleistungs- sowie Orbital-Plasma-Schweißprozesses und dessen physikalischer Effekte entwickelt. Dabei wurden die differenten Einflussgrößen beim Plasmaschweißprozess erfasst, analysiert und ihre Wirkung auf Schweißprozessverhalten und Brennerkonstruktion charakterisiert. Die damit gewonnenen Ergebnisse wurden zur werkstofflichen, technisch-konstruktiven Entwicklung der Brennerkopfmodelle hinsichtlich der Ausführungsgeometrien des Prozessgaszuführungs- und Brennerkühlsystems genutzt. Im Rahmen des erarbeiteten thermomechanischen Simulationsmodells wurden die beim Plasma-Auftragschweißen von Verbundbauteilen auftretenden Temperaturfelder, Verformungen und Eigenspannungen vorausbestimmt, untersucht und analysiert. Mittels des erarbeiteten Simulationsmodells wurden werkstoffliche, konstruktive und fertigungstechnische Maßnahmen zur Minimierung/Beeinflussung schweißbedingter Verformungen und Eigenspannungen simulativ untersucht und bewertet. / In this work, technical and constructive solutions were developed based on simulation models (process and structural) for fluid mechanical, thermomechanical and magneto-hydrodynamic effects. The simulation process included improving and characterising the physical operating principles for micro plasma welding, high performance plasma welding and orbital plasma welding. Also, the physical effects for the above plasma welding processes were studied and analysed. From these different physical properties of the parameters for the plasma welding processes, and their effects on plasma welding process behaviour and torch design were analysed and characterised. The results were used for the development and construction of plasma welding torch models, which included material selection and geometrical design such as, process gas supply design, torch cooling system design, and other related torch designs. By developing the thermomechanical simulation model, deformations and residual stresses that were generated by heating during the plasma welding process were investigated and analysed. The developed thermomechanical model included material, structural and welding specifications such as buffering and preheating. Simulations utilizing this model were used in order to reduce the residual stresses and deformations of the welded components.

En tant que technologie de projection thermique avancée, la projection plasma sous basse pression (LPPS) permet d'obtenir des revêtements de haute qualité et peut combler l'écart d'épaisseur entre les technologies de projection thermique conventionnelles et les procédés de couche mince standard. En outre, LPPS permet de construire des revêtements uniformes avec diverses microstructures; le dépôt a lieu non seulement à partir des éclaboussures liquides, mais aussi à partir des amas nanométriques ainsi que de la phase vapeur en fonction des conditions opérationnelles. Afin de continuer à améliorer et à développer le procédé LPPS, cette recherche vise à le combiner avec les procédés émergents de projection plasma en suspension et de projection plasma réactif. Il devait à la fois fournir deux nouveaux processus intégrés et réaliser des revêtements à structure fine avec des microstructures uniques et des performances élevées.Une torche à plasma bi-cathode (laboratoire LERMPS, UTBM, France) à mode d'injection axiale a été conçue et construite pour le LPPS, dont la puissance maximale en entrée du plasma a pu atteindre 80 kW. En utilisant cette nouvelle torche, soit la suspension à très fines particules, soit les poudres micrométriques ont pu être injectées dans le centre du plasma à basse pression. En conséquence, le transfert de chaleur et de masse entre le jet de plasma et les matériaux pulvérisés a été amélioré.La torche à plasma bi-cathode axiale a été appliquée d'abord pour pulvériser deux types de charges de YSZ, y compris la suspension de YSZ et les poudres agglomérées de YSZ. Les résultats ont indiqué que tous les revêtements YSZ présentaient des structures relativement denses en raison de la grande vitesse des particules sous faibles pressions. Les revêtements ont été composés des particules fondues, des particules agglomérées ainsi que du dépôt en phase vapeur. Il a été constaté que le degré de vaporisation de YSZ a été augmenté en utilisant une taille de particule plus fine, une pression ambiante plus basse, une distance de pulvérisation plus longue et une puissance de plasma plus élevée. En outre, tous les revêtements YSZ ont subi une transformation de phase significative d'une phase monoclinique à une phase tétragonale, et le degré de transformation était proportionnel au degré de vaporisation. Cependant, les propriétés mécaniques des revêtements résultants ont des comportements opposés. Les revêtements YSZ préparés à partir des particules agglomérées, qui avaient une plus grande taille de gouttelettes et moins de dépôt en phase vapeur, présentaient une dureté et un module de Young plus élevés que les revêtements YSZ fabriqués à partir d'une suspension fine.Une autre torche à plasma à haute énergie O3CP (Oerlikon Metco, Suisse) a été utilisée pour synthétiser in situ les revêtements de TiN sur des alliages de Ti-6Al-4V par projection de plasma réactive à très basse pression. Les poudres de Ti pur ont été pulvérisées dans une atmosphère de N2 sous une puissance de plasma d'entrée de 120 kW. Les revêtements TiN hybrides structurés ont été synthétisés, ce qui n'était pas le cas auparavant avec d'autres procédés de projection thermique. Il est connu que la réaction de nitruration se produisait non seulement dans le jet de plasma mais aussi sur le substrat. De plus, avec l'augmentation de la distance de pulvérisation, l'effet de nitruration a été affaibli et la structure hybride du revêtement de TiN a changé de laminaire dense en colonne poreuse, en function du degré de vaporisation supérieur, de la concentration de réactive inférieure et du substrat plus froid.. Néanmoins, ils ont également permis d'améliorer les propriétés mécaniques du substrat Ti-6Al-4V. / As an advanced thermal spray technology, low-pressure plasma spray (LPPS) allows obtaining high-quality coatings and can bridge the thickness gap between conventional thermal spray technologies and standard thin film processes. Moreover, LPPS permits to build uniform coatings with various microstructures; deposition takes place not only from liquid splats but also from nano-sized clusters as well as from the vapor phase depending on operational conditions. In order to further improve and develop the LPPS process, this research aims to combine it with the emerging suspension plasma spray and reactive plasma spray processes. It was expected to both provide two novel integrated processes and achieve fine-structured coatings with unique microstructures and high performance.A bi-cathode plasma torch (LERMPS lab, UTBM, France) with an axial injection mode was designed and built for LPPS, whose maximum input plasma power was able to reach to 80 kW. By using this new torch, either the very fine-particle suspension or the micro-sized powders was able to be injected into the plasma center under low pressures. As a result, the heat and mass transfer between the plasma jet and the sprayed materials were enhanced.The axial bi-cathode plasma torch was applied firstly to spray two kinds of YSZ feedstocks, including the YSZ suspension and the YSZ agglomerated powders. The results indicated that all the YSZ coatings exhibited relatively dense structures due to the high velocity of particles under low pressures. The coatings were composed of the melted particles, the agglomerated particles as well as the vapor deposition. It was found that the vaporization degree of YSZ was increased by using smaller particle size, lower ambient pressure, longer spraying distance and higher plasma power. In addition, all the YSZ coatings undergone a significant phase transformation from a monoclinic phase to a tetragonal phase, and the transformation degree was proportional to the vaporization degree. However, the mechanical properties of the resulting coatings had the opposite behaviors. The YSZ coatings prepared from the agglomerated particles, which had a bigger droplet size and less vapor deposition, showed a higher hardness and Young's modulus than the YSZ coatings fabricated from fine suspension did.Another high-energy plasma torch O3CP (Oerlikon Metco, Switzerland) was employed to in-situ synthesize the TiN coatings on Ti-6Al-4V alloys by reactive plasma spray under very low pressure. The pure Ti powders were sprayed into an N2 atmosphere under an input plasma power of 120 kW. The hybrid structured TiN coatings were synthesized, which was not previously achieved with other thermal spraying processes. It was known that the nitriding reaction occurred not only in the plasma jet but also on the substrate. Additionally, with increasing spraying distance, the nitriding effect was weakened, and the hybrid structure of TiN coating changed from dense laminar to porous columnar, according to the higher vaporization degree, lower reactant concentration and colder substrate. Nevertheless, they also were able to improve the mechanical properties of the Ti-6Al-4V substrate.

In der vorliegenden Habilitationsarbeit wurden technisch-konstruktive Lösungsansätze basierend auf einem entwickelten strömungs-thermomechanischen/magneto-hydro-dynamischen Simulationsmodell zur Entwicklung/Charakterisierung eines physikalischen Prozesswirkprinzips des betrachteten Mikro- und Hochleistungs- sowie Orbital-Plasma-Schweißprozesses und dessen physikalischer Effekte entwickelt. Dabei wurden die differenten Einflussgrößen beim Plasmaschweißprozess erfasst, analysiert und ihre Wirkung auf Schweißprozessverhalten und Brennerkonstruktion charakterisiert. Die damit gewonnenen Ergebnisse wurden zur werkstofflichen, technisch-konstruktiven Entwicklung der Brennerkopfmodelle hinsichtlich der Ausführungsgeometrien des Prozessgaszuführungs- und Brennerkühlsystems genutzt. Im Rahmen des erarbeiteten thermomechanischen Simulationsmodells wurden die beim Plasma-Auftragschweißen von Verbundbauteilen auftretenden Temperaturfelder, Verformungen und Eigenspannungen vorausbestimmt, untersucht und analysiert. Mittels des erarbeiteten Simulationsmodells wurden werkstoffliche, konstruktive und fertigungstechnische Maßnahmen zur Minimierung/Beeinflussung schweißbedingter Verformungen und Eigenspannungen simulativ untersucht und bewertet. / In this work, technical and constructive solutions were developed based on simulation models (process and structural) for fluid mechanical, thermomechanical and magneto-hydrodynamic effects. The simulation process included improving and characterising the physical operating principles for micro plasma welding, high performance plasma welding and orbital plasma welding. Also, the physical effects for the above plasma welding processes were studied and analysed. From these different physical properties of the parameters for the plasma welding processes, and their effects on plasma welding process behaviour and torch design were analysed and characterised. The results were used for the development and construction of plasma welding torch models, which included material selection and geometrical design such as, process gas supply design, torch cooling system design, and other related torch designs. By developing the thermomechanical simulation model, deformations and residual stresses that were generated by heating during the plasma welding process were investigated and analysed. The developed thermomechanical model included material, structural and welding specifications such as buffering and preheating. Simulations utilizing this model were used in order to reduce the residual stresses and deformations of the welded components.