Thermal gradient in polymeric particles during the cold spray process

This project uses numerical methods to study how polymer microparticles heat up and cool down while being sprayed in a cold‑spray process. Metal particles conduct heat well, so their temperature is almost the same throughout. Polymers, however, resist heat flow, so their temperature can vary a lot inside the particle. Assuming a uniform temperature for a polymer particle in flight can give wrong predictions of how it will behave on impact. The study uses CFD simulations to model two things: – heat transfer between the gas and the particle, and – heat conduction inside polymer particles of different sizes. The results show: – Small particles keep a fairly even temperature

throughout. – Particles larger than 30 µm develop strong internal temperature gradients. If we assume the particle flies as a non‑rotating sphere, the front (leading edge) heats up more because of aerodynamic heating. This causes localized melting at the front. That small melted zone changes how the particle deforms and bonds when it hits the substrate. The simulation framework helps identify the best gas temperature, nozzle shape, and other process settings to control the thermal state of temperature‑sensitive polymer feedstock in cold‑spray additive manufacturing.

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