Finite element simulation of coating-induced heat transfer: application to thermal spraying processes

Thermal spraying is a widely applied coating technique. The optimisation of the thermal spraying process with respect to temperature or temperature induced residual stress states requires a numerical framework for the simulation of the coating itself as well as of the quenching procedure after the application of additional material. This work presents a finite element framework for the simulation of mass deposition due to coating by means of thermal spraying combined with the simulation of nonlinear heat transfer of a rigid heat conductor. The approach of handling the dynamic problem size is highlighted with focus on the thermodynamical consistency of the derived model. With the framework implemented, numerical examples are employed and material parameters are fitted to experimental data of steel as well as of tungsten-carbide–cobalt-coating.