Abstract
Advanced spraying technologies as High Pressure-HVOF Spraying or Cold Gas Spraying as well as new concepts for the next generation of plasma sprayed TBC's demanding spray powders with strongly decreased powder grain sizes (< 15µm or even less). Although, with decreasing powder grain size the flowability of the powder is also decreased, causing finally problems in the transport of powder. Within this paper a new powder feeder design will be presented, that makes the precise feeding of ultrafine powders possible, even through feeding lines several meters in length. All known powder feeders for thermal spraying use the pneumatic convey for powder transport through the feeding line. In opposite, the new developed powder feeder is using the dense phase convey of powders. The powder transport can be compared with the transport of a liquid in an hydraulic system. The new powder feeder shows no restrictions in the flowability of a powder. The feeding of normal spray powders (carbides, oxides, metals) as well as submicron powders were successfully tested. Feeding rates from several grams per hour to hundred kilogram and more per hour can be realised, depending on the design of the system. The transport through feeding lines longer than 10 meters also causes no difficulties. The system is self-cleaning and there are no mechanical parts in contact with the powder.
