Issues and Requirements for Developing a Plasma Spray Deposition Rate Sensor for Real-Time Control

This paper investigates the need and requirements for developing an improved sensing scheme for plasma spray, which would aid in compensating for the large variations in deposition rate. Experimental evaluation of a variety of current sensors reveals poor correlation with deposition rate. Important issues that explain these results include reconsidering what particle state characteristics should be measured and determining what sensing characteristics are required to achieve better correlation with deposited mass. A new particle flux sensor is proposed that meets these challenges is evaluated.