Abstract
Natural gas represents the lowest cost, most widely available fuel gas for high velocity oxygen fueled (HVOF) thermal spray. Natural gas is a mixture of hydrocarbons and other gases that may fluctuate over time or from one location to another based on the source of the gas and the processing it has undergone before delivery to the end user. The present work seeks to determine the impact that changes in natural gas composition can have on the HVOF process in order to ensure that quality and consistency of the resulting coatings is not negatively impacted. Gas chromatograph data was collected daily from a natural gas supplier in Europe and the Wobbe Index was used to compare the energy content of each reading. Customized blends were used for laboratory spray trials to explore the potential impact that these changes might have on the HVOF process and the resulting coatings. Presently, there is some evidence of coating degradation due to shifts in natural gas composition when all other process parameters are held constant. These observations are the subject of ongoing development work.
