Abstract
Chromium oxide coatings are currently produced predominantly by the plasma spray process utilizing the high process temperatures required to fully soften the high melting point chromium oxide powder. The development of the HVOF process, combining the relatively high flame temperatures of hydrogen, propylene or propane fuel gases with the notably high particle velocities generated by the process, is known to produces dense, low porosity coatings. By utilizing acetylene, the highest flame temperature fuel gas commercially available, and acetylene based mixtures, the HVOF process can be used to successfully spray chromium oxide powder previously impractical for HVOF systems. This paper describes the results of a programme of work carried out to study the effect of gas related parameters on the properties of Cr2O3, coatings deposited by HVOF using acetylene and acetylene based mixtures as fuel gases. It further describes the engineering of gas supply systems to overcome the working limitations of acetylene pressures and flowrates to achieve acceptable gas pressures and flow rates and subsequent particle temperature and velocity.