Numerical Investigations and Optimization for the Supersonic Gas Atomization System for Manufacturing Metal Powder

The metal powder quality of a supersonic gas atomizer can vastly differ depending on the operating gas variables. This study investigates the high-pressure gas atomization (HPGA) process using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. The simulation results were validated against experimental data, revealing a series of shock waves that play a crucial role in the gas flow field. A full factorial design of experiments (DOE) was used to optimize inlet gas pressure and temperature. The optimized parameters were found to directly influence droplet breakup and particle size. It was observed that higher inlet gas pressures and temperatures enhance atomization efficiency and produce finer powders, with pressure having a more dominant effect than temperature. The findings provide valuable insights into the gas dynamics of HPGA and support process optimization for producing high-quality metal powders.