Linde paper: Using hydrogen or fuel gas with nitrogen in arc spray coating process significantly improves productivity and safety
Murray Hill, New Jersey, U.S., May 18, 2012 -- By using nitrogen with small amounts of fuel gas as the process gas in arc spraying for anti-corrosion coating, productivity and the workplace environment are improved, according to a paper to be presented by two Linde engineers at the upcoming International Thermal Spray Conference and Exposition to be held at the Hilton Americas Hotel in Houston, Texas, May 21-24.
Arc spaying is a coating process in which materials, such as zinc wire, are heated to form minute (atomized) particles that are sprayed onto a surface to render it corrosion resistant. The makeup of the process gas can have a significant impact on the thickness of the coating.
The Linde paper, entitled New Developments Using Arc Spraying to Produced Tailored Coatings, authored by Werner Kroemmer and Peter Heinrich, project managers for Thermal Spraying at Linde Gases Division’s application development laboratories in Munich, Germany, provides details on the production enhancement gained from adding a small amount of a fuel gas, such as hydrogen, ethylene or acetylene, to nitrogen as the process gas. Using a series of tables and charts, the authors demonstrate how the coating thickness increased using a gas mixture versus conventional single process gas such as nitrogen or compressed air. As coating thickness increases, fewer passes over the targeted surface are required, which results in increased productivity.
“Based on the data ascertained, it can be established that when using compressed air as the atomizing gas, the deposited coating is thinner than with gas mixtures which provide more energy for the fusing process,” Kroemmer points out in the paper. “Based on the fuel gas concentration, it can be determined that for a concentration of 3 percent to 4 percent hydrogen in nitrogen, a maximum was registered. The same can be determined for the gas mixture nitrogen/ethylene.”
The Linde researchers also investigate the impact of the fuel gas mixtures on dust particle size which were substantially reduced using hydrogen or fuel gas, compared with compressed air in the process gas. This leads to a commensurate improvement in workplace environment and safety.
The paper will be presented on Tuesday, May 22, 2012 at 4:40 PM in Room 339 AB at the Hilton Americas.
The Linde Group is a world-leading gases and engineering company with around 50,500 employees in more than 100 countries worldwide. In the 2011 financial year, it achieved sales of EUR 13.787 bn (USD 18.1 billion). The strategy of The Linde Group is geared towards long-term profitable growth and focuses on the expansion of its international business with forward-looking products and services. Linde acts responsibly towards its shareholders, business partners, employees, society and the environment – in every one of its business areas, regions and locations across the globe. The Group is committed to technologies and products that unite the goals of customer value and sustainable development.
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Contact:
Amy Ficon
Linde corporate communications
908-771-1491
amy.ficon@linde.com
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