PDA-based extended models describing the mass- and enthalpy fluxes to the deposit and the phenomena within the deposit

Phase-Doppler-anemometry (PDA)-measurements have to be taken from representative measuring positions from inside the spray cone, helping-with the support of simulated data of improved process models-to describe the multiphase flow situations within the spray cone-and accordingly to that-the heat transfer conditions for the rapid cooling and (partly) solidifying melt droplets before their impact onto the substrate/deposit. Simulations and PDA-measurements thus give the base to confirm the hypothesis of the existence of a semisolid mixed-layer and it's influence on the resulting material structure during compaction. The dispersed particles in the spray cone exhibit a cooling and solidification process within a split of a second, which leads-as far as the particles solidify-to a dendritic structure with very short dendritic arm spacings. This causes within the particles extremely short distances for the following equalizing diffusion processes taking place on a high temperature level (between liquidus and solidus) in the semisolid mixed-layer of the deposit and explaining the short residence times within this zone of only seconds up to a few minutes. This and the fact that the globular structure of the mushy zone (in the semisolid mixed-layer) leads to an unidirectional crystallization process over very short distances also explains the chemical and morphological homogeneity of the sprayed material. The dynamics of these process steps, the very special buffer function of the mixing layer during parameter variations as well as the controlled cooling process of the preform in order to avoid hot cracks influence the quality of the material. Due to the necessity of measuring and controlling the particle bound mass-, momentum- and enthalpy- fluxes to the deposit the PDA-technique has been adapted and modified in order to receive in-line and (in the future) also on-line data from the dynamics of the multiphase flow conditions within the spray chamber.