Study of the mechanism of attenuation of thermocapillary convection of the melt during laser powder cladding

Abstract

Abstract The results of a numerical solution of the thermocapillary microconvection problem arising under the action of laser radiation in a liquid metal during laser surface treatment are presented. A characteristic feature of the behavior of particles of refractory metals in a multi-vortex melt pool is revealed. The influence of falling powder particles in the melt on the inhibition of thermocapillary convection is estimated. The mechanisms of slowing the melt flow associated with the addition of powder components for laser alloying or cladding is discussed. The results of three-dimensional calculations are presented, which show how these mechanisms can work.