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2004
Conference Paper
Titel
Numerical modelling of electrostatically supported spray painting processes
Abstract
In the current study we focus on the transport of the charged particles in the electrostatic painting process, where both aerodynamic and electrical forces play an equal important role. One essential requirement for a successful simulation of such painting is using suitable solver to model complicated turbulent flow and implementation of all relevant electrical effects including static electric field and space charge. Although today some commercial CFD (computational fluid dynamics) codes, in which different turbulent models are implemented, are available on the flow simulation for industry application, little commercial codes are available on modelling both complicated flow field and inhomogeneous electrical field with space charge. Most of the CFD codes depend on finite volume method, whereas the numerical models for solving space charge field are usually developed using finite difference and finite element method. Therefore there is a modelling gap for the application where both flow field and electrical field are equally important. In the current paper, the results of the numerical simulation for wet and powder paint spray painting processes with three different spray guns are showed. The practically relevant operating conditions, e.g. airflow rate, particle loading or high voltage were applied. The results confirm the applicability and reliabiblity of the chosen models for the painting processes considered.