Effect of the recoil pressure induced by evaporation on motion of powder particles in the light field during laser cladding

A model is proposed, which takes into account acceleration of powder particles by a force induced by recoil of material vapors from the irradiated region of the particle surface. Results of a numerical analysis of heat and mass transfer in the case of motion of individual stainless steel powder particles in a gas flow and in a light field of laser radiation under conditions of laser cladding are presented. Acceleration of particles is found to depend on their diameter, carrier gas velocity, powder material properties, laser radiation power, and degree of attenuation of the power density in the laser beam in the direction of its action on the substrate. The calculated results are compared with experimental data on light-propulsion acceleration of individual particles (of aluminum, aluminum oxide, and graphite) under the action of pulsed laser radiation.