Polysiloxane coatings on microspheres based on Multiphase Flow with Interface Exchange-Discrete Element Modelling

Polysiloxane coatings on yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) microspheres of 500 µm were simulated using Multiphase Flow with Interface Exchange-Discrete Element Modelling (MFiX-DEM). Two different coater configurations were developed to study the influence of gas velocity and its distribution on particle dynamics. The presence of the Wurster tube not only enhances the distribution but also increases the overall residence time of the particles. For different Wurster tube positions (normal, 10% and 20% lowered from its initial position), 20% lowered Wurster tube position demonstrated the most effective coating process. The effects of gas inlet pressure on the average gas velocity and the distribution of particles were analyzed. More than 97% of the particles can be retained. The derived results, including average gas velocity, particle retention percentage, and distribution of particles with gas velocity, are being used to guide the experimental work in obtaining defect-free coatings for YSZ microspheres.