摘要:
The invention relates to the production of plasma-sprayed coatings at low surface speeds and long stand off distances e.g. more than 7.5 cm. A zone of sub-atmospheric pressure is maintained through which the hot gas effluent and entrained coating powder produced by a plasma torch is caused to pass on its way to the substrate being coated. The sub-atmospheric zone preferably extends over the whole path of hot gas effluent and entrained coating powder. Apparatus is provided which comprises a plasma torch and a chamber preferably a tube together with means for maintaining a zone of sub-atmospheric pressure in the chamber. In the case of the tube this may be a spiral passage mounted in said tube which injects a sheath of gas moving along the inner surface of the tube in a spiral path.