Estimating and reducing dissipative losses in thermal spray: A parametrized material flow analysis approach

Thermal spray is a family of surface engineering technologies necessary to meet technical functionalities of components under harsh environmental conditions. Those technologies come at the expense of dissipative losses of coating materials throughout the life cycle of components. Measuring these material losses has so far retained little attention in the field. This research provides a framework to estimate material dissipative losses in surface engineering applications based on specific parameters, mainly deposition efficiencies. We applied material flow analysis to quantify dissipative losses for the main metals used in thermal spray (Cr, Co, Mo, Ni, Si, W, Y and Zr). Results show that the coating process is the most contributing life cycle stage (up to 39% of the losses). Improving the deposition efficiency, recovering the unadhered and stripping the components at their end-of-life are key material efficiency strategies to reduce the material losses (up to 50%). •We estimated the dissipative losses in thermal spray applications.•A parametrized material flow analysis model was provided.•Around 39% of the losses occur during the coating process.•Losses can be reduced by 50% with material efficiency strategies.