Numerical Analysis of Particle Trajectories in a Gas–Powder Jet during the Laser-Based Directed Energy Deposition Process

Based on numerical solutions of the equation of motion of a particle in a gas jet modeled by the Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations, the features of transporting powder particles to the working zone of laser-based directed energy deposition are investigated. The propagation of a gas jet in a confined space in the presence of obstacles in the form of a substrate and a wall of a part is considered. A solution determining the gas-dynamic parameters of the jet is obtained, and the results of calculating its velocity field are presented. The influence of gas-dynamic parameters on the trajectories of the powder particles is analyzed. It is shown that these parameters determine the amount of model material involved in the formation of the geometry of the part.