Development of fluid dynamics for spray applied coatings

塔塔钢铁公司是欧洲和英国的主要钢铁制造公司，其产品组合包括汽车、工程和包装钢（马口铁）。120万吨的包装产量是在威尔士、荷兰和比利时生产的。包装钢是一个要求很高的市场，具有清洁，高度可成形的钢和特殊的表面性能，销售给欧洲，英国和美国的主要包装生产商。在马口铁上涂上一层纳米涂层，以防止在制罐过程中刮伤。如果不正确地使用这种油，可能会在客户的进一步加工中导致问题。在这种情况下，马口铁的表面张力与漆/溶剂系统不相容，可能导致产品被拒绝。油通常通过静电加油器施加，其中使用加压空气产生油雾，随后通过电离场产生精细分散的雾，并沉积在目标的接地表面上。该项目旨在增强电喷雾装置和用于测量沉积油膜的表征技术。最初，研究工程师将使用一系列实验室技术，即Uv-VIS， FTIR， TGA，附着力测试，光学显微镜和油膜重量测量来表征选定的钢包装产品。结果将确定测量油的兴趣方法，并揭示材料处理，测量和分析中的任何具体困难。下一步将包括识别和测试有可能形成均匀尺寸油滴的技术，以及在形成过程中和应用后的油分布特征。最终的目标是提供更好的润湿性兼容新的漆系统。

Tata Steel is a major steel manufacturing company in both Europe and the UK, having a portfolio comprising automotive, engineering and packaging steels (tinplate). The packaging production volume of 1.2 million tonnes is manufactured across sites in Wales, the Netherlands, and Belgium. Packaging Steel is a highly demanding market with clean, highly formable steel and exceptional surface properties, selling to the major packaging producers of Europe, UK, and the US. A nano coating of oil is applied to tinplate to prevent scratching during processing at the can maker. If this oil is applied incorrectly it can result in problems during further processing at the customer. In such cases the surface tension of the tinplate is not compatible with lacquer / solvent system and can result in the product being rejected. The oil is typically applied via an electrostatic oiler whereby an oil mist is created using pressurised air that subsequently passes through an ionisation field to create a finely dispersed mist that is deposited onto the earthed surface of the target. The project aims to both enhance the electrospray device and the characterisation techniques used to measure the oil film deposited. Initially the Research Engineer will characterise selected steel packaging products using a range of laboratory techniques i.e. Uv-VIS, FTIR, TGA, Adhesion Testing, Optical Microscopy and Oil Film Weight measurements. The outcomes will identify methods of interest for measuring oil and reveal any specific difficulties in materials handling, measurement, and analyses. Next steps will involve identifying and testing of technologies with the potential to form oil droplets of a uniform size and the characterisation of oil distribution during forming and after application. The ultimate aim being to deliver improved wettability compatible with new lacquer systems.