# US 10,370,233 B2 · Directed energy deposition spray nozzle distribution pattern testing

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- Number: US 10,370,233 B2
- Document ID: US10370233B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/418,209
- Filed: 2017-01-27
- Published: 2018-08-02
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2017-01-27
- Assignees: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
- Applicants: Rolls-Royce Corporation
- Inventors: Quinlan Yee Shuck; Pavlo Earle
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10370233B2

## CPC

- B67C 3/202: {by weighing}
- B22F 10/25: Direct deposition of metal particles, e.g. direct metal deposition [DMD] or laser engineered net shaping [LENS]
- B22F 12/53: Nozzles
- B22F 12/70: Gas flow means
- B33Y 10/00: Processes of additive manufacturing
- G01M 99/008: {by doing functionality tests}
- B05B 7/14: designed for spraying particulate materials (B05B7/16 takes precedence)
- Y02P 10/25: Process efficiency
- B67C: CLEANING, FILLING WITH LIQUIDS OR SEMILIQUIDS, OR EMPTYING, OF BOTTLES, JARS, CANS, CASKS, BARRELS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; FUNNELS
- B22F: WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER (making alloys by powder metallurgy C22C); APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER
- B33Y: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING
- G01M: TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B05B: SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES (spray-mixers with nozzles B01F25/72; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces by spraying B05D)
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

An example spray nozzle distribution pattern testing system may include coaxial collection tubes extending substantially parallel to a major axis, where each coaxial collection tube includes a first end defining an orifice, where the first end is disposed at a first position on a plane substantially orthogonal to the major axis, a second end coupled to an end of a respective outlet tube, and a collection tube wall extending from the first end to the second end, where the collection tube wall at the first end includes a first diameter, where the collection tube wall at a second position between the first end and the second end includes a second diameter greater than the first diameter, where the collection tube wall extending from the second position to the first position tapers toward the major axis at a first angle.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus comprising:
a plurality of coaxial collection tubes extending substantially parallel to a major axis,
wherein each tube of the plurality of coaxial collection tubes comprises:
a first end defining an orifice, wherein the first end is disposed at a first position on a plane substantially orthogonal to the major axis,
a second end coupled to an end of a respective outlet tube of a plurality of outlet tubes, the respective outlet tube comprising an outlet tube wall, and
a collection tube wall extending from the first end to the second end, wherein the collection tube wall at the first end comprises a first diameter, wherein the collection tube wall at a second position between the first end and the second end comprises a second diameter greater than the first diameter, wherein the collection tube wall extending from the second position to the first position tapers toward the major axis at a first angle,
wherein a first coaxial collection tube of the plurality of coaxial collection tubes is disposed radially inward from a second coaxial collection tube of the plurality of coaxial collection tubes,
wherein a first outlet tube wall of the plurality of outlet tubes extends through a second outlet tube wall of the plurality of outlet tubes, and
wherein a shape of the first outlet tube wall is configured to reduce accumulation of particles on the outer surface of the first outlet tube wall.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the respective outlet tube of the plurality of outlet tubes is fluidically coupled to a respective receptacle of a plurality of receptacles.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

That apparatus of claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of receptacles is configured to collect solid particles.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first angle of each respective coaxial collection tube of the plurality of coaxial collection tubes is based on the second diameter and the first diameter and a spray cone or a spray pattern of a spray nozzle.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first angle of each respective tube of the plurality of coaxial collection tubes reduces the collision of particles sprayed from a spray nozzle with the collection tube wall of each respective coaxial collection tube of the plurality of coaxial collection tubes.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first angle of each respective coaxial collection tube of the plurality of coaxial collection tubes reduces gas flow back pressure in each respective coaxial collection tube of the plurality of coaxial collection tubes.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first outlet tube wall is shaped as a teardrop or a triangular prism, wherein a point or vertex of the teardrop or the triangular prism is disposed in a plane parallel to the major axis, wherein the point or vertex is oriented toward the orifice of the respective coaxial collection tubes of the plurality of coaxial collection tubes.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the orifice comprises at least two divided sections.

### Claim 9 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the respective receptacle of the plurality of receptacles comprises a gas outlet port.

### Claim 10

A method of collecting particles from a stream of sprayed particles, the method comprising:
positioning a spray nozzle over a collection apparatus at a first distance, wherein the collection apparatus comprises:
a plurality of coaxial collection tubes extending substantially parallel to a major axis, wherein each tube of the plurality of coaxial collection tubes comprises:
a first end defining an orifice, wherein the first end is disposed at a first position on a plane substantially orthogonal to the major axis,
a second end coupled to an end of a respective outlet tube of a plurality of outlet tubes, the respective outlet tube comprising an outlet tube wall,
a collection tube wall extending from the first end to the second end, wherein the collection tube wall at the first end comprises a first diameter, wherein the collection tube wall at a second position between the first end and the second end comprises a second diameter greater than the first diameter, wherein the collection tube wall extending from the second position to the first position tapers toward the major axis at a first angle,
wherein a first coaxial collection tube of the plurality of coaxial collection tubes is disposed radially inward from a second coaxial collection tube of the plurality of coaxial collection tubes,
wherein a first outlet tube wall of the plurality of outlet tubes extends through a second outlet tube wall of the plurality of outlet tubes, and
wherein a shape of the first outlet tube wall is configured to reduce accumulation of particles on the outer surface of the first outlet tube wall; and
collecting particles sprayed from the spray nozzle with the collection apparatus.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the first distance is based on a spray pattern of the spray nozzle.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the outer diameter of the spray pattern of the spray nozzle at the first distance is substantially equal to the outer diameter of at least one coaxial collection tube of the plurality of coaxial collection tubes.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising:
weighing the particles collected from each tube of the plurality of coaxial collection tubes; and
determining a mass flow distribution of the spray nozzle based on the weight of particles collected from each tube of the plurality of coaxial collection tubes.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the particles are solid particles.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, further comprising: determining a solid particle size distribution of the solid particles collected from each tube of the plurality of coaxial collection tubes.

### Claim 16 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the respective outlet tube of the plurality of outlet tubes is fluidically coupled to a respective receptacle of a plurality of receptacles.

### Claim 17 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the first angle of each respective tube of the plurality of coaxial collection tubes is based on the second diameter and the first diameter and a spray pattern of a spray nozzle.

### Claim 18 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the first angle of each respective tube of the plurality of coaxial collection tubes reduces collision of solid particles sprayed from a spray nozzle with the collection tube wall of each respective tube of the plurality of coaxial collection tubes or reduces gas flow back pressure in each respective tube of the plurality of coaxial collection tubes.

### Claim 19 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the orifice comprises at least two divided sections.

### Claim 20 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the respective receptacle of the plurality of receptacles comprises a gas outlet port.