Device for sorting powder particles

A device for sorting powder particles into ranges of particles according to one or more of a density, size, and/or shape of the powder particles, the device comprising:

• a particle sorting chamber with at least one sloping side wall, the side wall sloping from a lower part of the particle sorting chamber toward an upper part of the particle sorting chamber,
• wherein:
• the lower part of the particle sorting chamber is larger dimensioned than the upper part;
• at the upper part of the particle sorting chamber a particle flow inlet is provided for supplying a flow of the powder particles to be sorted to the particle sorting chamber;
• a particle flow outlet is provided in the upper part of the particle sorting chamber for conducting sorted particles from the particle sorting chamber through a duct to at least one particle sedimentation classifier;
• means for generating an upward rotating gas flow in the particle sorting chamber are provided in the lower part of the particle sorting chamber;
• the upward rotating gas flow has a rotation axis corresponding to an upward axis of the particle sorting chamber;
• and
• the device provides a closed system, in which a gas supply from the lower part of the particle sorting chamber is provided between the particle flow inlet and the particle flow outlet.