EIGA coil having annular turns

A method of producing high purity metal powder, comprising:

• displacing an electrode relative to an EIGA coil, wherein the EIGA coil includes a plurality of windings arranged coaxially to each other with respect to a center axis and axially spaced from each another, each of the plurality of windings being formed in the shape of a ring interrupted by a gap and equidistant with respect to the center axis and extending in a plane perpendicular to the center axis, adjacent windings of said plurality of windings being respectively connected to each other via a connecting portion and the gap being between 0.5 mm and 30 mm wide;
• applying an alternating current to the EIGA coil in order to melt the electrode by generating Lorentz forces that are azimuthally symmetric with respect to a longitudinal axis of the electrode;
• and
• atomizing melted off electrode material.

An EIGA coil for melting an electrode, comprising:

• a plurality of windings arranged coaxially to each other with respect to a center axis and axially spaced from each another,
• wherein each of the plurality of windings is formed in the shape of a ring interrupted by a gap and equidistant with respect to the center axis and extending in a plane perpendicular to the center axis,
• wherein adjacent windings of said plurality of windings are respectively connected to each other via a connecting portion, and
• wherein a winding of the plurality of windings that has the largest inner diameter has an inner diameter between 40 mm and 300 mm.