Deposition method including recycled solid particles
AssigneeOsprey Metals Limited
InventorsReginald G. Brooks, Alan Leathman, Jeffrey Coombs
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A stream of molten metal is atomized to form a spray and additional cooling is achieved by applying to the stream or spray relatively cold solid particles. The solid particles are preferably injected into the spray and may be formed from overspray particles recycled from the deposition process.
Claims12
A method of spray depositing a coherent product from a metal or metal alloy comprising the steps of heating the metal or metal alloy above its liquidus temperature to form molten metal or metal alloy, atomizing a stream of the molten metal or metal alloy to form a spray of hot metal atomized droplets by subjecting the stream to gas which is at a temperature less than that of the molten metal or metal alloy directed at the stream, depositing the atomized droplets onto a collecting surface on which the coherent product is formed, collecting atomized droplets which are not deposited on the collecting surface as an overspray powder of solid particles, recycling said solid particles, introducing said solid particles into the stream or spray of the molten metal or metal alloy, and co-depositing the solid particles with the atomized droplets onto the collecting surface.
Apparatus for spray depositing a coherent spray deposit comprising a collecting surface, means for producing a stream of molten metal or metal alloy, means for atomizing the stream to produce a spray of molten metal or metal alloy particles directed at the collecting surface whereby a coherent spray deposit is formed on the collecting surface, means for introducing solid particles into the stream or spray, means for collecting non-deposited atomized droplets as an overspray powder of solid particles, and means for recycling the overspray to the introducing means whereby said overspray powder form a source of said solid particles.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.