Atomizing apparatus and process
AssigneeOsprey Metals Limited
InventorsJeffrey S. Coombs, Gordon R. Dunstan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus for the production of powders or spray deposits is provided in which a metal or metal alloy stream is broken up into atomized droplets by primary jets of atomizing gas. In order to remove further heat from the atomized droplets, secondary jets are positioned adjacent the primary jets for directing cooling fluid in the form of cryogenic liquified gas at the atomized droplets. The apparatus permits the formation of coarser powders, powders from alloys with a wide solidus/liquidus gap in a shorter atomizing chamber, or spray deposits with increased yield of deposited material.
Claims11
A method of atomizing a liquid stream of metal or metal alloy for the production of powders or spray deposits comprising the steps of:
- providing an atomizing device;
- teeming a stream of molten metal or metal alloy into said atomizing device;
- providing primary jets at said atomizing device for applying atomizing gas at the stream to atomize the stream;
- providing secondary jets for the application of cryogenic liquified gas;
- atomizing the stream with atomizing gas issuing from the primary jets, said gas being at a temperature less than the temperature of the metal or metal alloy, and said gas atomizing the stream into a plurality of atomized droplets of metal or metal alloy having a mean axis and a certain size distribution;
- and
- removing further heat from the atomized droplets by directing cryogenic liquified gas from secondary jets substantially at the mean axis of the spray of atomized droplets at a pressure such that the secondary jets have substantially no effect on said size distribution which is determined substantially solely by the gas of the primary jets.
Atomizing apparatus for the production of powders or spray deposits, the apparatus comprising a spray chamber, an atomizing device for receiving a stream of molten metal or metal alloy to be atomized, primary jets at said atomizing device for directing atomizing gas, at a temperature less than that of the metal or metal alloy, at the liquid stream to break the stream into atomized droplets of a certain size distribution within the spray chamber, secondary jets for directing cryogenic liquified gas at the atomized droplets for removing further heat therefrom, control means for controlling the pressure of the cryogenic liquified gas whereby, in application, the liquified gas has substantially no effect on the size distribution which is determined substantially solely by the gas of the primary jets, and a collector disposed in the path of the atomized droplets and on which a coherent deposit may be formed, the collector being movable relative to the spray.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.