System and method for atomization of liquid metal

Abstract

The present invention produces a cold gas stream having a constant temperature and pressure. The gas stream is obtained from two initial streams, one being a liquefied gas and the other being a gas at ambient temperature. The liquefied gas stream is combined with the warm gas stream, causing the liquid to vaporize. The two streams are combined in proportions that yield a cold gas mixture having a desired temperature. The resulting cold gas mixture is directed into an insulated container having a volume significantly larger than the volume of the conduits through which the streams flow. The container therefore acts as a buffer to reduce pressure fluctuations in the stream. A temperature equalization coil is located in the interior of the container. The coil has one open end which communicates with the interior region of the container, the other end of the coil being connected to an outlet line. The cold gas in the coil remains within the coil for a relatively long time, and comes into thermal equilibrium with cold gas outside the coil. Thus, temperature variations in the cold gas stream are reduced. The cold gas which is withdrawn from the chamber is essentially constant in both temperature and pressure. The invention also includes the use of the cold gas, produced as described above, to atomize molten metal to form a metal powder.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.