Apparatus and method for atomizing liquid metal with viewing instrument
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsSteven A. Miller, Russell S. Miller, Roy W. Christensen
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for atomizing liquid metal are disclosed. A liquid metal supply is coupled to a nozzle for atomizing a stream of liquid metal in an atomizing zone extending from the nozzle. A viewing instrument provides a field of view extending to the atomization zone. A sensor coupled with the viewing instrument generates an image of the atomizing zone, and a control adjusts a flow rate of the stream responsive to the image.
Claims28
A method for controlling the atomization zone during an atomization process comprising the steps of:
- storing at least one image of at least one reference atomization zone process parameter;
- atomizing a stream of a liquid metal having a flow rate with an atomizing fluid in the atomization zone;
- viewing the atomization zone with means capable of generating at least one image thereof;
- generating at least one image of the atomization zone;
- comparing the at least one generated image to the at least one stored image of the at least one process parameter;
- determining the amount of deviation of the generated image from the stored image;
- and
- when the generated at least one image deviates from the at least one stored image, selectively adjusting the atomization zone such that the atomization zone more closely resembles the stored image of the atomization zone.
A method for controlling the atomization of liquid metal in a close coupled gas atomization apparatus, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing an enclosure having a chamber for containing particulates formed from atomized liquid metal;
- providing a nozzle, mounted on the enclosure in communication with the chamber, for atomizing the liquid metal, the nozzle including a plenum means and a melt guide tube extending axially therethrough to an exit orifice, the plenum means allowing atomizing gas to converge in an atomization zone extending from the exit orifice;
- positioning viewing means in the enclosure for providing a view of the atomization process including the tip of the melt guide tube;
- positioning at least one process sensor in the viewing means;
- storing images of a plurality of reference atomization process parameters including at least one which indicates impending freeze-off;
- monitoring the atomization process with the process sensor;
- generating images of the atomization process;
- comparing the generated atomization process images to the reference atomization process parameters images;
- determining the amount of deviation of the generated atomization process images from the reference atomization process parameters images;
- and
- when the generated images of the atomization process deviates from the stored reference atomization process parameter images, changing at least one atomization process parameter thereby resulting in a change of the generated images of the atomization process to coincide with the stored reference atomization process parameter images.
A method for controlling the atomization of liquid metal in a close coupled gas atomization apparatus, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing an enclosure having a chamber for containing particulates formed from atomized liquid metal;
- providing a nozzle, mounted on the enclosure in communication with the chamber, for atomizing the liquid metal, the nozzle including a plenum means and a melt guide tube extending axially therethrough to an exit orifice, the plenum means allowing atomizing gas to converge in an atomization zone extending from the exit orifice;
- positioning viewing means in the enclosure for providing a view of the atomization zone including the tip of the melt guide tube;
- positioning at least one process sensor in the viewing means;
- storing images of a plurality of reference process parameters;
- monitoring the atomization zone with the process sensor;
- generating images of the atomization zone including the tip of the melt guide tube;
- comparing the generated images of the atomization zone to images of the reference process parameters;
- determining the amount of deviation of the generated images from the reference images;
- and
- adjusting the atomization apparatus such that a webbing of substantially interconnected ligaments is produced.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.