Method for production of powders
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
InventorsJoel M. Stoltzfus, Subhasish Sircar
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Abstract
Apparatus and method are disclosed for producing oxides of metals and of metal alloys. The metal or alloy is placed in an oxygen atmosphere in a combustion chamber and ignited. Products of the combustion include one or more oxides of the metal or alloy in powdered form. In one embodiment of the invention a feeder is provided whereby material to be oxidized by combustion can be advanced into a combustion chamber continuously. A product remover receives the powder product of the combustion.
Claims3
A manufacturing process for making metal oxide powders comprising the steps of:
- a) providing an airtight combustion chamber with controlled entry and exit ports;
- b) introducing an oxygen enriched gas into said combustion chamber at a select pressure greater than atmospheric pressure;
- c) selectively feeding a metallic material into the combustion chamber while maintaining the atmosphere in the combustion chamber at said select pressure;
- d) inducing combustion of said metallic material in the oxygen enriched atmosphere to produce an oxide of said metallic material in a powder form;
- e) following combustion of the metallic material, continuously removing the metal oxide product from the combustion chamber;
- f) continually sensing, monitoring and maintaining the pressure of the atmosphere in the combustion chamber throughout the time of performing steps (b), (c), (d), and (e);
- and
- g) automatically controlling the introduction of the oxygen enriched gas and its pressure in the combustion chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.