Process And Apparatus For Producing Powder Particles By Atomization Of A Feed Material In The Form Of An Elongated Member

• Main Authors: Jurewicz, Jerzy W, Auger, Alexandre, Boulos, Maher I
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 08.07.2021
• Subjects: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY; ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OFTHREE-DIMENSIONAL [3-D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVEAGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3-D PRINTING,STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING; CASTING; CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOIDCHEMISTRY; ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRICITY; MAKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL; PLASMA TECHNIQUE; POWDER METALLURGY; PRODUCTION OF ACCELERATED ELECTRICALLY-CHARGED PARTICLES OR OFNEUTRONS; PRODUCTION OR ACCELERATION OF NEUTRAL MOLECULAR OR ATOMICBEAMS; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS; TRANSPORTING; WORKING METALLIC POWDER

The present disclosure relates to a process and an apparatus for producing powder particles by atomization of a feed material in the form of an elongated member such as a wire, a rod or a filled tube. The feed material is introduced in a plasma torch. A forward portion of the feed material is moved from the plasma torch into an atomization nozzle of the plasma torch. A forward end of the feed material is surface melted by exposure to one or more plasma jets formed in the atomization nozzle. The one or more plasma jets being includes an annular plasma jet, a plurality of converging plasma jets, or a combination of an annular plasma jet with a plurality of converging plasma jets. Powder particles obtained using the process and apparatus are also described.