An apparatus for producing metallic powders from molten feedstock includes a heating source for melting a solid feedstock into a molten feed, and a crucible for containing the molten feed. A liquid feed tube is also provided to feed the molten feed as a molten stream. A plasma source delivers a plasma stream, with the plasma stream being adapted to be accelerated to a supersonic N velocity and being adapted : to then impact the molten stream for producing metallic powders. The feed tube extends from the crucible to a location where a supersonic plasma plume atomizes the molten stream. The plasma source includes at least two plasma torches provided with at least one supersonic nozzle aimed towards the molten stream. The multiple plasma torches are disposed symmetrically about the location where the supersonic plasma plumes atomize the molten stream, such as in a ring-shaped configuration

There are provided high melting point metal or alloy powder atomization manufacturing processes comprising providing a melt of the high melting point metal or alloy through a feed tube; diverting the melt at a diverting angle with respect to a central axis of the feed tube to obtain a diverted melt; directing the diverted melt to an atomization area; and providing at least one atomization gas stream to the atomization area. The atomization process can be carried out in the presence of water within an atomization chamber used for the atomization process.

A concentric ring gas atomization nozzle with isolated gas supply manifolds is provided for manipulating the close-coupled atomization gas structure to improve the yield of atomized powders.

An apparatus for the production of nanoparticles is provided. The apparatus includes a main tube that is closed at a bottom, an inlet channel arranged within the main tube and includes a first opening to the outside of the apparatus and a second opening to the main tube, and a main opening in the main tube. The main tube includes a sample position at the bottom, the cross section of the main tube at the sample position is smaller than at other positions of the main tube, and the second opening of the inlet channel is arranged closer to the sample position than the main opening. Furthermore, an arrangement for the production of nanoparticles and a method for producing nanoparticles are provided.

There are provided an inexpensive copper powder, which has a low content of oxygen even it has a small particle diameter and which has a high shrinkage starting temperature when it is heated, and a method for producing the same. While a molten metal of copper heated to a temperature, which is higher than the melting point of copper by 250 to 700 C. (preferably 350 to 650 C. and more preferably 450 to 600 C.), is allowed to drop, a high-pressure water is sprayed onto the heated molten metal of copper in a non-oxidizing atmosphere (such as an atmosphere of nitrogen, argon, hydrogen or carbon monoxide) to rapidly cool and solidify the heated molten metal of copper to produce a copper powder which has an average particle diameter of 1 to 10 m and a crystallite diameter Dx.sub.(200) of not less than 40 nm on (200) plane thereof, the content of oxygen in the copper powder being 0.7% by weight or less.

A method for producing a water-atomized metal powder, comprising applying water to a molten metal stream, dividing the molten metal stream into a metal powder, and cooling the metal powder, wherein the metal powder is further subjected to secondary cooling with cooling capacity having a minimum heat flux point (MHF point) higher than the surface temperature of the metal powder in addition to the cooling and the secondary cooling is performed from a temperature range where the temperature of the metal powder after the cooling is not lower than the cooling start temperature necessary for amorphization nor higher than the minimum heat flux point (MHF point).

An apparatus for producing metallic powders from molten feedstock includes a heating source for melting a solid feedstock into a molten feed, and a crucible for containing the molten feed. A liquid feed tube is also provided to feed the molten feed as a molten stream. A plasma source delivers a plasma stream, with the plasma stream being adapted to be accelerated to a supersonic velocity and being adapted to then impact the molten stream for producing metallic powders. The feed tube extends from the crucible to a location where a supersonic plasma plume atomizes the molten stream. The plasma source includes at least two plasma torches provided with at least one supersonic nozzle aimed towards the molten stream. The multiple plasma torches are disposed symmetrically about the location where the supersonic plasma plumes atomize the molten stream, such as in a ring-shaped configuration.

The broad applicability of at least certain aspects of the present invention derives from the ability to determine the critical location where secondary satellite formation occurs for any atomization system or design and allows for the rapid assessment of the effectiveness of various satellite reduction strategies, including but not limited to several embodiments detailed herein. Aspects of this invention can be utilized during initial atomization system design in order to evaluate effective chamber geometries and enabling strategies which reduce/eliminate satelliting, or can be retrofit to existing systems and allows for economic evaluation of effectiveness based off of initial capital expenditures versus increased operating requirements/expenses.

An apparatus for the production of nanoparticles is provided. The apparatus includes a main tube that is closed at a bottom, an inlet channel arranged within the main tube and includes a first opening to the outside of the apparatus and a second opening to the main tube, and a main opening in the main tube. The main tube includes a sample position at the bottom, the cross section of the main tube at the sample position is smaller than at other positions of the main tube, and the second opening of the inlet channel is arranged closer to the sample position than the main opening. Furthermore, an arrangement for the production of nanoparticles and a method for producing nanoparticles are provided.

The present invention provides a power manufacturing apparatus capable of preventing particle growth when fine powder is formed through a fluid, the apparatus comprising: a molten steel providing part for providing molten steel; and a cooling fluid spraying part which is arranged at a lower part of the molten steel providing part and sprays a cooling fluid on the molten steel in order to pulverize the molten steel provided by the molten steel providing part, wherein the cooling fluid spraying part forms a first flow for cooling the molten steel so as to pulverize the molten steel and a second flow for forming a descending air current in the molten steel.