Titanium powder production apparatus and method

Abstract

A method and apparatus for producing titanium metal powder from a melt. The apparatus includes an atomization chamber having an inner wall that is coated with or formed entirely of a titanium alloy that is the same as the titanium metal powder to prevent contamination of titanium metal powder therein. The inner surfaces of some or all components of the apparatus in a flow path following the atomization chamber may also be coated with or formed entirely of the titanium alloy or CP-Ti.

Claims

1. An Apparatus for producing titanium metal powder from a melt including titanium powder metal, comprising an atomization chamber having an inner wall that is coated with or formed entirely of a titanium alloy that is the same as the titanium metal powder to prevent contamination of titanium metal powder therein, wherein inner surfaces of one or more components of the apparatus in a flow path following the atomization chamber are coated with the titanium alloy or commercially pure titanium (CP-Ti) or the inner surfaces are formed entirely of the titanium alloy or commercially pure titanium (CP-Ti).

2. An Apparatus for producing titanium metal powder from a melt including titanium powder metal, comprising: an atomization chamber having an inner wall that is coated with or formed entirely of a titanium alloy that is the same as the titanium metal powder to prevent contamination of titanium metal powder therein, and a powder conveying tube connected to an exit opening of the atomization chamber, a cyclone separator connected to the powder conveying tube and a powder container connected to the cyclone separator, and wherein inner surfaces of one or more of the conveying tube, the cyclone separator and/or the powder container are coated with or formed entirely of the titanium alloy or commercially pure titanium (CP-Ti).

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the inner wall of the atomization chamber is coated with a titanium alloy having a thickness of about 2 mm.

4. A method for preventing contamination of titanium powder in an apparatus for producing it from a melt including titanium powder metal, the apparatus having an atomization chamber with an inner wall, comprising: coating the inner wall or forming it entirely of a titanium alloy that is the same as the titanium powder, and coating inner surfaces of one or more components of the apparatus in a flow path following the atomization chamber with the titanium alloy or commercially pure titanium (CP-Ti) or forming the inner surfaces entirely of the titanium alloy or commercially pure titanium (CP-Ti).

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the coating of the titanium alloy on the inner wall is about 2 mm.

6. A method for preventing contamination of titanium powder in an apparatus for producing it from a melt including titanium powder metal, the apparatus having an atomization chamber with an inner wall, comprising: coating the inner wall or forming it entirely of a titanium alloy that is the same as the titanium powder, wherein the apparatus further comprises a conveying tube, a cyclone separator and a powder container in a flow path following the atomization chamber, and the method further comprises coating inner surfaces of one or more of the conveying tube, the cyclone separator and/or the powder container with the titanium alloy or commercially pure titanium (CP-Ti) or forming the inner surfaces entirely of the titanium alloy or commercially pure titanium (CP-Ti).

7. An Apparatus for producing titanium metal powder from a melt wherein a stream of molten titanium is impinged with inert gas at high velocity in an atomization chamber having an inner wall, and wherein the inner wall is coated with or formed entirely of a titanium alloy that is the same as the titanium metal powder to prevent contamination of the metal powder, wherein inner surfaces of one or more components of the apparatus in a flow path following the atomization chamber are coated with the titanium alloy or commercially pure titanium (CP-Ti) or the inner surfaces are formed entirely of the titanium alloy or commercially pure titanium (CP-Ti).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(1) FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a portion of apparatus for producing titanium powder.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(2) Referring to FIG. 1, apparatus 10 for producing titanium powder includes an atomization or hot spray chamber 12 for receiving an atomized liquid metal stream supply from a known system such as a cold wall induction guiding system, an electrode induction melting gas atomization process, a plasma-melting induction-guiding gas atomization method, a triple melt process or any other known system. The powder from the atomization chamber 12 is passed through a conveying tube 14, through a cyclone separator 16 and then into powder containers 18, as shown in FIG. 1.

(3) In accordance with the present invention, the entire inside surface 20 of the atomization chamber 12 is coated with or formed of a titanium alloy that is the same as the titanium metal powder being produced from a melt including titanium powder metal as hereinbefore described. As an illustrative example, a coating of a titanium alloy on the inner surface 20 of the atomization chamber 12 may have a thickness of about 2 mm. The atomization chamber may be formed of any suitable material, such as stainless steel. Alternatively, the atomization chamber 12 can be formed of the titanium alloy instead of a coating of the alloy on the inner surface formed of another material.

(4) To further ensure against contamination of the titanium powder, all or part of the flow path after the atomization chamber 12 may be coated with or formed of a titanium alloy the same as the titanium powder or commercially pure titanium (CP-Ti). For example, one or more of the conveying tube 14, cyclone separator 16 and/or powder containers 18 may be formed of or coated internally with the titanium alloy or CP-Ti to prevent any contamination of the titanium powder.

(5) As an illustrative example, a titanium alloy such as Ti-6Al-4V could be used for the liner or chamber wall 20 in the atomization chamber 12 and all or part of the subsequent flow path if the titanium powder metal being processed is Ti-6Al-4V.

(6) While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.