METHOD TO PRODUCE FINELY-DISPERSED PURIFIED POWDER OF REFRACTORY METALS AND DEVICE TO THIS END Russian patent published in 2010 - IPC B22F1/00 B22F9/14 

FIELD: process engineering.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to powder metallurgy, namely to refractory metal powder material processing in vacuum. Ingoing powder is fed into plasma column via water-cooled tube arranged inside anode to be heated therein to melting temperature to produce purified powder particles. Said particles are cooled by bringing them in contact with at least two targets. If required, powers are separated by fractions and collected in at least one intake container. Proposed device comprises vacuum chamber accommodating anode and cathode to generate plasma column, mechanism to secure cathode to cathode holder and at least final powder intake container. Note here that proposed device comprises a set of at least two targets representing balls with independent motion, rotation direction and control mechanism, and coated by layer of material with chemical composition complying with that of ingoing material, and servo unit to control gap between targets. Hollow cathode has the channel to feed plasma-forming gas and is furnished with water-cooled tube to feed ingoing powder into plasma column. Note also that at least one target incorporates high-frequency mechanical vibration exciter.

EFFECT: finely-dispersed uniformly graded powder with preset shape and developed specific surface.

3 cl, 2 dwg