Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.

Joseph Stockunas

Roger A Howells

George H Stoner

Gas atomization nozzle for producing metal powder from a molten bath. The nozzle is characterized in that the angle of convergence of the gas to the metal stream can be varied and total volumetric flow of gas through the nozzle can be varied and precisely controlled. The nozzle is characterized by having a generally cylindrical shaped housing containing means to tangentially direct gas introduced from outside the housing to a recess in the inner wall of the cylinder with the tangential gas passages having means to adjust the total volumetric flow of atomizing gas through the nozzle. Disposed in the inside of the cylindrical housing juxtaposed to the recess and in combination therewith is a flow direction insert and a flow direction plate, the flow direction insert being variably positionable in relation to the flow direction plate to control the width of the spray zone. The angle of convergence of the gas exiting the nozzle in relation to a molten metal stream passed through the central aperture of the cylinder can be varied by changing the shape of the flow direction insert and/or flow direction plate.

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Huntington Beach, CA, United States of America

Joseph Stockunas