The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 30, 1992
Filed:
Sep. 10, 1990
William A Buerkel, Lyndhurst, OH (US);
Scott R Wightman, Hudson, OH (US);
Dandridge S Tomalin, Chagrin Falls, OH (US);
General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US);
Abstract
Tungsten metal powder of controlled particle sizes is obtained in a fluid bed process by reducing particles of tungsten oxide having the formula WO.sub.X where x is from 2.5 to 3.0. The WO.sub.X powder particles are heated to and then maintained at a temperature between 650.degree. and 1000.degree. C. in a reducing atmosphere, which is maintained by passing a mixture of hydrogen gas, water and optionally nitrogen gas through a fluid bed of the tungsten oxide particles until substantially all of the powder solid is tungsten dioxide, WO.sub.2. The ratio of water partial pressure to hydrogen partial pressure in the feed gas is equal to or slightly higher than the equilibrium partial pressure ratio. The flow of water vapor is then discontinued, either gradually or instantaneously, while maintianing the flow of hydrogen gas to reduce the WO.sub.2 to tungsten metal. By maintaining the ratio of water partial pressure to hydrogen partial pressure above the equilibrium value until the original WO.sub.X is substantially reduced to WO.sub.2, a product having a narrow particle size distribution is obtained. The WO.sub.X may be obtained by decomposition of ammonium paratungstate in the same reactor.