Additive manufactured powder processing system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11213888-B2
Application number	US-201615144992-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 3, 2016
Priority date	May 3, 2016
Publication date	Jan 4, 2022
Grant date	Jan 4, 2022

Abstract

A system for treatment of atomized powder including a fluidized bed operable to treat feedstock alloy powders. A method of treating atomized powder including communicating an inert gas into a fluidized bed; communicating an atomized powder into the fluidized bed; and heating the atomized powder in the fluidized bed, eject the treated powders out of the fluidized bed to quench the powders.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method to heat treat as-atomized powder to reduce segregations and condition the powder into a state for solid-state consolidation, comprising:
communicating an inert gas into a fluidized bed, the inert gas exiting from the fluidized bed to a water bubbler;
communicating an atomized powder into the fluidized bed;
heating the atomized powder in the fluidized bed;
communicating the heated atomized powder from the fluidized bed into a quenching reservoir;
communicating the atomized powder from the quenching reservoir to a three-way valve;
communicating the atomized powder from the three-way valve to a quenched powder collector;
collecting powder particles from the three-way valve in a fine powder collector; and
collecting residual from the powder particles in the water bubbler to avoid ejection into the environment.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising degassing the atomized powder.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising preheating the inert gas prior to the fluidized bed.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising heating the fluidized bed to a desired temperature for a desired time to achieve a desired treatment of the atomized powders.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising heating the fluidized bed to a desired temperature for a desired time to achieve heat treatment of the atomized powders.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising heating the fluidized bed to a desired temperature for a desired time to achieve degassing of the atomized powders.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising heating the fluidized bed to avoid conglomeration of the particles.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising vibrating the powder prior to the quenching reservoir.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising vibrating the powder prior to the fluidized bed.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp
• Raytheon Tech Corp

Inventors

• She Ying
• Nardi Aaron T
• Sharon John A

Classifications

• B22F10/20

  Direct sintering or melting · CPC title

• B22F10/34

  of powder characteristics, e.g. density, oxidation or flowability · CPC title

• B22F1/142

  Thermal or thermo-mechanical treatment · CPC title

• B33Y70/00 Primary

  Materials specially adapted for additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B22F2998/10

  Processes characterised by the sequence of their steps · CPC title