Method allowing the removal of oxides present on the surface of nodules of a metal powder before using same in an industrial method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11219948-B2
Application number	US-201615743325-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 8, 2016
Priority date	Jul 10, 2015
Publication date	Jan 11, 2022
Grant date	Jan 11, 2022

Abstract

A method and a device are provided for removing surface oxides on nodules of a metal powder, before the nodules of the metal powder are used in an industrial process in which the nodules of the metal powder are assembled via a solid route or via a liquid route. In the method and the device, the surface oxides are stripped from the nodules of the metal powder by bringing the nodules of the metal powder into contact with vapour from at least one of: sublimation of a stripping solid material, and sublimation of the stripping solid material followed by a chemical transformation of a product of the sublimation.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for removing surface oxides present on nodules of a metal powder to be used in an industrial process in which the nodules of the metal powder are assembled by a solid route or a liquid route, the method comprising:
creating a vapour by at least one of sublimating a stripping solid material and sublimating a stripping solid material followed by a chemical transformation of a product of the sublimation;
stripping surface oxides off of nodules of a metal powder by bringing the nodules of the metal powder into contact with the vapours; and
circulating a carrier gas between the nodules of the metal powder such that the carrier gas and the nodules of the metal powder form a fluidized bed.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:
the stripping solid material is NH 4 F, and
the stripping solid material is brought to a temperature of approximately 200° C. in order to sublimate the stripping solid material.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:
the stripping solid material is K 3 AlF 6 —KAlF 4 , and
the stripping solid material is brought to a temperature of approximately 400° C. in order to sublimate the stripping solid material.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the vapour is entrained by the carrier gas.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method is carried out in an additive manufacturing machine.

6. The method according to claim 5 , further comprising depositing a layer of powder on a distributor plate, wherein the stripping step is performed before, during, or after depositing the layer of powder.

7. The method according to claim 5 , further comprising depositing a layer of powder on a distributor plate, wherein the stripping step is performed during and after depositing the layer of powder.

8. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising collecting gases exiting an outlet of a container in a gas collector, the gas collector being structured to confine the gases for later neutralization of pollution components of the gases.

9. A method for removing surface oxides present on nodules of a metal powder to be used in an industrial process in which the nodules of the metal powder are assembled by a solid route or a liquid route, the method comprising:
creating a vapour by sublimating a stripping solid material, wherein the stripping solid material is NH 4 F and the stripping solid material is brought to a temperature of approximately 200° C. in order to sublimate the stripping solid material; and
stripping surface oxides off of nodules of a metal powder by bringing the nodules of the metal powder into contact with the vapour.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein, in the stripping the surface oxides, a carrier gas circulates between the nodules of the metal powder such that the carrier gas and the nodules of the metal powder form a fluidized bed.

11. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the method is carried out in an additive manufacturing machine.

12. A method for removing surface oxides present on nodules of a metal powder to be used in an industrial process in which the nodules of the metal powder are assembled by a solid route or a liquid route, the method comprising:
creating a vapour by at least one of sublimating a stripping solid material and sublimating a stripping solid material followed by a chemical transformation of a product of the sublimation; and
stripping surface oxides off of nodules of a metal powder by bringing the nodules of the metal powder into contact with the vapour,
wherein the method is carried out in an additive manufacturing machine.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein:
the stripping solid material is NH 4 F, and
the stripping solid material is brought to a temperature of approximately 200° C. in order to sublimate the stripping solid material.

14. The method according to claim 12 , wherein:
the stripping solid material is K 3 AlF 6 —KAlF 4 , and
the stripping solid material is brought to a temperature of approximately 400° C. in order to sublimate the stripping solid material.

Assignees

• Addup

Inventors

• Mazet Thierry

Classifications

• C23G5/00 Primary

  Cleaning or de-greasing metallic material by other methods; Apparatus for cleaning or de-greasing metallic material with organic solvents · CPC title

• B22F1/142

  Thermal or thermo-mechanical treatment · CPC title

• B22F1/145

  Chemical treatment, e.g. passivation or decarburisation · CPC title

• B22F10/322

  of the gas flow, e.g. rate or direction · CPC title

• B22F12/70

  Gas flow means · CPC title