Powder Reclamation System and Operating Method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021121916-A1
Application number	US-201916666907-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 29, 2019
Priority date	Oct 29, 2019
Publication date	Apr 29, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A powder sieving system is provided. The powder sieving system includes a filter housing including a filter for separating powder into a first portion larger than a predetermined size and a second portion smaller than a predetermined size, the powder being a reactive metal powder; a network of passageways configured to move the powder through the powder sieving system, the network of passageways located upstream of the filter housing and downstream of the filter housing, the network of passageways comprising one or more carrier gas passageways for primarily transporting a carrier gas flow and one or more powder passageways for transporting a mixture flow of carrier gas and the powder; and a first sensor in communication with a portion of the powder sieving system, the first sensor configured to monitor an amount of oxygen within the network of passageways, wherein the first sensor is an optical sensor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A powder sieving system, comprising:
a filter housing including a filter for separating powder into a first portion larger than a predetermined size and a second portion smaller than a predetermined size, the powder being a reactive metal powder; a network of passageways configured to move the powder through the powder sieving system, the network of passageways located upstream of the filter housing and downstream of the filter housing, the network of passageways comprising one or more carrier gas passageways for primarily transporting a carrier gas flow and one or more powder passageways for transporting a mixture flow of carrier gas and the powder; and a first sensor in communication with a portion of the powder sieving system, the first sensor configured to monitor an amount of oxygen within the network of passageways, wherein the first sensor is an optical sensor.

2 . The powder sieving system of claim 1 , wherein the powder is a titanium powder or a titanium alloy powder.

3 . The powder sieving system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second sensor in communication with a second portion of the powder sieving system, the second sensor spaced apart from the first sensor, the second sensor configured to monitor the amount of oxygen within the network of passageways, wherein the second sensor is an optical sensor.

4 . The powder sieving system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a controller operably coupled to the first sensor for receiving data indicative of the amount of oxygen within the network of passageways from the first sensor, the controller configured to initiate a corrective action in response to receiving data indicative of the amount of oxygen within the network of passageways being above a predetermined oxygen threshold.

5 . The powder sieving system of claim 4 , wherein the predetermined oxygen threshold is a 4% oxygen content within the network of passageways.

6 . The powder sieving system of claim 4 , wherein the predetermined oxygen threshold is a 1% oxygen content within the network of passageways.

7 . The powder sieving system of claim 4 , wherein initiating the corrective action comprises shutting down a powder flow within the network of passageways.

8 . The powder sieving system of claim 4 , wherein initiating the corrective action comprises providing additional carrier gas to the network of passageways.

9 . The powder sieving system of claim 1 , wherein the carrier gas includes an argon carrier gas.

10 . The powder sieving system of claim 1 , wherein the carrier gas includes a nitrogen carrier gas.

11 . The powder sieving system of claim 1 , wherein the powder sieving system comprises:
a support structure, wherein the filter housing is movable relative to the support structure, the filter housing defining an inlet, a powder outlet, and a carrier gas outlet, and including the filter disposed between the inlet and the powder outlet, and wherein the first sensor is in communication with the powder sieving system at the carrier gas outlet.

12 . The powder sieving system of claim 11 , wherein the filter housing further comprises a powder filter at the carrier gas outlet for removing powder from a carrier gas flow through the carrier gas outlet, and wherein the first sensor is positioned downstream of the powder filter.

13 . The powder sieving system of claim 11 , wherein the filter is configured as a broad frequency filter, wherein the broad frequency filter comprises:
a first filter fixed relative to the filter housing, the first filter being substantially rigid; and a second filter coupled within the filter housing adjacent to the first filter, the second filter being substantially flexible such that the second filter is movable relative to the first filter within the filter housing when the filter housing moves relative to the support structure.

14 . The powder sieving system of claim 11 , wherein the broad frequency filter is configured to restrict a first portion of the powder larger than a predetermined threshold from reaching the outlet and to allow a second portion of the powder smaller than the predetermined threshold to pass therethrough.

15 . The powder sieving system of claim 1 , wherein the powder sieving system is configured as part of a powder reclamation system.

16 . The powder sieving system of claim 15 , wherein the powder reclamation system is operable with a metal powder processing device for reclaiming unused powder from the metal powder processing device through the network of passageways and providing filtered reclaimed powder to the metal powder processing device through the network of passageways.

17 . The powder sieving system of claim 1 , wherein the first sensor is positioned at the filter housing.

18 . The powder sieving system of claim 1 , wherein the first sensor is positioned at a portion of the powder sieving system upstream from the filter housing.

19 . The powder sieving system of claim 1 , wherein the first sensor is positioned at a portion of the powder sieving system downstream from the filter housing.

20 . A method of operating a sieving system, the method comprising:
providing a carrier gas flow and a mixture flow through a network of passageways of the sieving system, the mixture flow comprising a carrier gas and a reactive metal powder; separating a first portion of the reactive metal powder larger than a predetermined threshold from a second portion of the reactive metal powder smaller than the predetermined threshold within a filter housing of the sieving system using a filter; determining an amount of oxygen within the powder reclamation system is above a predetermined threshold; and initiating a corrective action in response to determining the amount of oxygen within the powder reclamation system is above the predetermined threshold.

21 . The method of claim 20 , wherein initiating the corrective action comprises shutting down a powder flow within the network of passageways.

22 . The method of claim 20 , wherein determining the amount of oxygen within the powder reclamation system comprises monitoring the amount of oxygen within the powder reclamation system utilizing an optical sensor.

23 . The method of claim 20 , wherein initiating the corrective action comprises providing additional carrier gas to the network of passageways.

24 . The method of claim 20 , wherein determining the amount of oxygen within the powder reclamation system is above the predetermined threshold comprises determining the amount of oxygen is above a first predetermined threshold, wherein initiating the corrective action comprises initiating a first corrective action, and wherein the method further comprises:
determining the amount of oxygen within the powder reclamation system is above a second predetermined threshold greater than the first predetermined threshold; and initiating a second corrective action in response to determining the amount of oxygen within the powder reclamation system is above the second predetermined threshold.

25 . The method of claim 24 , wherein initiating the second corrective action in response to determining the amount of oxygen within the powder reclamation system is above the second predetermined threshold comprises shutting down a powder flow within the network of passageways.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Charlebois Anthony
• Roy Mathieu
• Gauthier Patrick

Classifications

• B07B9/00 Primary

  Combinations of apparatus for screening or sifting or for separating solids from solids using gas currents; General arrangement of plant, e.g. flow sheets · CPC title

• B07B1/28

  Moving screens not otherwise provided for, e.g. swinging, reciprocating, rocking, tilting or wobbling screens · CPC title

• B07B1/54

  with beating devices · CPC title

• B07B1/46

  Constructional details of screens in general; Cleaning or heating of screens · CPC title

• Y02P10/25

  Process efficiency · CPC title