VIGA Vacuum atomization powder making device
The principle of vacuum atomization powder production equipment:
Vacuum atomization works by melting metals and metal alloys under vacuum or gas protection conditions. The molten metal flows downwards through an insulated crucible and a guide nozzle, and is atomized and broken into numerous fine droplets by a high-pressure gas flow through a nozzle. These fine droplets solidify into spherical and subspherical particles during flight, which are then screened and separated to produce metal powders of various particle sizes.
Metal powder technology is currently the most widely used production method across various industries.
Alloys manufactured using powder metallurgy have a wide range of applications, such as welding and brazing alloys for the electronics industry, nickel, cobalt, and iron-containing high-temperature alloys for aircraft, hydrogen storage alloys and magnetic alloys, and active alloys, such as titanium, used in sputtering target production.
The process steps for producing metal powders include melting, atomizing, and solidifying the active metals and alloys. Metal powder production methods, such as oxide reduction and water atomization, are constrained by special powder quality standards, such as particle geometry, particle morphology, and chemical purity.
Inert gas atomization, combined with vacuum melting, is a leading powder-making process for producing high-grade powders that meet specific quality standards.
Metal powder applications:
Nickel-based superalloys for aerospace and power engineering;
Solder and brazing materials;
Wear-resistant coatings;
MIM powders for components;
Sputtering target production for the electronics industry;
MCRALY anti-oxidation coatings.
Features:
1. The droplets solidify rapidly during descent, overcoming segregation and resulting in a uniform microstructure.
2. The melting method can be customized. Methods include: medium-frequency induction melting with a crucible, medium-high frequency melting without a crucible, melting with crucible resistance heating, and arc melting.
3. Medium-frequency induction heating of alloy materials using ceramic or graphite crucibles effectively improves material purity through refining and purification techniques.
4. The use of supersonic tight coupling and confined gas atomizing nozzle technology enables the preparation of various alloy material micro-powders.
5. A two-stage cyclone classification and collection system design improves fine powder yield and reduces or eliminates fine dust emissions.
Composition of a Vacuum Atomization Powder Making Unit:
The standard design of a Vacuum Atomization Powder Making System (VIGA) includes a vacuum induction melting (VIM) furnace, in which the alloy is melted, refined, and degassed. The refined molten metal is poured into a jet pipe system through a preheated tundish, where the molten flow is dispersed by a high-pressure inert gas flow. The resulting metal powder solidifies within an atomizing tower, located directly below the atomizing nozzles. The powder-gas mixture is conveyed through a delivery pipe to a cyclone separator, where coarse and fine powders are separated from the atomizing gas. The metal powder is collected in a sealed container located directly below the cyclone separator.
The range extends from laboratory-grade (10-25 kg crucible capacity), intermediate production grade (25-200 kg crucible capacity) to large-scale production systems (200-500 kg crucible capacity).
Customized equipment is available upon request.
