Application Overview

Plasma atomization is an advanced technology for producing high-purity fine and nanoscale powders. By using high-temperature plasma to melt and vaporize raw materials, the process enables the production of ultrafine powders with controlled particle characteristics. It is suitable for processing a wide range of metals, alloys, oxides, carbides, and nitrides.

Working Principle

Solid feedstock is introduced into an inert-gas plasma stream, where the extreme temperatures cause the material to vaporize. The resulting vapor is rapidly quenched by gas, promoting condensation, nucleation, and particle growth to form ultrafine powder. By controlling plasma power, gas flow, and cooling conditions, the system supports the production of fine powders with tailored particle sizes and compositions.

Advantages and Features 

The equipment is designed for the production of high-purity ultrafine and nanoscale powders. Its flexible feed system, high-temperature plasma technology, and precise process control support the processing of a wide range of materials and the development of advanced powder compositions.

Applicable Materials

The system supports powder production from the following material categories:

Metals and Alloys: Cu, Fe, Al, Mo, W, Ni, Re, Ta, Ti, and their alloys.

Oxides：Al₂O₃, MgO, TiO₂, ZrO₂, SiO₂, and others.

Carbides: WC, TiC, B₄C, SiC, and others.

Nitrides: AlN, TiN, BN, Si₃N₄, and others.

Equipment Innovations

1. Flexible, Modular Feed System: 

The modular feeding system accommodates raw materials in different physical forms, including liquids, gases, powders, filaments, blocks, and other solid feedstocks. Precision feeding modules support consistent material delivery across different production requirements. A dedicated vacuum melting and precision flow-control pouring system supports the handling of suitable solid feedstocks.

2. High-Temperature Plasma Generation and Process Optimization: 

The plasma power supply and plasma generator are key components of the system. An ultra-high-temperature plasma generator, combined with optimized plasma gas selection and coordinated control of gas and metal flow rates, improves atomization efficiency and process stability. 

The system is designed to produce ultra fine and nanoscale powders from a broad range of materials, including: 

- chemically active metals: Mg, Al, Ti, Zr, and their alloys; 

- high-temperature metals: W, Mo, Ni, Ta, and their alloys.

3. Specialized Chemical Reaction Chamber:

The purpose-designed reaction chamber enables controlled chemical reactions for producing high-purity, multicomponent composite materials.

4. Intelligent Powder Property Control: 

The system incorporates precision control technologies for key powder characteristics, including particle size, oxygen content, and flowability, supporting consistent powder quality and application-specific requirements.

5. Advanced Rapid-Quenching Technology： 

Rapid gas quenching promotes the formation of nanoscale powder particles, expanding the system's capabilities in ultrafine powder production.

Advanced Equipment Technology

1. Patented Plasma Atomization Technology: 

The equipment incorporates patented technology for producing high-performance powders for additive manufacturing through plasma atomization. Patent No.: 201620234962.8. 

The system combines efficient powder production with integrated intelligent control.

2. Online Particle Size Measurement and Feedback Control:

Online particle size measurement and precision feedback control enable real-time process monitoring and adjustment, reducing reliance on operator experience and supporting more consistent, data-driven manufacturing. Optional configuration.

3. Comprehensive Oxygen Content Control:

Integrated process control helps manage powder oxygen content throughout production, supporting the requirements of oxygen-sensitive materials.

4. Powder Flowability Control:

Dedicated control technology targets powder flowability, helping produce powders suited to downstream processing requirements.

5. Integrated Cooling and Gas Recycling:

The system combines modular precision feeding, a specialized atomization tower, atomization gas recycling, and multidirectional powder cooling. These technologies accelerate powder cooling and help reduce particle concentration within the atomization tower, lowering the likelihood of particle collisions and reducing adhesion between powder particles.

6. Improved Yield in the 15-45 μm Particle Size Range:

The system uses plasma gas atomization with optimized process parameters, particularly atomization temperature and pressure, to improve powder yield and sphericity in the 15-45 μm range while maintaining good flowability. 

Research conducted for this project indicates that, when producing nickel-based and stainless steel powders, the yield of powder larger than 45 μm is greater than 70 %. Optimization of the plasma structure and atomization process can reduce the proportion of powder smaller than 15 μm, thereby improving yield in the 15-45 μm range.

7. Surface Passivation for Chemically Active Materials:

Surface passivation technology is designed to improve the handling safety of chemically active powder materials during use.

8. Anti-Static Design:

Anti-static design features help address electrostatic risks during equipment operation and powder processing.

Technical Parameters

Production capacity: 30–60 kg/h (depending on material density)

Powder: 230kW

Power Supply Voltage: 380V, 50Hz

Ultimate Vacuum Pressure: 10Pa

Protective Atmosphere: N₂, Ar

Rated Cooling Water Pressure: 0.3MPa

Rated Air Supply Pressure: 0.6MPa

Atomization Pressure: ≤ 0.5 MPa

Technical Performance Indicators

1. Powder Particle Size Distribution: 

D70 = 15–45 μm. Titanium and titanium alloy powders are used as examples.

2. Powder Oxygen Content: 

≤100 ppm. Pure titanium is used as an example. 

For practical production applications, chemically active powders of this type must undergo surface passivation. The oxygen content after passivation should be 800–1500 ppm.

3. Powder Flowability:

≤25 s/50g