Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for producing gas-filled hollow spheres

US4344787A · kind A · utility

67Cited by
9References
6Claims
0Family size

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 18, 1981
Grant dateAug 17, 1982
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 18, 2001

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S376/916
  • WIPO fieldChemical engineering
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A system is described for forming hollow spheres containing pressured gas, which includes a cylinder device (14) containing a molten solid material (20) and having a first nozzle (18) at its end, and a second gas nozzle (24) lying slightly upstream from the tip of the first nozzle and connected to a source (26) that applies pressured filler gas that is to fill the hollow spheres. High pressure is applied to the molten metal, as by moving a piston (22) within the cylinder device, to force the molten material out of the first nozzle and the same time pressured gas fills the center of the extruded hollow liquid pipe that breaks into hollow spheres (12a). The environment (54) outside the nozzles contains gas at a high pressure such as 100 atmospheres, the gas is supplied to the gas nozzle (24) at a slightly higher pressure such as 101 atmospheres, and the pressure applied to the molten material (20) is at a still higher pressure such as 110 atmospheres.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.