Patent · US Expired

Pulsed electrothermal powder spray

US6124563A · kind A · utility

20Cited by
24References
58Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 24, 1998
Grant dateSep 26, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 24, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02T50/60
  • WIPO fieldSurface technology, coating
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A pulsed electrothermal powder spray apparatus and method increases coating particle velocities to the 2,000-4000 m/sec range. The apparatus includes a containment tube, which may be a reverse shock tube, having a capillary chamber section and a short barrel section. The tube is initially filled with an inert gas and powder is deposited in the barrel just downstream from the barrel's connection to the confined capillary discharge chamber. On receipt of a trigger signal, the muzzle shutter of the barrel section quickly opens, causing the inert gas to flow towards the open end of the barrel. A rarefaction wave propagates back up the barrel, towards the capillary chamber. Once the rarefaction wave reaches an electrode positioned at the front end of the capillary chamber, an arc discharge is triggered in the capillary, resulting in a quick rise in capillary temperature and pressure. Preferably, formation of the confined capillary arc discharge is triggered by a high voltage pulse generator which allows a lower, but still high, voltage pulse forming network to establish a main arc discharge between electrodes at each end of the capillary chamber. The increase in pressure and temperature…

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