Manufacturing apparatus for metal powder and manufacturing method thereof

[0043]As shown in FIG. 1, the metal powder producing apparatus 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention forms the melted metal 21 into a powder by an atomization method, and the metal powder constituted from many metal particles is obtained. This apparatus 10 has the melted metal supplying part 20, the cooling part 30 placed at the bottom in a vertical direction of the metal supplying part 20. In the figure, the vertical direction is the direction along Z axis.

[0044]The melted metal supplying part 20 has a heat resistance container 22 which contain the melted metal 21. A heating coil 24 is placed at the outer circumference of the heat resistance container 22, hence the heat resistance container 22 contains the melted metal 21 while heating and keeping it in a melted condition. At a base part of the heat resistance container 22, a discharge opening 23 is formed, and the melted metal 21 is discharged as a melted metal drop 21a towards the inner circumference face 33 of ...

[0071]As shown in FIG. 4, the metal powder producing apparatus according to other embodiment of the present invention is same as the first embodiment except for the followings, and the parts which are same as the first embodiment will be omitted from explaining. Also, the same names and numbers are given to the same members.

[0072]In the first embodiment, the nozzle edge 38a is perpendicular with respect to the inner frame 38 (or with respect to the center axis O). However, in the present embodiment it is not necessarily perpendicular, and tilted by inclination angle θ2.

[0073]In the present embodiment, the inclination angle (taper angle) θ2 of the nozzle edge 38a with respect to the inner frame 38 or the center axis O is not particularly limited, and preferably it is 5 to 45 degrees, By tilting the nozzle edge 38a in a taper form towards the lower end in the axial direction, the force pressing the cooling liquid to the inner circumference face 33 acts, hence the cooling liquid layer ...

[0074]As shown in FIG. 5, the metal powder producing apparatus according to other embodiment of the present invention is same as the first and second embodiments except for the followings, and the parts which are same as the first and second embodiments will be omitted from explaining. Also, the same names and numbers are given to the same members.

[0075]In the present embodiment, at the tip in the inner diameter side of the nozzle edge 38a, the folded end 38b is provided which forms the folded pressure reservoir 46 having predetermined radial direction space t4 between the folded end 38b and the inner frame 38. In the present embodiment, the folded end 38b is formed approximately coaxially with the inner frame 38, but it may be formed into a taper form and tilted with the inner frame 38 provided that the folded pressure reservoir 46 is formed.

[0076]The length L2 of the folded end 38b along the center axis O is not particularly limited, and preferably it is shorter than the length L1...