Pressurized feed-injection spray-forming apparatus

Claim 1

Apparatus for injecting a pressurized liquid metal into a pressurized high subsonic through supersonic gas flow, comprising: a. heated nozzle having a longitudinal geometry with an inlet and an outlet; b. a source of first pressurized, heated gas at the heated nozzle inlet; c. means for directing the gas to flow in a first predetermined direction to provide a first predetermined gas flow within the nozzle; d. a heated liquid reservoir and a second pressurized gas to control the temperature and pressure respectively of the liquid metal to within predetermined values; e. conduit means in fluid communication with said liquid reservoir for injecting said pressurized liquid metal into said first predetermined gas flow at a predetermined liquid metal feed port in the nozzle and the conduit means being in a second predetermined direction in the range from an acute angle to said first predetermined direction through 90° to said first predetermined direction to provide for atomizing said liquid metal with said first gas within the nozzle for deposit of said atomized liquid metal after exiting the nozzle; and f. thereby controlling metal droplet size, droplet velocity and droplet heat content to uniformly deposit said metal.

Claim 17

An apparatus for forming a matrix composite, comprising: a. an elongated nozzle having a converging section, a diverging section and a restricted throat section coupled therebetween; b. means for providing a pressurized gas flow along the length of said nozzle connected to said converging section; c. a first reservoir means for storing and independently pressurizing a first component of the composite; d. a first conduit means coupled to said first reservoir means for laterally injecting the first component of said composite into said gas flow at a point within said converging section; e. a second reservoir means for storing and independently pressurizing a second component of the composite, wherein said second component is a liquid metal; and f. a second conduit means coupled to said second reservoir means for laterally injecting the second component into said gas flow at a point within said diverging section, whereby said first and second components are atomized, mixed in selected proportions in said pressurized gas flow and deposited as a composite.

Claim 18

An apparatus for forming a matrix composite, comprising: a. an elongated nozzle having a converging section, a diverging section and a restricted throat section coupled therebetween; b. means for providing a pressurized gas flow along the length of said nozzle connected to said converging section; c. a first reservoir means for storing and independently pressurizing a first component of the composite; d. a first conduit means coupled to said first reservoir means for laterally injecting the first component of said composite into said gas flow at a point within said converging section; e. a second reservoir means for storing and independently pressurizing a second component of the composite, wherein said second component is a liquid metal; and f. a second conduit means coupled to said second reservoir means for laterally injecting the second component into said gas flow at a point within said diverging section, whereby said first and second components are atomized, mixed in selected proportions in said pressurized gas flow and deposited as a composite.