Low velocity oxygen-fueled flame spray method and apparatus for making ferrite material products and products produced thereby

Abstract

A method for making ferrite powder may include providing ferrite feed materials in a form of particles, such as having different sizes and irregular shapes. The method may further include exposing the ferrite feed materials to a low velocity oxygen-fueled (LVOF) flame spray. This may provide a more spherical shape to irregularly shaped particles to thereby make the ferrite powder. An apparatus for making ferrite powder may include a feeder for ferrite feed materials and a LVOF flame spray system for exposing the ferrite feed materials to the flame spray.

1 . A method for making ferrite powder comprising:
 providing ferrite feed materials in a form of particles; and   exposing ferrite feed materials in the form of particles to a low velocity oxygen-fueled (LVOF) flame spray to thereby make the ferrite powder.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein exposing comprises axially introducing the ferrite feed materials in the form of particles to the LVOF flame spray. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the LVOF flame spray operates at a temperature of less than about 5,000° C. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the LVOF flame spray operates at a flame velocity of less than about 1,000 feet per second. 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the ferrite feed materials prior to exposing comprise irregularly shaped particles; and wherein exposing produces more spherically shaped particles from the irregularly shaped particles. 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 1  further comprising controlling at least one of providing and exposing to make the ferrite powder to have at least one of a predetermined phase ratio, surface morphology, density, magnetic moment, and volume electrical resistivity. 
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 6  wherein controlling comprises controlling at least one of a feed rate, an exposure time, and a temperature of the ferrite feed materials during the exposing. 
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 6  wherein controlling comprises controlling a composition of the ferrite feed materials. 
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 8  wherein controlling comprises controllably supplying at least one additional material to the ferrite feed materials during the exposing. 
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 9  wherein the at least one additional material comprises at least one of oxygen, hydrogen, an inert gas, and calcined ferrite feed materials. 
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 9  wherein controllably supplying comprises coating the ferrite feed materials with at least one of a silicate, alumina, and an organo-metallic. 
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the ferrite feed materials comprise at least one of nickel ferrite particles, manganese ferrite particles, magnesium ferrite particles, strontium ferrite particles, and zinc ferrite particles. 
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the ferrite feed materials comprise metal oxides. 
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 1  further comprising sorting the ferrite powder to have particle sizes within a predetermined range. 
     
     
         15 . A method for making a ferrite article comprising:
 providing ferrite feed materials in a form of particles;   exposing ferrite feed materials in the form of particles to a low velocity oxygen-fueled (LVOF) flame spray to thereby make a ferrite powder; and   forming the ferrite powder into a ferrite article.   
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 15  wherein forming comprises forming the ferrite powder into carrier beads. 
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 15  wherein forming comprises forming the ferrite powder into an inert anode. 
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 15  wherein forming comprises forming the ferrite powder into a body of an inductor. 
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 15  wherein exposing comprises axially introducing the ferrite feed materials in the form of particles to the LVOF flame spray. 
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 15  wherein the LVOF flame spray operates at a temperature of less than about 5,000° C. 
     
     
         21 . A method according to  claim 15  wherein the LVOF flame spray operates at a flame velocity of less than about 1,000 feet per second. 
     
     
         22 . A method according to  claim 15  wherein the ferrite feed materials prior to exposing comprise irregularly shaped particles; and wherein exposing produces more spherically shaped particles from the irregularly shaped particles. 
     
     
         23 . A method according to  claim 15  further comprising controlling at least one of providing and exposing to make the ferrite powder to have at least one of a predetermined phase ratio, surface morphology, density, magnetic moment, and volume electrical resistivity. 
     
     
         24 . A method according to  claim 23  wherein controlling comprises controlling at least one of a feed rate, an exposure time, and a temperature of the ferrite feed materials during the exposing. 
     
     
         25 . A method according to  claim 23  wherein controlling comprises controlling a composition of the ferrite feed materials. 
     
     
         26 . A method according to  claim 25  wherein controlling comprises controllably supplying at least one additional material to the ferrite feed materials during the exposing. 
     
     
         27 . A method according to  claim 15  wherein the ferrite feed materials comprise at least one of nickel ferrite particles, manganese ferrite particles, magnesium ferrite particles, strontium ferrite particles, and zinc ferrite particles. 
     
     
         28 . A method according to  claim 15  wherein the ferrite feed materials comprise metal oxides. 
     
     
         29 . An apparatus for making ferrite powder comprising:
 a feeder for ferrite feed materials in a form of particles; and   a low velocity oxygen-fueled (LVOF) flame spray system for exposing the ferrite feed materials to an LVOF flame spray to thereby make the ferrite powder.   
     
     
         30 . An apparatus according to  claim 29  wherein said LVOF flame spray system axially introduces the ferrite feed materials in the form of particles to the LVOF flame spray. 
     
     
         31 . An apparatus according to  claim 29  wherein said LVOF flame spray system generates the LVOF flame spray at a temperature of less than about 5,000° C. 
     
     
         32 . An apparatus according to  claim 29  wherein said LVOF flame spray system generates the LVOF flame spray at a flame velocity of less than about 1,000 feet per second. 
     
     
         33 . An apparatus according to  claim 29  further comprising a controller for controlling at least one of said feeder and said LVOF flame spray system to make the ferrite powder to have at least one of a predetermined phase ratio, surface morphology, density, magnetic moment, and volume electrical resistivity. 
     
     
         34 . An apparatus according to  claim 33  wherein said controller controls at least one of a feed rate, an exposure time, and a temperature of the ferrite feed materials during the exposing. 
     
     
         35 . An apparatus according to  claim 33  wherein said controller controls a composition of the ferrite feed materials. 
     
     
         36 . An apparatus according to  claim 29  further comprising a second feeder to supply at least one additional material to the ferrite feed materials. 
     
     
         37 . An apparatus according to  claim 29  wherein the ferrite feed materials comprise at least one of nickel ferrite particles, manganese ferrite particles, magnesium ferrite particles, strontium ferrite particles, and zinc ferrite particles.