Solid Powder Coating via Carrier Gas Mixing in Vacuum
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for spray-coating solid powder in a vacuum state face challenges in uniformly feeding the powder to a transport pipe, leading to irregular coating thickness and difficulty in forming uniform layers on substrates with complex shapes.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method that utilize a combination of sucked and supplied gases as a carrier gas to transport solid powder, with controlled internal pressure and spray nozzle design, allowing for precise control of spray speed and uniform coating, even on three-dimensional substrates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If solid powder is fed in a vacuum state using conventional methods, then the coating can be formed on the substrate, but the powder feeding becomes irregular and non-uniform
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the powder feeding process into two distinct environments: atmospheric pressure powder supply (for stable feeding) and vacuum state coating (for quality deposition). The transport pipe acts as a barrier separating these two environments, allowing each to operate optimally without interfering with the other.
Solution Approach 2:
A carrier gas (such as nitrogen or air) serves as an intermediary medium to transport solid powder from the atmospheric pressure supply environment through the transport pipe into the vacuum coating chamber. This intermediary enables smooth powder flow while maintaining the vacuum state in the coating chamber.
2Productivity
If compressed gas is supplied to form aerosol for powder transport, then powder can be moved to the transport pipe, but the powder becomes irregularly scattered and non-uniform feeding occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses pneumatic pressure (carrier gas) to transport powder through the transport pipe, but controls the pressure and flow rate to maintain laminar flow conditions rather than turbulent flow. This ensures uniform powder distribution without irregular scattering.
Solution Approach 2:
The system carefully controls parameters such as carrier gas flow rate, pressure, and transport pipe dimensions to optimize powder transport. By adjusting these parameters, the system achieves both efficient transport and uniform powder feeding without irregular scattering.
3Manufacturing precision
If the transport pipe is opened to atmospheric pressure to improve powder feeding, then powder feeding becomes more uniform, but controlling the spray speed becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates feedback control mechanisms to monitor and adjust carrier gas flow rate and pressure in real-time. This feedback loop enables precise control of spray speed while maintaining uniform powder feeding through the transport pipe.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses dynamic control of carrier gas pressure and flow rate to adjust spray speed according to processing requirements. The transport pipe remains at atmospheric pressure for uniform feeding, while the vacuum chamber pressure and gas flow are dynamically adjusted to control spray characteristics.
4Manufacturing precision
If solid powder is supplied from atmospheric pressure environment to vacuum chamber, then uniform powder feeding is achieved, but the spray speed cannot be controlled only by suction flow rate
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier gas acts as an intermediary that can be independently controlled to regulate spray speed. While the transport pipe operates at atmospheric pressure for uniform powder feeding, the carrier gas pressure and flow rate are separately adjusted to control the spray characteristics in the vacuum chamber.
Solution Approach 2:
The system independently controls multiple parameters: transport pipe pressure (atmospheric), carrier gas flow rate, carrier gas pressure, and vacuum chamber pressure. By changing these parameters, the system achieves both uniform powder feeding and controllable spray speed without increasing fundamental system complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Achieves precise and uniform coating thickness with controlled spray speed, enabling uniform coating on large-area and three-dimensional substrates, and allows for simultaneous feeding and spraying of multiple powders.
Implementation Method 1
atmospheric pressure gas is sucked into the transport pipe by a negative pressure formed in the coating chamber
Implementation Method 2
a carrier gas consisting of a mixture of a gas sucked into the transport pipe and a gas supplied from a gas supply unit transports solid powder
Implementation Method 3
the sprayed solid powder is coated on a substrate disposed in the coating chamber
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is an apparatus and a method of spray-coating solid powder on a substrate disposed in a coating chamber which is in a vacuum state, and more particularly, to an apparatus and a method for coating solid powder, which are configured such that a gas sucked from an atmospheric pressure gas, together with a gas supplied from a gas supply unit, can be used as a carrier gas for transporting the solid powder.