Patent ID: 6736902
Filing Date: 2004-05-18
Classification: B05B

Abstract:
A powder deposition apparatus operable to form a deposit on a deposition substrate, the powder deposition apparatus comprising:a deposition gun comprising a combustion chamber wherein a mixture of a fuel and an oxidizer is burned to generate a pressurized deposition gas flow, a mixer wherein the pressurized deposition gas flow is mixed with a powder flow to form a deposition mixture flow, a deposition flow director that receives the deposition mixture flow from the mixer and directs the deposition mixture flow toward the deposition substrate, and a cooling structure operable with a flowing coolant passing therethrough and in cooling communication with the mixer and with the deposition flow director; an instrumentation array providing a fuel measurement of a flow rate of the fuel to the combustion chamber, an oxidizer measurement of a flow rate of the oxidizer to the combustion chamber, a powder measurement of a flow rate of a powder feed to the mixer, and a coolant measurement of a cooling capacity of the coolant; and a deposition controller including a controllable fuel source of the fuel communicating with the combustion chamber, wherein the controllable fuel source is automatically controlled responsive to the fuel measurement, a controllable oxidizer source of the oxidizer communicating with the combustion chamber, wherein the controllable oxidizer source is automatically controlled responsive to the oxidizer measurement, a controllable powder source of the powder flow communicating with the mixer, wherein the controllable powder source is automatically controlled responsive to the powder measurement, and a controllable coolant source of a flow of the coolant that provides an inlet flow of coolant to the cooling structure, wherein the controllable coolant source is automatically controlled responsive to the coolant measurement.