Patent ID: 7214255
Filing Date: 2007-05-08
Classification: B01J,B05B,B22F

Abstract:
1. An automated method for making particles of a selected particle composition, the method comprising: processing of a batch of precursor liquid, comprising a liquid vehicle and a precursor material, to manufacture a batch of particulate product, the processing including batch initiation operations, batch termination operations and intermediate operations, the intermediate operations occurring between the batch initiation operations and the batch termination operations; the intermediate operations comprising: prior to commencement of the batch initiation operations and after completion of the batch termination operations, the aerosol stream not being generated; the batch initiation operations comprising commencing generation of the aerosol stream and the batch termination operations comprising ceasing generation of the aerosol stream; and the intermediate operations comprising automatically controlling, at the direction of an electronic processor processing instructions for manufacture of the particles of the selected particle composition, the feed rate of the carrier gas and the feed rate of the liquid precursor to the ultrasonic aerosol generator; wherein the batch initiation operations comprise automatically increasing, at the direction of the electronic processor, temperature within the aerosol heater and wherein the aerosol heater comprises a furnace having a plurality of heating zones and, during the step of increasing the temperature, heat input into each of the heating zones being automatically independently controlled at the direction of the electronic processor.