Patent ID: RE39224

Claim:
A method for forming and solidifying uniform sized and shaped solid spheres comprising the steps of: providing a supply of a low viscosity liquid material in a crucible, applying a minute periodic disturbance to the low viscosity liquid material in the crucible, applying a pressure to the low viscosity liquid material, the pressure forcing the material through at least one orifice in the crucible as a steady laminar stream, the stream of the material exiting into an enclosed controlled low temperature solidification environment having a temperature of less than about 0° C., the enclosed controlled low temperature solidification environment containing at least one a first heat transfer medium and a second heat transfer medium , the first heat transfer medium and the second heat transfer medium forming a heat gradient within the enclosed controlled low temperature solidification environment; applying a charge to breaking the stream of material as the stream exits the orifice and breaks up into a plurality of uniform sized and shaped liquid spheres, and passing the charged liquid spheres through an electric field to deflect the liquid spheres, and allowing the liquid spheres to pass through the first heat transfer medium and the second heat transfer medium in the enclosed controlled low temperature solidification environment to cool and solidify into the uniform sized and shaped solid spheres.