Patent ID: 7988759

Claim:
A method of producing metal powder using a nozzle including a flow path defined by an inner circumferential surface thereof and an orifice for injecting fluid, comprising: storing molten metal in a supply part; passing the molten metal supplied from the supply part through a bore of a tubular member provided below the supply part and injecting the molten metal from a bottom end portion of the tubular member into the flow path of the nozzle provided below the supply part; subjecting the molten metal injected from the bottom end portion of the tubular member to primary breakup due to a depressurized state inside the flow path of the nozzle, to thereby turn a multiplicity of liquid droplets; and subjecting the liquid droplets to secondary breakup by being brought into contact with the fluid injected from the orifice into the flow path of the nozzle so as to have further fine shapes, and solidifying them by being cooled due to the contact with the fluid, to thereby obtain the metal powder, wherein the orifice of the nozzle is opened toward a bottom end portion of the flow path so that the fluid is injected into the flow path, and the depressurized state inside the flow path of the nozzle is generated by a stream of the fluid injected from the orifice into the flow path of the nozzle.