Patent ID: 7368078

Claim:
A metal powder production apparatus comprising: a supply part for supplying molten metal; a nozzle provided below the supply part, the nozzle including a flow path defined by an inner circumferential surface of the nozzle through which the molten metal supplied from the supply part can pass, the flow path having a gradually reducing inner diameter portion whose inner diameter is gradually reduced in a downward direction, and an orifice opened at a bottom end of the flow path and adapted to inject fluid toward the flow path, the nozzle including a first member and a second member provided below the first member with a space left between the first member and the second member, wherein the orifice is defined by the first member and the second member; the orifice being opened in a circumferential slit shape extending over the entire inner circumferential surface of the nozzle; and a restraint means for restraining the orifice from being enlarged by the pressure of the fluid passing through the orifice, the restraint means provided on the nozzle, whereby the molten metal is dispersed and turned into a multiplicity of fine liquid droplets by bringing the molten metal passing through the flow path into contact with the fluid injected from the orifice of the nozzle, so that the multiplicity of fine liquid droplets are solidified to thereby produce metal powder.