Investigation of Influence of the Parameters of the Process of High-Pressure Water Spraying on the Morphology of Stainless-Steel Powders

We study the process of high-pressure water spraying of powders of austenitic stainless steels in a small-scale installation with a furnace capacity of 25 kg. The technological characteristics of the obtained powders are analyzed depending on the conditions of spraying. It is shown that, as the ratio of the amounts of high-pressure water and sprayed metal melt increases, the shapes of formed particles change from rounded and even spherical to irregular and spongy with highly developed surfaces. This effect is explained by an increase in the rate of cooling of formed particles, which prevents the possibility of their spheroidization in the course of motion from the focus of spraying to the level of cooling water in the chamber. Hence, by changing the ratio of the amounts of high-pressure water to the amount of the melt, we can get high-quality powders of prescribed shapes. These powders can be used in various fields of the contemporary industry.