DEVICE AND METHOD FOR REGULATING FLOW PARTICULATE MATERIAL, ESPECIALLY SMALL FLOWS OF FINE POWDER

摘要

A device for regulating the flow of particulate material comprising a firs t, inlet conduit having an outlet end, and a second, outlet conduit aligned wit h the first conduit and having an inlet end sufficiently close to the outlet end o f the first conduit as to receive at least a portion of a particulate material flo w exiting the first conduit. The lateral relationship of the adjacent ends of the two conduits is adjusted to change the area of the inlet end exposed to material leaving the first conduit to adjust the flow of particulate material through the second conduit; material which does not enter the second conduit is recycled . The device is particularly useful for regulating the flow of small quantitie s of metal powder being fed to a laser consolidation process. The invention also includes the method of regulating by lateral adjustment of the adjacent conduit ends.