METHOD AND DEVICE FOR HEATING POWDER, AND THE USE OF SUCH A DEVICE

摘要

A method and a device for heating powder, especially for preheating powder in view of subsequent compacting, are disclosed. The powder is divided into partial flows which are heated separately to a predetermined temperature. Then, the partial flows are brought together to form a common flow of heated powder. The partial flows are so heated that an uniform temperature is attained over essentially the entire cross-section of each of the partial flows before these are brought together. The device comprises a storage container (10) for the powder, and a heating unit (20) for receiving powder from the storage container (10) and heating it. The heating unit (20) comprises a plurality of spacedapart heating surfaces (27) defining between them a plurality of flow channels (28) for the powder.