New Equipment for Production of Super Hard Spherical Tungsten Carbide and other High-Melting Compounds Using the Method of Plasma Atomization of Rotating Billet

Abstract

In order to ensure high wear resistance of parts and tools, operating at significant dynamic loads in the extreme conditions, the layers different in their function purpose obtained using surfacing methods are widely used. In such surfacing compositions, the powders of high-melting compounds characterized by high hardness and strength, are used as a wear resistant component, for example, alloys of tungsten carbide WC + W2C (cast tungsten carbide), and as binder matrix the plastic and metal alloys are used.The great interest is the development of methods allowing producing powders of cast tungsten carbide and other high-melting-point materials of uniform composition, characterized by a high sphericity of the particles and having higher physical-mechanical properties. The spherical tungsten carbide was produced by plasma atomization of rotating billet. The universal installation for production of super-hard spherical tungsten carbide and other high-melting-point compounds by plasma atomization of rotating billets was designed for industrial application. The results showed that the application of the technology of plasma rotary atomization of rotation billet to obtain granules of powders of high-melting-point materials was promising, in particular tungsten carbide with sphericity over 90%, microhardness HV0.1 more than 3000 kg / mm2 characterized by high flow ability more than 7.5 s/ 50 g. Due to the use of new materials and innovative design and technological solutions the high reliability, maximum interval of technical service, high resource of operating units and executing mechanism of the equipment were ensured. Due to the use of new high-power plasma system with power supply source with high efficiency coefficient and improved dynamic characteristics, the system of preliminary heating of billets, innovative gas systems, high performance vacuum system, the developed universal system for the production of granules of powders of high-melting-point material were also applicable for the manufacture of spherical powders of metals and alloys, including highly active, and provided lower costs of products (powder) with an increased productivity, economic efficiency of the atomization process and reduced the impact of atomization process on the environment.