Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B22—CASTING; POWDER METALLURGY
  • B22F—WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER; APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER
  • B22F7/00—Manufacture of composite layers, workpieces, or articles, comprising metallic powder, by sintering the powder, with or without compacting wherein at least one part is obtained by sintering or compression
  • B22F7/002—Manufacture of composite layers, workpieces, or articles, comprising metallic powder, by sintering the powder, with or without compacting wherein at least one part is obtained by sintering or compression of porous nature
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
  • F28F—DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION
  • F28F13/00—Arrangements for modifying heat-transfer, e.g. increasing, decreasing
  • F28F13/18—Arrangements for modifying heat-transfer, e.g. increasing, decreasing by applying coatings, e.g. radiation-absorbing, radiation-reflecting; by surface treatment, e.g. polishing
  • F28F13/185—Heat-exchange surfaces provided with microstructures or with porous coatings
  • F28F13/187—Heat-exchange surfaces provided with microstructures or with porous coatings especially adapted for evaporator surfaces or condenser surfaces, e.g. with nucleation sites

Definitions

• liquid binder solution consisting essentially of at least one high volatility solvent component and at least one low volatility component in a layer from 0.002 to 0.040 inch thick onto said metal substrate;
• This invention relates to coating metal substrates such as the inner and outer surfaces of heat exchanger tubes with a porous metal layer to enhance the liquid boiling properties of such metal substrates.
• porous boiling surfaces The usefulness of porous boiling surfaces is well established in the heat exchange art, see US. Pat. No. 3,384,154.
• the problem which this invention deals with is that of forming porous boiling surfaces in a fast and efficient way.
• the prior art teaches the formation of such porous surfaces by providing a slurry of metal powder and a liquid plastic binder material and applying the slurry in a coating to a base metal by dipping or spraying.
• the resulting coating is then air dried and the bulk of the solvent removed by evaporation, leaving a self-supporting layer of metal powder which is held in place by the remaining binder.
• the resulting substrate and powder metal coating are then heated for a sufficient time to sinter the metal powder particles together and to the substrate.
• the coating is income nient and difficult to apply, requires long drying time to remove the excess solvent from coated surfaces, is wasteful of materials, and results in non-uniform thickness coatings.
• the slurry method requires the use of centrifual force or gravity to retain the coating against the substrate until substantially all the solvent has evaporated.
• An object of this invention is to provide a method for applying metal powder to a metal substrate for the purpose of forming a porous metal layer thereon, which method is suited to mass production techniques, is efficient in use of materials, and results in uniform thickness coatings.
• Another object of this invention is to provide highly efficient apparatus for applying porous metal surfaces to tubular substrates, as for example by the method of this invention.
• An object of this invention is accomplished by a method of coating metal surfaces with a porous metal layer, comprising the steps of:
• Another object of this invention is accomplished by an apparatus for externally coating metal tubes with a porous metal layer comprising:
• liquid binder spray means arranged to longitudinally traverse the metal tubes while simultaneously spraying a layer of liquid binder thereon;
• metal powder spray means arranged to longitudinally traverse the metal tubes which have been sprayed with liquid binder while simultaneously spraying a layer of metal powder thereon.
• the coating method of this invention for producing porous boiling surfaces on metal surfaces comprises first coating the metal substrate with a liquid binder solution comprising a low volatility polymer diluted with a high volatility solvent material.
• the maxi mum coating thickness for a particular binder solution is that which will not cause the liquid binder to sag or run thereby ensuring a coating of uniform thickness.
• the binder coating surface is wet and tacky.
• sufficient metal powder is uniformly applied to the binder layer such that substantially all the metal powder is wetted and retained against the metal substrate by said liquid binder.
• substantially all the high volatility solvent component of the liquid binder is allowed to evaporate.
• the powder coated product is furance heated preferably in a mildly reducing atmosphere to sufficient temperature and for sufficient time to evaporate the low volatility binder component without causing blistering or other disruption of the metal powder coating.
• the product is further heated to temperature sufficient to cause metal bonding of the particles of metal powder to each other and to the metal substrate to produce a desired strong porous metal coating having small surface and subsurface interconnected cavities.
• Such porous metal coatings may be applied to either flat or curved surfaces oriented horizontally or verti cally. When such coatings are applied to tubes the tubes are preferably rotated so as to provide for uniform coating of binder and metal powder.
• Important advantages of the coating method of this invention are that more uniform coatings of desired thickness are reliably attainable as compared with dip- .ping or spraying an article to be coated with a slurry of metal powder and liquid binder.
• the coating process of this invention is more flexible in terms of selecting desired coating thicknesses and is more easily mechanized than the previous slurry coating methods thereby resulting in lower mass production coating costs.
• Another advantage of the method of this invention is that unwetted metal powder may be reclaimed and recirculated to the powder coating step and less binder is required for the application of a porous metal layer of a given thickness.
• the liquid binder solutions of this invention comprise at least one high volatility component and at least one low volatility, high molecular weight component.
• One reason for this multi-component binder solution is that once the binder is applied to a metal substrate, the high volatility component keeps the low volatility component flexible until the metal powder layer is applied. When the metal powder contacts the binder layer the binder wets the metal powder and as the high volatility component evaporates for example at about ambient temperature the low volatility component retains the metal powder in a firm coating against the relatively smooth metal substrate to which the coating is being applied.
• the low volatility component can be characterized by:
• the resulting liquid binder solution when applied to a surface in a thin layer remains tacky. at about ambient temperature for at least about two minutes, and
• the low volatility component of the binder liquid solution must evaporate sufficiently at below the metal powder bonding temperature so as not to interfere with such metal bonding.
• the high volatility component is characterized by a boiling point at atmospheric pressure of not more than about 400 F.
• low volatility binder component materials useful in this invention comprise high molecular weight hydrocarbons such as isobutylene polymer having a molecular weight of at least about 90,000 such as commercially available Vistanex" (trade name), and styrenepolymers having a molecular weight at least about 35,000.
• suitable low volatility binder components would be acrylics having the characteristic of providing a thin tacky coating at about ambient temperature.
• Some high volatility binder solvent components useful in this invention are kerosene, mineral spirits and toluene. Choice of a solvent depends on the method of application of the binder and the powder coating thickness desired.
• liquid binder wherein the aforementioned isobutylene polymer is the low volatility component
• it should be diluted with a solvent of selected volatility and mixed in such proportion that the coated surface will remain tacky for a reasonable period of time after coating, for example, up to about ten minutes.
• the binder solution should be able to absorb considerable metal power reasonably quickly by the mechanism of the liquid flowing around the powder by capillary action. It is-desideration in determining liquid binder composition and coating thickness is that the liquid binder coating should not flow or slump downwardly appreciably on a vertically suspended surface.
• An important advantage of this invention is that by choosing a proper binder neither the binder coating nor the metal powder saturated binder coating will slump or otherwise translate with respect to the surface being coated.
• the binder coating thickness generally influences the quantity or thickness of metal powder which can be retained by it prior to the heating and metal bonding step.
• a sprayed binder coating of 2-40 mills thickness in general should be used followed by applying all the metal powder that the binder will absorb and retain. If an exceptionally thick porous metal surface is desired then a metal surface which has been coated with binder and metal powder can be recoated with binder and metal powder to increase the metal powder coating thickness prior to furnace heating.
• liquid binder high molecular weight, low volatility component is isobutylene polymer and the high volatility solvent component is kerosene with the two components mixed in equal parts by weight
• other dilution ratios and other solvents such as acetone, alcohol or toluene are suitable.
• two of the most common applications are on the inside and outside of metal tubing.
• Metal powders of various kinds such as copper, cupro-nickel, iron, steel and stainless steel may be used in this invention. Powder particle sizes ranging from about 30 to 500 mesh are generally useful. Coarser powder cannot be readily fluidized and transported for application and finer powders than 500 mesh and are not very useful for producing porous boiling surfaces by spraying. In producing porous boiling coatings for a particular boiling application, the first consideration is to select an appropriate metal powder mesh size range, inasmuch as the powder particle size range is dependent upon the physical properties of the fluid to be boiled.
• high surface tension fluids such as water boil most efiiciently with porous surfaces having relatively large pore sizes as provided by large metal particles, for example, 30-l00 mesh
• low surface tension fluids such as cryogenic liquids or fluorinated hydrocarbon refrigerants boil most efficiently with porous surfaces having relatively small pore sizes as provided by metal particles ranging from 200-400 mesh in size.
• the next consideration is the desired thickness of the bonded porous metal coating.
• Binder viscosity as determined by a paint viscosity gage having in. diameter orifice in bottom of 2 in.
• rous coating thickness will be only slightly less than the powder coating thickness existing before the bonding step.
• binder coating thickness is influenced mainly by the percentage of void in the metal powder mixture and the viscosity of the binder solution used. Powder mixtures having large percentage voids, i.e., relatively large particle sizes, will require somewhat more binder solution to wet and retain them than will powder mixtures having low void space. Binder solutions having low viscosity must be applied in thinner coatings to maintain uniform thickness and avoid running as compared with binder solutions having high viscosity.
• Viscosity of the binder solution is in turn determined by the quantity and characteristics of the solvent or solvents used with the low volatility binder component. Viscosity of the binder solution influences the rate at which the metal powder coating is wetted and its volatility influences the rate of evaporation of surplus solvent from the combined binder-metal powder coating.
• externally coated surfaces preferably use a relatively slowly evaporating high volatility component such as kerosene to keep the binder coating tacky for up to about ten minutes until it can be coated with metal powder.
• internally coated surfaces, such as tube passages preferably would employ faster evaporating high volatility components such as toluene so that the solvents can be removed quickly from such inner passages without the needfor special ventilation after the metal powder coating is applied.
• a reasonably constant ratio exits between the thickness of the binder liquid coating applied to a metal substrate and the thickness of metal powder applied to the binder coated metal substrate, such that the liquid will be saturated by the powder and retain substantially all the powder applied.
• the use of excess liquid binder as previously described compared to the quantity of metal powder applied causes the combined coating to be too wet and to run or slump away from vertically oriented surfaces during subsequent handling prior to furnace heating and porous surface bonding.
• Such a liquid binder powder thickness ratio can be experimentally
• a typical metal powder particle size distribution for an externally porous metal coated heat transfer tube is means the particles are larger than the screen mesh size listed. means particles are smaller than the screen mesh size.
• liquid binder solution to a substrate can be by dipping the substrate into the binder solution and letting excess binder solution drip free, or by pouring liquid binder solution over the substrate to be coated and again letting excess binder solution drip free, by brushing or by spraying liquid binder solution onto the substrate to be coated.
• spraying is preferred.
• electrostatic spray guns may be used and spraying can take place with the substrate to be coated in any orientation.
• Applying metal powder to the binder coated metal substrate can be accomplished by sprinkling. the powdered metal over a binder solution coated metal surface, by dipping a binder solution coated metal surface into a fluidized bed of metal powder or by spraying metal powder onto a binder solution coated metal substrate.
• Spraying is a preferred method of applying metal powder and electrostatic spraying has been found to give extremely uniform powder application especially in the case of spraying irregular surfaces.
• the voltage level of electrostatic spraying in general depends upon the characteristics of the material being sprayed, its density, electrical properties, etc. Because metal powders are electrically conductive and are heavy they require high voltages, that is, voltages ranging from about 42 to about 100 kv. DC.
• the advantage of electrostatic spray coating over other spray coating methods is the greater speed and uniformity of coating an article and more efficient use of coating materials because there is much less overspray and consequently smaller coating materials loss. Even with the advantages of electrostic spraying, a portion of sprayed metal powder still does not adhere to the article being sprayed and falls to the bottom of the powder spray station. Because this metal powder is valuable, collection means are preferably provided at the bottom of such spray station so that the powder can be recirculated to the spray gun.
• isobutylene polymer diluted with a high volatility solvent and a slightly lower volatile solvent for example, toluene, having a boiling point of 230 F, which facilitates atomizing the liquid binder for spraying and, mineral spirits, having a boiling point of about 325 F which helps the liquid binder coating remain tacky after spraying until it is contacted with the metal powder.
• a high volatility solvent and a slightly lower volatile solvent for example, toluene, having a boiling point of 230 F, which facilitates atomizing the liquid binder for spraying and, mineral spirits, having a boiling point of about 325 F which helps the liquid binder coating remain tacky after spraying until it is contacted with the metal powder.
• a slightly lower volatile solvent for example, toluene, having a boiling point of 230 F, which facilitates atomizing the liquid binder for spraying and, mineral spirits, having a boiling point of about 325 F which helps the liquid binder coating remain tacky after spraying until it is contacted with the metal powder.
• Heat exchanger tubes can be internally coated using the method of this invention by pouring liquid binder solution into the upper end of an inclined tube which rotates slowly, e.g., about ZORPM, to coat the binder reasonably evenly onto the inner wall and allowing the surplus binder liquid to drain out the lower end of such tube; thereafter rotating the tube slowly while introducing metal powder into the upper end and flowing the metal powder downwardly through the rotating tube so that the powder coats the binder uniformly and any surplus powder flows out the lower end of such tube. If such method is used a liquid binder comprising 35 percent isobutylene polymer and 65 percent toluene by weight should be suitable for most coating applications.
• FIG. I shows a spraying station 1 with a liquid binder spray booth 2 and a metal powder spray booth 3 having a conveyor 4 which transports vertically hung heat exchange tubes 5 consecutively past spray booth 2 and spray booth 3 within spray station 1.
• a sample transport speed would be about 1.5 ft/min.
• Liquid binder is stored in container 6 and pumped to spray gun 7 by means of pump 8.
• Metal powder is stored in container 9 and by means of compressed gas supplied through line 10 such metal powder is fluidized and is delivered to spray gun 11.
• Both spray guns 7 and 11 move vertically, e.g., at about 4 ft./sec., to rapidly longitudinally traverse the tubes 5 which tubes are rotated, e.g., at about 1-6 RPM, as they pass through station 1 by rotation means 12 as for example wheels which rotate as they engage track 13.
• the tubes should rotate at least about one half turn for each vertical traverse of the spray gun nozzles.
• a portion of the sprayed metal powder does not adhere to the tubes but falls to the bottom of booth 3. Because this metal powder is valuable, collection means 15 is provided and is attached to metal powder container 9 by reclaimed powder conduit 16. If desired, electrostatic spray equipment may be used in conjunction with spray guns 7 and l l to establish a strong electrostatic field between the spray guns and tubes 5. Such electrostatic field increases the percentage of powder contacting the tubes so that a more uniform powder coating is obtained especially when tubes having irregular surfaces are being coated and less surplus powder falls to the bottom of booth 3.
• Spray nozzles 7 and 11 are moved vertically along guides tracks 17 by chains 18 moved by sprockets l9 driven by electric motors 14.
• pneumatically or hydraulically operated devices could be used to move the spray guns vertically as required.
• FIG. 1 illustrates apparatus for spraying binder solution and metal powder onto a vertical surface
• spraying can with equal effect be done on horizontal surfaces.
• the spray nozzle could be located above the tubes which are rotated slowly while being conveyed past the spray nozzles.
• such physical arrangement would permit powder coating of the tubes by gravity if such method were desired or possibly by conveying the binder coated tubes through fluidized bed of metal powder.
• a second spray gun for spraying metal powder can be provided adjacent spray gun ll such that after tubes 5 are conveyed past gun 11 they move on past the second gun (not shown) and receive a second layer of metal powder.
• a second powder spray gun ensures that the liquid binder layer is saturated with metal powder.
• FIG. 2 shows another means by which liquid binder and metal powder can be applied to a metal surface prior to heat treatment to form porous boiling surfaces.
• heat exchange tubes 20 are conveyed by conveyor means (not shown) through a liquid binder bath 21 for dipping therein.
• the tubes would have plugged ends so that liquid binder coating is restricted to the external surface of the tubing.
• tubes 20 are elevated from the bath and allowed to drip excess binder back into the bath prior to continuing. Such draining takes place in region 22.
• tubes 20 are dipped in liquid binder and drained, they are passed under a powder metal shaker box 23 which deposits a layer of metal powder on the liquid binder coated tubes.
• tubes 20 To insure that the metal powder coating is uniform around the tubing it is desirable to rotate tubes 20 as they pass under shaker box 23. Tubes emerging from under shaker box 23 are thereafter allowed to evaporate the high volatility binder component and thereafter are heat treated as described in detail heretofore.
• the shaker box can be replaced by powder spray gun means if so desired.
• a method of coating metal substrates with a porous metal layer comprising the steps of:
• liquid binder solution consisting essentially of at least one high volatility solvent component and at least one low volatility component in a layer from 0.002 to 0.040 inch thick onto said metal substrate;
• liquid binder solution consists of by weight -50 percent isobutylene polymer, 50-85 percent kerosene.
• liquid binder solution consists of by weight 15-25 percent isobutylene polymer, 40-60 percent toluene, and 25-40 percent kerosene.
• liquid binder solution consists of 15 percent by weight isobutylene polymer and percent by weight kerosene and is applied in a thickness of 0.010 inch, and 200-400 mesh metal powder is applied onto the binder layer in quantity such that the final thickness of powder is 0.015 inch.
• a method according to claim 1 wherein said metal substrate to be porous metal coated is an internal tube surface, the liquid binder solution consists of 36 percent by weight isobutylene polymer and 64 percent by weight toluene and is applied in a thickness of 0.017 inch, and -270 mesh metal powder is applied onto the binder layer in quantity such that the final thickness of powder is 0.023 inch.

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Cited By (15)

Citations (11)

• 1970
  • 1970-05-15 US US00037649A patent/US3753757A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
• 1971
  • 1971-04-08 CA CA109,926,A patent/CA950282A/en not_active Expired
  • 1971-05-14 GB GB1491471*[A patent/GB1355833A/en not_active Expired
• 1973
  • 1973-05-14 IN IN1125/CAL/73A patent/IN139393B/en unknown

Patent Citations (11)

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