METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING METAL POWDER

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method and apparatus for manufacturing metal powder, capable of stably obtaining the metal powder suppressing the generation of coupling particles and satisfying a desired level.SOLUTION: A method for manufacturing metal powder comprises: the reduction step of contacting metal chloride gas with a reducing gas in a temperature range of a reduction reaction to form metal powder d; and the cooling step of contacting and mixing a gas including the metal powder d formed by the reduction step with a cooling gas to continuously cool the metal powder. The metal powder d formed by the reduction step is cooled at an average cooling rate of 10000°C/s or more from the temperature range of the reduction reaction to a temperature of 400°C or less in the cooling step. The apparatus for manufacturing the metal powder includes a reducing furnace for reducing the metal chloride gas to the metal powder by the reducing gas. The reducing furnace consists of a reduction part for performing the reduction reaction and a cooling part for cooling the formed metal powder. The cooling part includes a cooling gas spouting place for contacting a cooling gas flow with a gas flow including the metal powder at an angle of 120-180°. 【課題】連結粒子の発生を抑制し、所望のレベルを満たした金属粉末を安定して得ることができる金属粉末の製造方法および製造装置を提供する。【解決手段】金属塩化物ガスと還元性ガスを還元反応温度域において接触させて金属粉末ｄを生成させる還元工程と、還元工程で生成した金属粉末ｄを含むガスを冷却ガスと接触、及び混合させて連続的に冷却する冷却工程とを備え、還元工程で生成した金属粉末ｄを上記冷却工程において該還元反応温度域から４００℃以下の温度まで１００００℃／秒以上の平均冷却速度で冷却される金属粉末の製造方法。また、金属塩化物ガスを還元性ガスにより金属粉末に還元する還元炉を備えた金属粉末の製造装置であって、該還元炉は、該還元反応を行う還元部と、生成した金属粉末を冷却する冷却部からなり、該冷却部は冷却ガス流を該金属粉末を含むガス流に対して１２０〜１８０?の角度をなして接触させる冷却ガス噴き出し箇所を備える。【選択図】図２