An apparatus and a method to produce powder from a wire by plasma atomization, and a powder produced by the same

An apparatus and a process for the production at high capacity of high purity powders from a large diameter wire or rod using a combination of plasma torches and induction heating are disclosed. The process provides a superior productivity, by incorporating a more effective inductive preheating system. A mechanism is also included in the apparatus, which allows adjusting the position of the plasma torches and their angle of attack with respect to the wire, which has a direct effect on the mechanical and thermal energy transfer from the plasma plume to the wire, allowing a fine control over the particle size distribution as well as the production capacity. Furthermore, varying the induction frequency allows for the optimization of the temperature profile inside the wire, which can be directly correlated to the resulting mean particle size.