Performance of activated TIG process in austenitic stainless steel welds

Increasing the oxygen or the carbon dioxide concentration in the argon-based shielding gas leads to an increase in the weld metal oxygen content when the oxygen or carbon dioxide concentration is to be lower than 0.6 vol.% in the shielding gas. However, when the O2 or CO2 concentration is higher than 0.6 vol.% in the Ar-based shielding gas, the weld metal oxygen is maintained around 200 ppm–250 ppm. An inward Marangoni convection mode in the weld pool occurs when the weld metal oxygen content is more than 100 ppm. When it is lower than 100 ppm, the Marangoni convection would change to the outward direction and the weld shape varies from a deep narrow to a shallow wide shape. The effective ranges of O2 and CO2 concentrations for deep penetration are same. A heavy layer of oxides is formed when the O2 or CO2 concentration in the shielding gas is more than 0.6 vol.%. Based on the thermodynamic calculation of the equilibrium reactions of Fe, Si, Cr and Mn with oxygen in liquid iron for the oxide products, FeO, SiO2 ,C r 2O3 and MnO and the experimental oxygen content in the weld metal, Cr2O3 and SiO2 oxides are possibly formed at the periphery area of the liquid pool surface under the arc column during the welding process. One model is proposed to illustrate the role of the oxide layer on the Marangoni convection on the pool surface at elevated temperature. The heavy oxide layer inhibited the fluid flow induced by the Marangoni convection and also became a barrier for the oxygen absorption into the molten weld pool. © 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

http://www.jwri.osaka-u.ac.jp/~dpt9/MSE(2004)O2CO2.pdf

Marangoni convection and weld shape variations in Ar-O2 and Ar-CO2 shielded GTA welding

Study of the characteristics of duplex stainless steel activated tungsten inert gas welds

A new type of tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding has been developed, in which an ultra-deep penetration is obtained. In order to control the Marangoni convection induced by the surface tension gradient on the molten pool, He gas containing a small amount of oxidizing gas was used. The effect of the concentration Of O-2 and CO2 in the shielding gas on the weld shape was studied for the bead-on-plate TIG welding of SUS304 stainless under He-O-2 and He-CO2 mixed shielding gases. Because oxygen is a surface active element for stainless steel, the addition of oxygen to the molten pool can control the Marangoni convection from the outward to inward direction on the liquid pool surface. When the oxygen content in the liquid pool is over a critical value, around 70ppm, the weld shape suddenly changes from a wide shallow shape to a deep narrow shape due to the change in the direction of the Marangoni convection. Also, for He-based shielding gas, a high welding current will strengthen both the inward Marangoni convection on the pool surface and the inward electromagnetic convection in the liquid pool. Accordingly, at a welding speed of 0.75 mm/s, the welding current of 160 A and the electrode gap of I mm under the He-0.4%O-2 shielding, the depth/width ratio reaches 1.8, which is much larger for Ar-O-2 shielding gas (0.7). The effects of the welding parameters, such as welding speed and welding current were also systematically investigated. In addition. a double shielding gas method has been developed to prevent any consumption of the tungsten electrode. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

http://www.jwri.osaka-u.ac.jp/~dpt9/MSE(2008)HeAA-TIG.pdf

Development of an advanced A-TIG (AA-TIG) welding method by control of Marangoni convection

The purpose of the present work was to investigate the effect of oxide fluxes on weld morphology, arc voltage, mechanical properties, angular distortion and hot cracking susceptibility obtained with TIG welding, which applied to the welding of 5 mm thick austenitic stainless steel plates. A novel variant of the autogenous TIG welding process, oxide powders (Al2O3, Cr2O3, TiO2, SiO2 and CaO) was applied on a type 304 stainless steel through a thin layer of the flux to produce a bead on plate welds. The experimental results indicated that the increase in the penetration is significant with the use of Cr2O3, TiO2, and SiO2. A-TIG welding can increase the weld depth to bead-width ratio, and tends to reduce the angular distortion of the weldment. It was also found that A-TIG welding can increase the retained delta-ferrite content of stainless steel 304 welds and, in consequence, the hot-cracking susceptibility of as-welded is reduced. Physically constricting the plasma column and reducing the anode spot are the possible mechanism for the effect of certain flux on A-TIG penetration.

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Study of the Performance of Stainless Steel A-TIG Welds

Mechanisms by which active fluxes increase the penetration of conventional tungsten inert gas (TIG) welds (so called A-TIG welds) are reviewed. The most dominant mechanism for increased penetration is considered to be arc constriction rather than a change in the surface tension of the molten pool. An experimental programme of work was carried out using A-TIG flux in combination with a number of welding processes. The plasma process was investigated as it gives greater penetration than conventional TIG welding by increasing current density. The CO2 laser and electron beam processes which do not rely on a current carrying arc as the heat source for welding were also investigated. Macrosections taken from the welds made by these processes showed that the A-TIG flux was only effective when the weld pool was produced by an arc or plasma. Where there was no arc or plasma present, the flux had little effect.

W. Lucas

Papers

Investigation into arc constriction by active fluxes for tungsten inert gas welding