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Numerical simulation on the nonaxisymmetry arc characteristics in narrow gap TIG welding: responses to welding parameters

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Abstract

Narrow gap TIG welding is a high efficiency and low-cost welding technique for heavy structures building. Due to the narrow groove’s constriction, the TIG arc characteristics are different from butt welding. Understanding the unique arc characteristics of narrow gap TIG welding is the foundation for investigating the heat and mass transfer, metallurgic process, as well as process design. This research conducted numerical simulation on the TIG arc plasma in the narrow groove. The effects of welding current and arc length on the arc characteristics are investigated. Results show that, with the welding current increasing, the global velocity magnitude of plasma rises. The evolution of axial velocity and radial velocity has different responses to the current changes. The arc pressure increases drastically, and the global temperature of arc plasma also goes up. With the arc length increasing, global axial velocity rises, but the axial velocity and its gradients decrease near the anode surface. Centripetal radial velocity near the cathode increases, while centrifugal radial velocity rises at the outside of arc plasma and drops near the central axis. The maximum arc pressure on the anode surface decreases. At the lower part of the arc, arc temperature decreases near the central axis and increases at the outside of the arc.

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Data availability

The raw/processed data required cannot be shared at this time as the data also forms part of an ongoing study.

Abbreviations

A x :

x component of the magnetic vector potential

A y :

y component of the magnetic vector potential

A z :

z component of the magnetic vector potential

A :

Magnetic vector potential

B x :

x component of the magnetic induction intensity

B y :

y component of the magnetic induction intensity

B z :

z component of the magnetic induction intensity

B :

Magnetic field strength

c p :

Specific heat

e :

Electron charge

F ex :

x component of extra volume forces

F ey :

y component of extra volume forces

F ez :

z component of extra volume forces

g :

Acceleration of gravity

j x :

x component of current density

j y :

y component of current density.

j z :

z component of current density

j e :

Electron current density

k :

Thermal conductivity

K B :

Stephen-Boltzmann constant

q a :

Additional heat flux on the anode surface

S φ :

Additional energy source term

T :

Temperature

t :

Time

U :

Radiation losses

u :

x component of the arc plasma velocity

v :

y component of the arc plasma velocity

w :

z component of the arc plasma velocity

ρ :

Mass density of arc plasma

σ :

Electric conductivity

μ 0 :

Permeability of the vacuum

ϕ a :

Work function

ε :

Emissivity of anode

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Funding

This work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [Grant Nos. 51905128 and 51775139]; China Postdoctoral Science Foundation funded project [Grant No. 2018M640296]; the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities [Grant No. HIT. NSRIF. 2020006].

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Advanced Welding and Joining, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, China

    Bolun Dong, Xiaoyu Cai, Sanbao Lin, Zhida Ni & Chenglei Fan

Authors
  1. Bolun Dong
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  2. Xiaoyu Cai
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  3. Sanbao Lin
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  4. Zhida Ni
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Contributions

Bolun Dong: Writing–Original draft preparation, Data Curation, Investigation, Visualization. Xiaoyu Cai: Writing–Reviewing and Editing, Conceptualization. Sanbao Lin: Methodology, Supervision, Funding acquisition. Zhida Ni: Investigation, Data Curation, Visualization. Chenglei Fan: Resources, Funding acquisition.

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Xiaoyu Cai or Sanbao Lin.

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The authors declare no competing interests. We declare that this work is original research has not been published previously, and not under consideration for publication elsewhere. The authors confirm: that the work described has not been published before; that it is not under consideration for publication elsewhere; that its publication has been approved by all co-authors; that its publication has been approved by the responsible authorities at the intitutuion where the work is carried out.The authors agree to pbulication in The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology.

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Dong, B., Cai, X., Lin, S. et al. Numerical simulation on the nonaxisymmetry arc characteristics in narrow gap TIG welding: responses to welding parameters. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 114, 2229–2242 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-021-06928-4

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