LAB SESSION NO 14
Experiment # 12:
Objective:
Investigate the effects of varying gas pressure on gas welded specimens.
Apparatus:
Acetylene cylinder.
Oxygen cylinder.
Torch.
Flux.
Work piece.
Filler material.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
Figure # 1 Apparatus for oxy-fuel welding
Related theory:
Gas welding:
Gas welding is the process in which a gas flame is used to raise the temperature of the
metals to be joined. The metals are heated up to melting. The metal flows and on
cooling it solidifies. A filler metal may be added to the flowing molten metal to fill up
cavity made during the end preparation. Many combinations of gases are used in gas
welding. But the most common of these is oxygen and acetylene.
Oxy-acetylene Welding:
The process of oxy-acetylene welding can be used for almost all metals and alloys for
engineering purposes. A high temperature flame (3200°C) can be produced by this
method. There are two systems of oxygen acetylene welding.
High Pressure System:
In this process the oxygen and acetylene are taken for use from high pressure
cylinders.
Low Pressure System:
In this system oxygen is taken from high pressure cylinder and the acetylene is
produced by the action of Calcium carbide and water.
CaC2 + 2H2O = Ca (OH)2 + C2H2
Fig # 2 complete gas welding diagram.
Cylinders:
Oxygen and acetylene are stored under pressure in a steel cylinder. They are seized by
the amount of oxygen or acetylene that they hold.
Cylinders should always be secured and used in the upright position. When a cylinder is
not being used the valve cap should always be in place.
Oxygen Cylinders:
These cylinders are made of steel and are usually painted green. They contain
compressed oxygen at presses that can be as high as 2200 PSI. All cylinders have
valves and are fitted with a screw-on steel cap that protects the cylinder valve when the
cylinder is not in use.
Acetylene Cylinders:
These cylinders contain acetylene under pressure are painted black made of steel and
have cylinder valves. The cylinders contain porous filler material, which is fitted with
acetone that allows the acetylene to be safely be contained in the cylinder at 250 PSI.
Acetylene should never be used at a pressure that exceeds 15 PSI as it becomes highly
unstable which depending upon the condition could cause it to decompose and explode.
Pressure Regulator:
Both oxygen and fuel gases are filled in the cylinder at high pressure. These gases
cannot use at this high pressure for welding works, so a pressure regulator is used
between the flow It supplies oxygen at a pressure of about 70 – 130 KN/m2 and gas at
7 – 103 KN/m2 to the welding torch.
Torches:
The torch assembly consists of the handle Oxygen and fuel gas valves and the mixing
chamber. Welding tips or cutting attachments with the handles can be used, for welding,
heating, and cutting operations. Oxygen and fuel gas flow through tubes inside the
handle which blend in the mixing chamber or tip. It is at the tip that the mixed gas is
ignited.
Goggles and Gloves:
These two Goggles and Gloves are used for safety purposes. Goggles protect the eyes
and Gloves protect the hand from radiation and flame of fire.
Types of Flames Used in Gas Welding:
Generally, there are three types of flames used in Gas Welding, and those are:
Neutral Flame
Oxidizing Flame
Carburizing or Reducing flame
Neutral Flame:
Welding is generally carried out using the neutral flame sitting which has equal
quantities of oxygen and acetylene.
Oxidizing Flame:
The oxidizing flame is obtained by just increasing the oxygen flow rate.
Carburizing or Reducing Flame:
The carburizing or reducing flame is achieved by increasing acetylene flow with oxygen
flow.
Because steel melts at a temperature of 1500 degrees centigrade the mixture of
Oxygen and acetylene is used as it is the only gas combination with enough heat to
weld Steel.
However, other gases such as propane hydrogen and coal gas can be used for joining
lower melting points of metals and for brazing and silver soldering.
Fig # 3 types of flames.
Working Principle of Gas Welding:
The figure # 2 shows all the equipment is set carefully and the gas cylinder and oxygen
cylinder are connected to the welding torch through pressure regulators.
A regulate pressure of gas and oxygen supplied to the torch where they properly mixed.
The flame is ignited by a striker. Take care the tip of a torch is pointing downward.
Now the flame is controlled through valves situated in the welding torch.
The flame is set at the natural flame or carburizing flame or oxidizing flame according to
the welding condition.
Now, the welding torch moved along the line where the joint was to be created.
This will melt the interface part and join them permanently
Advantages of Gas Welding:
Gas Welding has the following advantages:
Less is versatile
Adapted too many different jobs
Equipment is relative to low cost
Portable
Self-sufficient
Independent from the availability of external energy sources
Disadvantages of Gas Welding:
Here are some disadvantages of Gas Welding:
Welders skill required in manipulating the torch, the flame, and the filler rod.
The flux required for most materials compared to low carbon steel.
Reactive or refractory metals are unsuited to gas welding.
Applications of Gas Welding:
Gas welding used for:
For joining thin materials.
Joining most ferrous and nonferrous materials.
Used in automatic and aircraft industries and sheet metal fabrication.
So this is all about Gas Welding, I hope you like my article. I also wrote articles
on some other welding processes do check out those too.
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PROCEDURE:
Setup the acetylene cylinder and oxygen cylinder using key.
Setup the regulator to control pressure from the tanks to the required pressure
in the hose.
Setup the torch to produce the flame starting from acetylene valve and then to
the oxygen valve with ratio (1:1).
Prepare the metal (clean from dust, rust, oil, and grease, etc.) for welding.
Make weld joints with gas welding apparatus.
Figure 3 Gas Welded Samples
Hazards of oxy gas welding:
1. Illness due to the inhalation of the fumes or gases formed during experiment
2. Cylinders may be exploded if damaged
3. Keep cylinders free from sparks and out of spark zone
4. Never allow flames a torch to come in contact with the cylinders
5. Flame may occur due to carelessness
6. Eye damage
7. Hand injuries
8. Burns
Ranges of Gas pressures in Kg/Cm2:
Oxygen Pressure: 0 to 200
Acetylene Pressure: 0 to 3.5
Results:
Table 1 Observation and Calculations
Sr. No. Oxygen Pressure Acetylene Pressure
Conclusion:
Gas is used in a range of different ways. These include shielding the arc from
impurities like air, dust, and other gases; keeping welds clean on the underside
of the seam opposite the arc (or purging); and heating metal.
Chronic effects include lung problems such as emphysema. Welding in confined
spaces, and air displacement by shielding gas. Dizziness, mental confusion,
asphyxiation and death. Formed in the welding arc, especially during plasma-arc,
MIG and TIG processes.
Gas welding has a limitations such as: It is feasible to weld up to certain
thickness only i.e,it cannot achieve good penetration for thick metals making it
used to weld only thin metals and brazing processes. Requires highly skilled
welders. The speed of the welding process is slow compared to Arc welding.
The gas welding is very dangerous.
The gloves are necessary.
The blue flame is made by 50 % acetylene and50% oxygen gas to adjust them
carefully otherwise the flame go back to the cylinder.
In 45 degree of torch give better result than another angle.
Put the rod of metal when the pour is making in the material which is being weld.
