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Gas welding, Brazing and soldering
Gas welding
Usually refers to Oxy-Acetylene welding where the acetylene or
the fuel is burnt with the addition of Oxygen to obtain a high
temperature flame.
The flame temperature obtained with 1 part of fuel and 2 ½ part
of oxygen is around 3250 °C
The fuel and oxygen are fed through a torch in the ratio 1:1. The
remaining 1 ½ part of oxygen is taken from the surrounding air.
The reaction is
2 C₂H₂ + 5 O₂ → 2 H₂O + 4 CO₂ + heat (i.e. ∆H = 2518 kJ/mol)
Other fuel gases used are propane, natural gas, propylene, MAPP
(methylacetylene propadiene).
Advantages
Used widely for welding, cutting, repairs, brazing
and soldering.
Low cost of equipment
Readily available
Portable
Can be used in areas where electricity is not
available.
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Equipment:
Torches: The welding torch is used to mix O2 and fuel in the right proportions. The tips are
interchangeable and provide a variety of sizes to handle a wide range of metal thickness.
Acetylene cylinder pressure of 17 kg/cm2 (1.7 MPa). Dissolved in acetone which is
absorbed by porous material like asbestos, corn pitch, wood, charcoal, etc. When stored in
free state under pressure > 2.2 kg/cm2 (0.22 MPa), may dissociate by heat or shock
resulting in explosion.
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The acetylene valve is opened first; the gas lit with a spark lighter and
then the oxygen valve is opened and flame adjusted. To ensure correct
connections, all the threads on acetylene fittings are left handed while
those of the Oxygen are right handed.. Oxygen regulators are generally
painted green and acetylene regulator painted red.
Flames
Three distinct flames are Reducing or
carburizing, neutral, and oxidizing
Acetylene flame is long and bushy. As the
oxygen is turned on, the long flame reduces
in size and a feathery inner cone appears
producing a reducing flame.
When oxygen proportions is further
adjusted, the feathery white cone disappears
and a rounded inner cone and outer envelope
appears indicating a neutral flame
With further increase in Oxygen, the flame as
a whole grows smaller and inner cone is
reduced in size to produce an oxidizing flame.
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Carburizing Flame: Welding H.C
steels, hard facing and welding
nonferrous alloys like Ni and
Monel, silver brazing
Neutral flame: used for most
welding operations
Oxidizing Flame: Fusion welding
of Brass, Bronze. An oxidizing
flame used on steel will cause
the metal to foam and spark.
Advantages:
The gas flame is generally more easily controlled and is not piercing
as arc welding.
Extensively used for sheet metal fabrication and repairs
The gas mixture is very versatile. Can be used for heat treatment,
preheating, brazing, post heating, forming, flame cutting, etc.
The set up is portable and can be taken to any remote areas.
Disadvantages:
Process is very slow compared to arc welding
Harmful thermal effects are aggravated by prologed heat resulting in
grain growth, distortion loss of corrosion resistance. Etc.
Problem of safety during handling gases
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Brazing
Process of joining metals with nonferrous filler metals that has a
melting point below that of the base metals.
As per AWS, the melting point of filler metal will be above 427 oC
Below this temperatures, it is terms as solders.
The filler metal should wet the surface. i.e. molecular attraction
between the molten filler metal and base materials.
When heated to a proper temperature, the brazing materials will
flow in to the small clearances between the base metals by
capillary action
A limited amount of alloying may take place at elevated
temperatures resulting in a possible increase in strength.
The heat of brazing may be provided in different ways: Torch
brazing, Induction brazing, Furnace brazing, Dip brazing, paste
brazing, etc.
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Brazing filler materials
Divided into seven classifications
1. Silver
2. Copper
3. Copper-Zinc
4. Copper-Phosphorous
5. Aluminium -Silicon
6. Copper-gold
7. Magnesium
Brazing fluxes:
Purpose is to dissolve and absorb oxides that form during heating.
Fluxes are available in form of powder, paste or liquid.
Paste is most frequently used.
Advantages of Brazing
1. Dissimilar metals can be joined easily
2. Assemblies can be joined in a stress-free condition
3. Complex assemblies can be joined in several steps
4. Materials of different thickness can be joined easily
5. The brazed joint requires little or no finishing other than flux removal
Limitations
1. Joint strength is limited if strength is a factor
2. Joining is limited to sheet metals or relatively small assemblies
3. Cost of joint preparation may be high.
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Soldering
Process of joining two or more metal pieces by means of a fusible alloy called
solder, applied in molten state.
The temperature of soldering is very low . i.e. at temperatures below 427 oC
Solder alloys:
The four elements in solders are tin, Cadmium. Lead and Zinc.
Low melting point solders : Melting point between 190 oC and 313 oC
Intermediate solders: Melting point between 313 oC and 371 oC
High temperature solders: Melting point between 371 oC and 427 oC
Low meltingpoint solders are tin-lead or tin-antimony .
Lowest Melting point alloy is 62%Pb + 38% Sn (60-40 solder with MP 183 oC).
Sn-Pg-Sb solders are not used for brazing Al, Zn, Galvanized steel.
Sn-Zn or Zn-Al alloys is used for soldering Al.
50% Indium + 50% Tin (indium solder) is used for Cryogenic application.
