ATOMIC

HYDROGEN

WELDING

WHAT IS ATOMIC HYDROGEN WELDING ?

• Atomic hydrogen welding(AHW) is an arc weding process that uses an arc between two metal tungsten electrode in a shielding atmosphere of hydrogen.

• The process was invented by lrving langmuir in the course of his studies of atomic hydrogen.

•The electric arc efficiently breaks up the hydrogen molecules, which later recombine with tremendous release of heat, reaching temperatures from 3400 to 4000 °C.

• Without the arc, an oxyhydrogen torch can only reach 2800 °C.This is the third hottest flame after cynogen at 4525 °C and dicynoacetylene at 4987 °C.

process

• An acetylene torch merely reaches 3300 °C.

• This device may be called an atomic hydrogen torch, nascent hydrogen torch or Langmuir torch.

•The process was also known as arc-atom welding.

• The heat produced by this torch is sufficient to melt and weld tungsten (3422 °C), the most refractory metal.

• The presence of hydrogen also acts as a gas shield and protects metals from contamination by carbon,nitrogen, or oxygen, which can severely damage the properties of many metals.

• It eliminates the need of flux for this purpose.

• The arc is maintained independently of the workpiece or parts being welded.

• The hydrogen gas is normally diatomic (H2), but

where the temperatures are over 600 °C (1100 °F) near the arc, the hydrogen breaks down into its atomic form, simultaneously absorbing a large amount of heat from the arc.

• When the hydrogen strikes a relatively cold surface (i.e., the weld zone), it recombines into its diatomic form and rapidly releases the stored heat.

•The energy in AHW can be varied easily by changing the distance between the arc stream and the workpiece surface.

• This process is being replaced by shilded metal arc welding, mainly because of the availability of inexpensive inert gases.

• In atomic hydrogen welding, filler metal may or may not be used.

• In this process, the arc is maintained entirely independent of the work or parts being welded.

• The work is a part of the electrical circuit only to the extent that a portion of the arc comes in contact with the work, at which time a voltage exists between the work and each electrode

Advantages• Intense flame is obtained which can be concentrated at the joint. Hence, less distortion. • Welding is faster. • Work piece do not form a part of the electric circuit. Hence, problems like striking the arc and maintaining the arc column are eliminated. • Separate flux / shielding gas is not required. The hydrogen envelop itself prevents oxidation of the metal and the tungsten electrode. It also reduces the risk of nitrogen pick - up.

Disadvantages

• Cost of welding by this process is slightly higher than with the other process. • Welding is limited to flat positions only.

Applications

• Atomic hydrogen welding is used in those applications where rapid welding is necessary, as for stainless steels and other special alloys.