Oxy-Fuel gas Welding (OFW)

Heat source is the flame produced

by the combustion of a fuel gas
and oxygen.
Gas welding is widely used in
welding tubes and pipes
OFW has largely been replaced by
other processes but it is still
popular because of its portability
and the low capital investment.
Acetylene is the principal fuel gas
employed.
Commonly
referred
to
as
oxyacetylene welding

Oxy-Fuel system
2

Oxy-Fuel system

Oxygen is stored in a cylinder at a pressure

ranging from 13.8 MPa to 18.2 MPa .
Free acetylene is highly explosive,if stored at
apressure
more than 200 Kpa, where it
becomes unstable and likely to explode.
Due to high explosiveness of free acetylene it
is stored in a cylinder with 80-85% porous
material calcium silicate and then filled with
acetone which can absorb upto 420 times by
its volume at a pressure 1.75 MPa .
At the time of acetylene release if acetone

The chemical reaction between oxygen and acetylene

happens at two stages as given below.
C2H2 + O2 = 2CO + H2+ HEAT (448 KJ/mol)
The products of first reaction are combustible and
second reaction occurs as,
2CO + H2 + 1.5O2 = 2CO2 + H2O + Heat (812 KJ/mol)
When both oxygen and acetylene are mixed in ratio of
1:1
The first stage reaction is seen as the inner cone of the
flame (bright white colour), while the second stage
reaction is seen in the outer envelope (colorless but with
tinges ranging from blue to orange). The temperature is
very high at the inner core which is app. 3100C.

Gas Welding Procedure

5

1.

2.

3.

4.

Fuel gas and oxygen are mixed in the proper

proportions in a mixing chamber which may be
part of the welding tip assembly.
Melting of the base metal and a filler metal (if
used) by means of the flame produced at the tip
of a welding torch.
Molten metal from the plate edges and filler
metal (if used) intermix in a common molten
pool.
Upon cooling, they coalesce to form a continuous
piece.

Neutral Flame

If the ratio is about 1 : 1 to 1.15 : 1, all

reactions are carried to completion and a
neutral flame is produced.

Most welding is done with a neutral flame. It is

chemically neutral and neither oxidizes or
carburizes the metal being welded.

Neutral flame

Carburizing (Reducing) Flame

Excess fuel, on the other hand, produces a

carburizing flame.
The combustion of acetylene is incomplete.
Carburizing flame can carburize metal also.
The excess fuel decomposes to carbon and
hydrogen, and the flame temperature is not
as great (about 2900 oC).
Flames of this type are used in welding
Aluminum, Monel (a nickel-copper alloy), highcarbon steels, and some alloy steels, and for
applying some types of hard-facing material.

Oxidizing Flame

A higher ratio, such as 1.5 : 1, produces an

oxidizing flame, hotter than the neutral flame
(about 3300 oC) but similar in appearance.
Used when welding copper and copper alloys
but harmful when welding steel because the
excess oxygen reacts with the carbon,
decarburizing the region around the weld.

Flame Selection
Metal
Flame
MS
N
High carbon steel
R
Grey cast iron
N, slightly
oxidizing
Alloy steel

10

Gas Welding Advantages &

Advantages
Applications

Welder can exercise very good control over the

rate of heat input, the temperature of the weld
zone, and the oxidizing or reducing potential of
the welding atmosphere.
Weld bead size and shape and weld puddle
viscosity are also controlled in the welding
process because the filler metal is added
independently of the welding heat source.
Applications
OFW is ideally suited to the welding of thin
sheets, tubes, and small diameter pipe.
Repair welding.
Thick section welds, except for repair work, are
not economical.

11

Gas welding Techniques

* Forehand (left hand) - a head of the
completed weld
* Backhand ( Right hand) Directed
against the completed weld

National Institute of Technology, Warangal

Brazing

It is a joining process in which a filler metal is

melted and distributed by capillary action
between the faying (contact) surfaces of the
metal parts being joined.

Base material does not melt in brazing, only the

filler melts.

In brazing, the filler metal has a melting

temperature (liquidus) above 450C, but below
the melting point (solidus) of base metals to be
joined.

Advantages of brazing

Brazing can be used to join a large variety of dissimilar metals.

Pieces of different thickness can be easily joined by brazing

Thin-walled tubes & light gauge sheet metal assemblies not

joinable by welding can be joined by brazing.

Complex & multi-component assemblies can be economically

fabricated with the help of brazing.

Inaccessible joint areas which could not be welded by gas metal

or gas tungsten arc spot or seam welding can be formed by
brazing.

Filler materials used for brazing

SOLDERING
Soldering is similar to brazing and can be defined as a joining process in which a filler
metal with melting point (liquidus) not exceeding 450C is melted and distributed
by capillary action between the faying surfaces of the metal parts being joined.
As in brazing, no melting of the base metals occurs, but the filler metal wets and
combines with the base metal to form a metallurgical bond.
Filler metal, called Solder, is added to the joint, which distributes itself between the
closely fitting parts.

SOLDER: Alloys of Tin and Lead. Tin is chemically active at soldering

temperatures and promotes the wetting action required for successful
joining.

16

National Institute of Technology, Warangal

Gas Cutting

Gas-cutting is similar to gas welding except torch tip.

The drag lines show the characteristics of the
movement of the oxygen stream.
Drag is the amount by which the lower edge of the
drag line trails from the top edge.
Good cut means negligible drag.

Gas Cutting

Larger size orifice produces kerf width wider

and larger oxygen consumed.
At kindling temperature (about 870oC), iron
forms iron oxide.
Reaction:
3Fe + 2O2 Fe3O4 +6.67 MJ/kg of iron
The other reactions:
2Fe + O2 2FeO + 3.18 MJ/kg of iron
4Fe + 3O2 2Fe2O3 + 4.9 MJ/kg of iron

All exothermic reactions preheat the steel.

Gas Cutting

For complete oxidation 0.287 m3 oxygen/kg of

iron is required
Due to un-oxidized metal blown away the
actual requirement is much less.
Torch tip held vertically or slightly inclined in
the direction of travel.
The torch should be positioned above the
metal at a distance of about 1.5 to 3 mm.

Gas Cutting

If torch moved too rapidly, the bottom does

not get sufficient heat and produces large
drag so very rough and irregular-shaped-cut
edges.
If torch moved slowly a large amount of slag
is generated and produces irregular cut.

Gas Cutting

Gas cutting is more useful with thick plates.

For thin sheets (less than 3 mm thick) tip size

should be small. If small tips are not available
then the tip is inclined at an angle of 15 to 20
degrees.

Fig. Recommended torch position for

Gas Cutting

Gas cutting is more useful with thick plates.

For thin sheets (less than 3 mm thick) tip size

should be small. If small tips are not available
then the tip is inclined at an angle of 15 to 20
degrees.

Fig. Recommended torch position for

Application

Useful only for materials which readily get

oxidized and the oxides have lower melting
points than the metals.

Widely used for ferrous materials.

Cannot

be

used

for

aluminum,

bronze,

stainless steel and such metals since they

resist oxidation.

Difficulties

Metal temperature goes beyond lower critical

temperature and structural transformations
occur.
Final microstructure depends on cooling rate.
Steels with less than 0.3 % carbon cause no
problem.
For high carbon steel, material around the cut
should be preheated (about 250 to 300oC) and
post heat may also be necessary.
Cutting CI is difficult, since its melting temp. is
lower than iron oxide.
If chromium and nickel etc. are present in ferrous

Plasma Cutting

Uses ionized gas jet (plasma) to cut materials

resistant to oxy-fuel cutting,
High velocity electrons generated by the arc
impact gas molecules, and ionize them.
The ionized gas is forced through nozzle (upto
500 m/s), and the jet heats the metal, and
blasts the molten metal away.
More economical, more versatile and much
faster (5 to 8 times) than oxyfuel cutting,
produces narrow kerfs and smooth surfaces.