THERMIT WELDING

THERMIT WELDING
THERMIT WELDING
 INTRODUCTION
• Aluminum has greater affinity to react with oxygen; it
reacts with ferric oxide to liberate pure iron and slag
of aluminum oxide.
• Aluminum oxide floats on top of molten metal pool in
the form of slag and pure iron (steel) settled below,
because of large difference in densities
• Thermit welding process is essentially a casting and
foundry process, where the metal obtained by the
Thermit reaction is poured into the refractory cavity
made around the joint.
 Steps involved in thermit welding
1. The two pieces of metal to be joined are properly cleaned
and the edge is prepared.
2. Then the wax is poured into the joint so that a wax pattern
is formed where the weld is to be obtained.
3. A moulding box is kept around the joint and refractory
sand is packed carefully around the wax pattern as shown
in Fig. 7.40, providing the necessary pouring basin, sprue,
and riser and gating system.
4. A bottom opening is provided to run off the molten wax.
The wax is melted through this opening which is also used
to preheat the joint. This makes it ready for welding.
 Steps involved in thermit welding
5. The Thermit is mixed in a crucible which is made of refractory
material that can withstand the extreme high heat and pressure,
produced during the chemical reaction.
6. The igniter (normally barium peroxide or magnesium) is placed on
top of the mixture and is lighted with a red hot metal rod or
magnesium ribbon.
7. The reaction takes about 30 seconds and highly super-heated
molten iron is allowed to flow into the prepared mould cavity
around the part to be welded.
8. The super-heated molten metal fuses the parent metal and
solidifies into a strong homogeneous weld.
9. The weld joint is allowed to cool slowly.
 APPLICATIONS
• Welding pipes
• Cables
• Conductors
• Shafts
• Broken machinery frames
• Rails
• Repair of large gear tooth.
 Advantages of Thermit Welding:

• No external power source is required (heat of

chemical reaction is utilized);
• Very large heavy section parts may be joined.
 Disadvantages
• Only ferrous (steel, chromium, nickel) parts
may be welded;
• Slow welding rate;
• High temperature process may cause
distortions and changes in Grain structure in
the weld region.
• Weld may contain gas (Hydrogen) and slag
contaminations.
 QUIZ QUESTIONS
1.Thermit, used in Thermit welding process is a
mixture of:
(A) Charcoal and Aluminium
(B) Aluminium and Iron oxide
(C) Charcoal and Iron oxide
(D) Charcoal, Aluminium and Iron oxide
 ANSWER
• (B) Aluminium and Iron oxide
 QUIZ QUESTIONS
• The temperature developed during a Thermit
welding process is of the order of
• (A) 1500°C
• (B) 2000°C
• (C) 3000°C
• (D) 4000°C
 ANSWER
• (C) 3000°C
 QUIZ QUESTIONS
2.In an iron thermit, how many moles of
aluminium reacts with three moles of iron
oxide to give nine moles of iron?
a) 6
b) 7
c) 8
d) 9
 ANSWER
• c) 8
 QUIZ QUESTIONS
3.In the given figure of thermit welding
apparatus, what does the question mark
represents which part?

a) Sand plug
b) Crucible
c) Wax pattern
d) Slag basin
 ANSWER
• b) Crucible
 QUIZ QUESTIONS
4.In the given figure of thermit welding
apparatus, what does the question mark
represents which part?
• a) Sand plug
b) Crucible
c) Wax pattern
d) Slag basin
 ANSWER
• d) Slag basin
 QUIZ QUESTIONS
5.In the given figure of thermit welding
apparatus, what does the question mark
represents which part?
• a) Riser
b) Workpiece
c) Runner
d) Wax pattern
 ANSWER
• d) Wax pattern