NARROW GAP TIG WELDING

AND DEVELOPMENT OF FILLER

WIRES OF RAFMS FOR
WELDING

VIJAYAN M G
 Background
• RAFM steels are the candidate structural
materials for TBM to be installed in the ITER
Fusion Reactor.
• RAFM steels have a chemical composition
similar to modified 9Cr-1Mo steel.
• Mo and Nb that produce long living
radioactive isotopes in the reactor
environment are replaced with W and Ta.
• Temperature window for use of these steels
are presently about 350–550°C
• Lower value being limited by irradiation-
induced embitterment effects
• Upper value by a strong reduction in
mechanical strength.
 Objectives
• To develop and qualify procedures for
joining of various components of TBM
using RAFM steel
– Narrow Gap TIG
– Laser
– Electron Beam
– Hybrid Laser
– Diffusion bonding
• To develop consumables for NG-TIG and
hybrid laser
• To choose suitable joining process based
on
Requirements of Weld Joints in
TBM Fabrication
• Microstructure of the joint shall be
resistant to the effects of neutron
irradiation in the temperature range of
350-550°C
– No significant shift in Ductile Brittle Transistion
Temperature
• Joint should possess required strength,
fracture toughness, creep and fatigue
resistance to ensure adequate structural
stability throughout the service
• Fusion welds on the first wall facing
plasma is not acceptable
 Other Considerations in the
Choice of the Welding Process
• Minimize the size of the fused metal
zone and heat affected zone in the
fabricated components
• Minimum distortion and low residual
stress in the weld
• Minimize the use of edge preparation
and filler wires
• Suitable for the joint configuration
and assembly sequence chosen
 TIG
• Arc welding process, uses a
nonconsumable tungsten electrode
to produce the weld.
• Weld area is protected from
atmospheric contamination by an
inert gas and a filler metal is
normally used
• Autogenous welds do not require FM
• Most commonly used to weld thin
sections of SS and light metals
 NG-TIG
• NG-TIG is an advanced technique for
higher productivity in the manufacture of
thick-walled components
• Developed to achieve similar corrosion
and fatigue properties for both weld and
base metals without porosity or inclusions
• Electrode will be oscillated in the narrow
groove by twisting the torch tip in which
the tungsten electrode tilted and the pulse
energizes and preheats the filler wire prior
to its contact the weld puddle.
 NG-TIG
• Excellent mechanical properties-
comparable to BM
• Ensures high weld quality and high
efficiency
• Volume of weld metal deposited and total
heat input teo the weld are lower than in
conventional TIG
• Results in a favorable residual stress
profile in the HAZ
• NG-TIG technique is considered for the
fabrication of the various components of
TBM especially in site welding where other
joining techniques cannot used.
– For PFBR steam generator fabrication this
Schematic of hot wire NG-TIG

• Oscillation of the
torch tip to
ensure side wall
fusion

• Avoiding use of
SMAW
process, which
has low
weld metal
 TIG (Eurofer)

TIG JOINT DESIGN FOR HORIZONTAL/VERTICAL STIFFEENING PLATES

 TIG (Eurofer)
• FZ: Equiaxed
grains of
martensite
laths
• No δ ferrite
• G/size 40-100µ
• No defects likeCross Section view of TIG weld
cracks and
inclusions
 Improvisations in TIG Welding –
Penetration Enhancing Flux Assisted
(PEFA) TIG Welding (Patented)
• PEFA-TIG flux developed
for single-pass autogenous
welding
– Weld bead penetration
of upto 12 mm
achieved
• Specific Advantages
– Upto 50% in welding
Diffused arc in Constricted arc costs
Normal-TIG in PEFA-TIG in bevel
preparation
in no. of weld
m
m
12

passes
in welding times
Weld bead shape Weld bead shape in filler wire
in Normal TIG in PEFA-TIG consumption
 Distortion
in heat input
•
Multi-pass TIG Vs. PEFA-TIG
 PEFA-TIG Welded
9 mm thick 316LN SS Square-Butt Joint

Top face Bottom face

PEFA-TIG Welding
Implemented
at CWD/IGCAR
 TIG – Comparison with
other Processes
• HAZ width is high • Suitable for site
-3mm welding
• Distortion noticed • All position
• Filler addition is welding
required for more
than 3mm • Wide experience is
thickness available
• Preheating and
post heating
generally
employed
• Residual stress
would be high
• Very low welding
Concerns with respect to Joint
Design and Assembly
Sequence
 Other Concerns with
respect to Joining
• Use of preheating and post heating
• Post Weld Heat Treatment (730-
760/2h)
– It is essential, but extreme care shall be
taken to ensure dimensional stability of
the components and cooling channels
• For hybrid welding, solid state laser
welding machine with fiber delivery
may be required
• Dissimilar welds involving RAFMS and
316L will have microstructure and
 Development of RAFMS
Filler Wires
Requirements:
• Sound structural welds
• Free from cracks
• High joint efficiency
• Low pore levels
• Amenable to automation
– in a spool form for both NG-TIG & Hybrid
Laser welding
 Characterisation
Required Tests:
• Chemical Composition
• Soundness as per AWS SFA 5.28
• Mechanical Property
• All Weld Tensile at RT and at 550°C
• DBTT <-45°C
 Chemical Composition
Elements Wt.% Elements Wt.%
Cr 8.8-9.2 W 0.9-1.1
C 0.10-0.12 Ta 0.06-
Mn 0.4-0.6 N 0.08
0.02-
V 0.18-0.24 O 0.04
<0.01
Nb <0.001 Ni <0.005
Mo <0.002 Cu <0.002
Co <0.005 P <0.002
Si <0.05 S <0.002
Al <0.005 As+Sn+Sb+ <0.03
Zr
 Mechanical Properties (RT)
Tensile BM BM WM WM
Property Eurofer IGCAR Eurofer IGCAR
UTS - MPa *660 640- *925 660
680
YS - MPa 560 540- 835 560
580
Elongation 18 20 15 15
%
Reduction 80 To be To be
in Area % report report
ed ed
* Achieved
Mechanical Properties (550°C)
Tensile BM BM WM WM
Property Eurofer IGCAR Eurofer IGCAR
UTS - MPa *410 400- *680 420
440
YS - MPa 380 385- 555 390
400
Elongation 22 22
% To be To be
Reduction 90 report 78 report
in Area % ed ed
* Achieved
 DBTT
• WM <-45°C
• BM <-70°C
• EUROFER
• Below RT <-50°C
(for both BM&WM)
 Summary
• It is possible to develop welding procedure to
produce defect free welds of RAFMS using any of
the processes considered for TBM fabrication.
• Indigenous development of filler wire is feasible
and M/s MIDHANI has the technology for melting
and wire drawing
• Challenge would be actual fabrication
– Joint design
– Assembly sequence
– PWHT
– Distortion
• Mock up trails shall be carried out for actual joint
configuration and fabrication procedure
established before component fabrication is taken
up (including heat treatment)
• Weld joints needs to be characterised in detail for
dissimilar joints involving austenitic stainless
THANK YOU