Experimental and 3D Numerical Simulation of In-Service AISI 304l Pipes by the Gtaw Process for Laminary Regime Using the Finite Volume Method

Abstract

The objective of this work is to present experimental and numerical results of the welding on in-service of AISI 304L pipes using the GTAW process. An experimental workbench was assembled and constructed with an AISI 304L stainless steel tube using water as a working fluid; temperature of the inner surface of the pipe, as well as the water flow rate, and the current and voltage of the welding process were acquired. Based on the information obtained with the experimental workbench and the microscopic analyses of the welding material, a numerical model was developed using the finite volume method to predict the thermal welding cycle and the heat-affected zone (HAZ). The welding energy was modeled as a movable Gaussian ellipsoid. The results obtained from the simulation were in good agreement with those obtained with the experimental workbench and therefore demonstrating that the proposed simulation can be used as a reliable tool for predicting the welding process on in-service stainless tubes.

Key-words:
Autogenous GTAW process; Welding process on in-service pipelines; AISI 304L tubes; Finite volume method