A
welding chamber having a laminar-vortex
inert gas flow is disclosed. The
welding chamber comprises a transparent dome that covers an open top side of a rigid generally rectanguloid
enclosure. The dome includes a one-way vent for discharging
ambient air from within the chamber while preventing the introduction of
ambient air into the chamber. The
enclosure includes a bottom and side walls that are joined at smooth, curved edges, and at least one side wall of the
enclosure includes portholes with gloves for manually accessing the interior of the chamber while the dome is in a closed position. At least one gas distribution tube, a plurality of gas inlets and laminar-flow tunnels are included. In use, an
inert gas is introduced into the distribution tube that substantially encircles the top of the enclosure. The
inert gas is directed downward through the laminar flow tunnels, attached to the side walls of the enclosure, where the gas exits each tunnel with a laminar flow and is directed by the radiused bottom corners of the enclosure from a vertical flow to a horizontal flow across the bottom of the enclosure. As such, the
inert gas creates a slow-moving counter-
clockwise vortex pattern. In this manner, heavier-than-air
argon gas fills the enclosure, displacing
ambient air within the chamber, which is forced to rise and exit the chamber through a
check valve vent in the top of the dome.