Orbital Welding Head Oxygen Sensing via Optical Coupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing orbital welding devices face issues with oxygen sensor damage due to heat during the welding process when placed within the housing, and external suction devices cause measurement delays.
Innovation Solution
An orbital welding device with an optical oxygen sensor positioned outside the shielding gas chamber, using optical coupling via optical fibers to measure oxygen concentration, ensuring protection and delay-free measurement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the oxygen sensor is arranged within the housing forming a chamber for shielding gas, then the measurement of oxygen concentration is direct and rapid, but the oxygen sensor can be damaged on account of the heat of the welding process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses optical waveguides (optical fibers) as intermediaries to transmit light between the measurement region inside the chamber and the oxygen sensor outside the chamber. This mediator allows the sensor to remain protected from heat while still measuring oxygen concentration through optical coupling, resolving the contradiction between direct measurement and sensor protection
2Reliability
If the oxygen sensor is arranged outside the housing, then the sensor is protected from heat damage, but the provision of a suction device is laborious and results in a measurement delay
Solution Approach 1:
The optical waveguide acts as a mediator that eliminates the need for mechanical suction devices. Light transmitted through the waveguide enables direct optical measurement without requiring gas sampling mechanisms, thus protecting the sensor while avoiding measurement delays associated with suction systems
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical suction device with an optical measurement system. Instead of using mechanical means to extract and analyze gas samples, the invention uses optical coupling to measure oxygen concentration in situ, eliminating mechanical complexity and measurement delays
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution protects the oxygen sensor from heat damage and enables rapid, reliable oxygen concentration measurement without measurement delays, allowing for efficient welding processes.
Implementation Method 1
the oxygen sensor, preferably a light-sensitive area, e.g. of a photodiode, of the oxygen sensor, is optically coupled to the measuring region by means of an optical coupling
Implementation Method 2
the oxygen sensor, preferably a light-sensitive area, e.g. of a photodiode
Data Source
AI summary
An orbital welding device (1), having a welding current source (10) in a welding current source housing (11) and an orbital welding head (20), which is separate from the welding current source housing (11) and is connected to the welding current source (10) by a cable (2), the orbital welding head (20) having a pipe mount (21) and a welding electrode holder (22) for holding a welding electrode (23). An electric motor (31) is designed to drive the welding electrode holder (22) and thus turn it with respect to the pipe mount (21). The orbital welding head (20) has a chamber (50) for shielding gas. An optical oxygen sensor (40) is designed to measure an oxygen concentration in a measuring region (51) in the chamber (50). The oxygen sensor (40) is arranged outside the chamber (50) and is optically coupled to the measuring region (51) by an optical coupling.