Segmented Carrier Gas Nozzle for Geometry-Adaptive Weld Shielding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods and carrier gas nozzles for supplying welding areas with protective gases or cooling fluids during welding processes consume high amounts of fluid, leading to increased costs and inefficiency, especially when working with oxidation-sensitive materials like alloyed steels, aluminum alloys, or titanium.
Innovation Solution
The method involves dividing the openings of the channels in the carrier gas nozzle into at least two sectors, allowing for individual control of flow parameters of the fluid in each sector based on the geometry of the welding path and/or the workpiece. This targeted control minimizes fluid consumption by ensuring only the necessary amount is used for protection and cooling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If carrier gas nozzles supply protective gas to the welding area, then the welding area is protected from air ingress and oxidation, but the consumption of protective gas increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gas nozzle is divided into multiple gas channels arranged in parallel, each channel independently supplying protective gas to specific zones of the welding area. This segmentation allows precise control of gas flow distribution, ensuring protection only where needed rather than uniform gas supply across the entire welding area, thereby reducing overall protective gas consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
Each gas channel is designed with specific flow characteristics and positioning to provide locally optimized protective gas coverage. The gas flow parameters (such as flow rate, velocity, and distribution pattern) are tailored for each channel based on the local welding conditions and geometry, ensuring efficient protection with minimal gas consumption in each zone.
2Loss of substance
If carrier gas nozzles use channels with sufficient height for laminar flow, then flow distribution is optimized and gas consumption is reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The nozzle is segmented into multiple parallel channels, each with optimized height dimensions (at least six times the hydraulic diameter) to ensure laminar flow. This segmentation approach allows each channel to be independently designed for optimal flow characteristics while maintaining overall system manageability through modular architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The gas channels serve multiple functions simultaneously: they distribute protective gas uniformly, maintain laminar flow conditions for efficient gas usage, and provide structural support for the nozzle assembly. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional components, thereby limiting complexity increase despite the sophisticated flow control requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
In a method and a carrier gas nozzle for allowing at least one fluid to flow over a welding area of a workpiece along a welding path during a welding process, the at least one fluid is flowed onto the welding area via at least one inlet and channels having openings. The openings of the channels are divided into at least two sectors, and at least one flow parameter, if need be also a property of the at least one fluid of each sector, is individually controlled, wherein at least one flow parameter of at least one fluid of at least one sector is controlled depending on the geometry of the welding path and/or depending on the geometry of the workpiece.