Modelling of binary alloy (Al–Mg) anode evaporation in arc welding

Abstract

A simple analytical model of binary alloy anode evaporation in gas–tungsten arc and gas–metal arc welding is proposed. The model comprises the model of evaporation in convective and diffusive regimes, model of anode processes and allows one to calculate basic physical properties of multicomponent arc plasma near the anode surface as functions of the anode surface temperature, anode chemical composition, electron temperature and electric current density at the anode surface. Evaporation of binary Al–Mg alloys with different magnesium mass fraction into argon plasma is considered on the basis of the proposed model. The dependences of the alloy boiling temperature on the magnesium mass fraction and electron temperature are presented. Several physical parameters, which are important from the technological point of view (magnesium mass flux, heat loss due to evaporation, anode potential drop, anode heat flux), are calculated for a wide range of anode surface temperature and different values of the magnesium mass fraction. In addition, the influence of heat loss due to evaporation on the total heat flux coming to the anode surface is demonstrated.