Heat transfer in gas tungsten arc welding

The heat transferred from an electrode negative, argon gas tungsten arc to an anode has been measured for a wide range of conditions suitable for mechanized welding applications. The results are given as (1) the arc efficiency; and (2) the anode heat and current input distribution functional shapes and radii for various anode materials and groove shapes over a wide range of current and voltage, using different electrode geometries, as well as both He and Ar-He shielding gases. The nominal arc is Gaussian with a diameter of about 4 mm and a heat transfer efficiency to the anode of about 75%. Variations from these values are discussed in terms of current knowledge of the electrical and thermal energy transport mechanisms. A new method of measuring the heat transferred from the arc to the anode, using a boiling liquid nitrogen calorimeter, has been developed which gives rapid, accurate values.