Timed Thermodynamic Process Model Applied to Submerged Arc Welding Modified by Aluminium-Assisted Metal Powder Alloying

An EERZ (effective equilibrium reaction zone) model was applied to the modified SAW (submerged arc welding) process to simulate the SAW process metallurgy in the gas-slag-metal reaction system. The SAW process was modified by adding Al as a de-oxidizer with alloying metal powders of Cr, Cu, and Ti. The static gas-slag-metal equilibrium model can accurately calculate the weld metal oxygen content (ppm O) for conventional SAW but not for the modified SAW process. The static equilibrium model overpredicts the reaction of Al. EERZ model runs were made for 2000–2500°C because this is the reported temperature range in the SAW arc cavity. The weld metal composition was adequately calculated, especially the weld metal ppm O, at the following effective equilibrium temperatures: 2400°C for Al-Cr additions, 2200°C for Al-Cr-Cu additions, and 2000°C for Al-Cr-Cu-Ti additions. Model results show that Ti metal powder can serve a de-oxidizer role in the presence of Al, resulting in Ti loss to the slag. Ti is also lost to the gas phase as TiF₃(g) and TiF₂(g) compared to little loss of Cr to the gas phase as Cr(g) and CrO to the slag phase.