Computer simulation and experimental verification of welding in thin steel sheet containment

Thermal analysis of welding a thin steel sheet containment can around the modular coil winding pack of a Quasi-Poloidal Stellarator was performed. Welding causes distortions and thermal stresses to develop in the coil. Damage to the conductor coil nearest to the welding region would cause distortion of magnetic field produced by it, which would disrupt working of the stellarator. Computer weld models were developed and temperature response normalized with respect to ambient temperature was plotted at predefined locations on the cross-section of the coil. This study predicted that the maximum temperatures reached were less than the insulation melt temperatures. Independent studies using data from this study predicted that there is negligible distortion and stresses in the coil after welding. Experiments were also performed which confirmed no visual damage to conductor coil nearest to the weld zone and served to validate the computational models.