Numerical simulation of variable polarity vertical-up plasma arc welding process

Three-dimensional transient governing equations were developed based on conservation laws of energy, momentum and mass. These equations described physical phenomena of convection in weld pool and heat transfer in workpiece during variable polarity vertical-up plasma arc welding process. Boundary conditions for the developed governing equations were given. Welding energy input for variable polarity vertical-up plasma arc welding process was quantitatively expressed. Free surface deformation of the keyhole molten pool was coupled into calculation. Effect of wire filling on the geometry of molten pool and weld reinforcement was considered in the simulation. Correlations of temperature and thermophysical properties for aluminum alloy 2219 were quantitatively established. A control volume based finite difference method was used to solve the discrete governing equations. Moreover, dynamic evolutions of geometrical profile, dimension and fluid flow for the molten pool and keyhole were simulated through the developed computational routines, which achieved transient solution of fluid flow field coupling with thermophysical properties, temperature field and weld pool free surface deformation. Besides, the effect of the workpiece thickness on the moments of keyhole formation and stable keyhole establishment was analyzed, and thermal cycles for the main welding stage were calculated. In addition, experiments via variable polarity vertical-up plasma arc welding technique were conducted, and the established models were experimentally verified through weld cross-section profiles.