Development of technology for electron beam welding of impellers of centrifugal pumps for ships and offshore structures operated in the Arctic

Abstract

Object and purpose of research. Centrifugal equipment is widely used in various sectors of industry. One of the main part of centrifugal equipment is the impeller. Application of impellers in shipbuilding is a promising field, in particular for fail-free operation in harsh Arctic environment. The purpose of this study is development of manufacturing processes for impellers involving electro-beam welding (EBW) without soldering alloys and final thermal treatment. Materials and methods. The main material chosen for the impeller is the high-strength cold-resistant steel. Main results. In the process of technology development, the impeller design was chosen. Welding conditions were optimized on mock-up samples modeling the T-joint of cover plate with vane. Sample tests and investigation were done. Conclusions were made regarding the follow-on work and EBW introduction. Conclusion. EBW technology for manufacturing of impellers was developed making it possible to fabricate impellers of high-strength cold resistant materials, including difficult-to-weld materials.

Keywords

• impeller
• electron-beam welding
• centrifugal pumps