Numerical simulation of nickel-based alloys’ welding transient stress using various cooling techniques

Abstract

Nickel-based alloys play an important role in the field of high-temperature alloys, which are widely used in nuclear reactors, aerospace and components of turbomachinery. However, the high susceptibility of welding hot crack is a main shortcoming to nickel-based alloys. One of the methods that reduce hot cracking susceptibility is by adjusting element constitution of weld metal and another method is by reducing transient stress. This article used finite element method to study the effect of cooling source on transient stress of the nickel-based alloy weld joint. The selection of appropriate cooling technique can decrease the peak of the transient von Mises stress and make the tensile stress turn into compressive stress, which is beneficial to reduce hot cracking susceptibility. The peak of the transient von Mises stress decreases as the cooling intensity increases from 0 to 15,000 W/m2 K, but increases if the cooling intensity is ineffective. When the distance between cooling source and heat source reaches 35 mm, the weld can get larger region of compressive stress. The peak of the transient von Mises stress decreases with increasing radius of cooling source and reaches minimum value at 12 mm. Combined cooling is more effective in reducing the peak of this stress than the conventional single trailing cooling source.

Keywords

• nickel-based alloys
• hot cracking susceptibility
• rapid cooling
• finite element method
• transient stress