Title: Numerical simulation of non-convex heat transfer of the weld pool surface during laser welding of titanium alloy

Authors: S.Y. Pang, L.L. Chen, J.X. Zhou, D.M. Liao, Y.J. Yin, T. Chen, A.Q. Duan

Addresses: State Key Laboratory of Materials Processing and Die and Mould Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Wuhan 430074, China. ' State Key Laboratory of Materials Processing and Die and Mould Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Wuhan 430074, China. ' State Key Laboratory of Materials Processing and Die and Mould Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Wuhan 430074, China. ' State Key Laboratory of Materials Processing and Die and Mould Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Wuhan 430074, China. ' State Key Laboratory of Materials Processing and Die and Mould Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Wuhan 430074, China. ' State Key Laboratory of Materials Processing and Die and Mould Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Wuhan 430074, China. ' National Key Laboratory of High Energy Density Beam Processing Technology, Beijing Aeronautical Manufacturing Technology Research Institute, Beijing 100024, China

Abstract: The coupled heat transfer and fluid flow behaviours during deep penetration laser welding of titanium alloy sheet were investigated with a coupled three-dimensional transient keyhole welding model and a high speed in situ CCD camera-based imaging system. An unusual small scale heat transfer phenomenon of the weld pool that the shape of some high temperature isothermal lines in the central part of top weld pool surface could be regularly concave towards to welding direction, was found by the theoretical modelling and high speed imaging experiments. It was shown that the occurrence of this phenomenon closely relates to the vigorously convective heat transfer of the weld pool.

Keywords: laser keyhole welding; titanium alloys; numerical simulation; weld pool surface; convective heat transfer; fluid flow; concave isothermal lines; CCD imaging; laser welding; high speed imaging.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMTM.2011.038716

International Journal of Manufacturing Technology and Management, 2011 Vol.22 No.2, pp.160 - 180

Published online: 27 Nov 2014 *

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