arc welding is a process that is used to join metal to metal by using electricity to create enough heat to melt metal , and the melted metals when cool result in a binding of the metals .

it is a type of welding that uses a welding power supply to create an electric arc between an electrode and the base material to melt the metals at the welding point .

they can use either direct ( dc ) or alternating ( ac ) current , and consumable or non-consumable electrodes .

the welding region is usually protected by some type of shielding gas , vapor , or slag .

arc welding processes may be manual , semi-automatic , or fully automated .

first developed in the late part of the 19th century , arc welding became commercially important in shipbuilding during the second world war .

today it remains an important process for the fabrication of steel structures and vehicles .

arc welding

shielded metal arc welding . gas metal arc welding . flux‑cored arc welding . electrogas welding . submerged arc welding .
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in arc welding , the dilution generally increased with increase in welding current and welding speed .
arc welding : arc welding is joining or cutting metals by generating heat from electric arc that extends between the welding electrode and the electrode placed on the equipment being welded .
figure 3 : submerged arc welding with a hopper leading three arc nozzles . ( source : wikipedia )
robotworx offers both new and used arc welding and pulsed arc welding robot application options . the used arc welding robots have been completely reconditioned and are sold at a reduced price . regardless if you buy a new or reconditioned arc welding robot , there are many benefits of arc welding automation over manual welders .
problems with manual welding : weld joint quality . productivity . arc time = ( time arc is on ) divided by ( hours worked ) - also called “arc - on time” . manual welding arc time = 20 % . machine welding arc time ~ 50 % .
electric arc welding equipment . ( find out more about the potential effects on pacemakers following the use of arc welding equipment ) .
gage invented plasma arc welding in 1957 . this process uses a constricted arc or an arc through an orifice , which creates an arc plasma that has a higher temperature than the tungsten arc . it is also used for metal spraying and for cutting .
if your amperage is too low , your electrode will be especially sticky when striking an arc , your arc will keep going out while maintaining the correct arc length or the arc will stutter .
there are many variations of solid - state welding , including ultrasonic welding , explosion welding , friction welding ( including friction stir welding ) , magnetic pulse welding , co - extrusion welding , cold welding , diffusion bonding , exothermic welding , high - frequency welding , hot pressure welding , induction welding , and roll welding .
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in addition to arc welding , there are a number of other welding methods that we’ll quickly through below .
this weld is a result of too little current . if you’re welding with amperage set too low , your electrode will be especially sticky when striking an arc , the arc will keep going out while maintaining the correct arc length or the arc will stutter .
in just about every industry , big or little , welding is used as a principal means of the fabrication and repair processes for practically any application . robotic welding includes processes like arc welding , mig welding , tig welding , laser welding and spot welding .
different hazards occur before welding commences , during welding and sometimes after welding has finished .
• submerged arc welding : in this welding process , the arc is sparked and maintained under a blanket of granulated flux which is laid on the weld joint before the arc strikes the joint . follow the figure to understand it further .
the james f . lincoln arc welding foundation is a non - profit organization in the united states dedicated to disseminating arc welding information and educating students of all levels on the art and science of arc welding . whether you’re a high school or post - secondary student , instructor or welding professional , continual education plays an essential role in professional development and elevating the skill of arc welding .
a wide range of filter glasses for welding helmets , screens and goggles are available for both gas and arc welding . one of the most common ways a welder can catch arc eye is by initiating the arc before having the welding helmet in place over the eyes .
a rotor - generator type arc welding machine must have a power ground on the machine .
used mostly on ferrous steel and nickel - based alloys , submerged arc welding is a rather common arc welding technique due to its minimal emissions of welding fumes and arc lights , making it safer than most welding processes . saw results in deep weld penetration , and involves minimal preparation , making it a quick and efficient form of welding .
welding jacket : welding jackets that are flame retardant protect against burn and other injury associated with electric arc flash and fire .
different welding materials have different arc welding safety standards as issued by osha . check the label of all materials before using .
local exhaust : mechanical device that captures welding fumes near or at the arc . the device removes the fumes or contaminants . specific types of arc welding safety ventilation options are described here .
arc welding utilizes an electric arc between an electrode and a metal base using either consumable or non - consumable electrodes . an arc welding robot uses a process which applies intense heat to metal at a joint , causing the metal to melt and intermix .
don ' t waste any more time , robotworx is ready to find you the perfect arc welding automation system . we have over 25 years of experience , especially with arc welding automation . we have many different new and used arc welding robots and workcells in stock ready for integration .
our range of programmable pulsed arc power supplies are linear - based precision arc - welding units capable of producing repeatable and accurate current pulses , ideal for welding coils , terminals and coated wires .
consumable – consumed during welding process . source of filler metal in arc welding . nonconsumable – not consumed during welding process . filler metal must be added separately .
the present invention relates to a consumable multiple electrode arc welding method for welding by feeding two or more wires in a torch and , in particular , to a welding control method for controlling the welding of a welding termination part .
fig . 2 is a view of the embodiment 1 of a consumable electrode arc welding method , showing a stage where its welding operation reaches a welding termination position .
29 . 5 electrodes in arc welding are divided into two categories . name and define the two types
fire and explosions the welding arc creates extreme temperatures , and may pose a significant fire and explosions hazard if safe practices are not followed . while the welding arc may reach temperatures of 10 , 000 degrees fahrenheit , the real danger is not from the arc itself , but rather the intense near the arc and the heat , sparks and spatter created by the arc . this spatter can reach up to 35 feet away from the welding space .
looking directly at a welding arc even for a short time causes arc eye where the uv from the arc burns the cornea . expect to be awake all night with the sensation that someone is sticking pins in your eye . also warn others in the area not to look at the arc and keep the welding area screened from public view .
the tig welding processes , like all others , generates noise , although it tends to be the quietest of the major arc welding processes .
edmund davy of england is credited with the discovery of acetylene in 1836 . the production of an arc between two carbon electrodes using a battery is credited to sir humphry davy in 1800 . in the mid - nineteenth century , the electric generator was invented and arc lighting became popular . during the late 1800s , gas welding and cutting was developed . arc welding with the carbon arc and metal arc was developed and resistance welding became a practical joining process .
gas shielded arc welding processes use a blanket of a gas , instead of flux , to provide insulation to the arc against the ambient environment . they are used extensively in shipyards to welding the comparatively lighter structures .
ordinary household voltage ( 115 v ) is higher than the output voltage of a conventional arc welding machine .
inhalation exposure of gas - metal arc stainless steel welding fume increased atherosclerotic lesions in apolipoprotein e knockout mice .
the foregoing description is the description of the example corresponding to the welding control method for controlling the welding of the consumable multiple electrode arc welding termination portion according to the present embodiment .
the wrong and right ways to carry out arc welding processes are shown schematically in the figure at the end of this page . regarding safe welding practices , the principal hazards are associated with electric shock and arc radiation .
fig . 1 is a view of an embodiment 1 of a consumable electrode arc welding method , showing a stage before reaching a welding termination position .
fig . 3 is a view of the embodiment 1 of a consumable electrode arc welding method , showing a first stage of a method for controlling the welding of a welding termination portion .
fig . 4 is a view of the embodiment 1 of a consumable electrode arc welding method , showing a second stage of a method for controlling the welding of a welding termination portion .
5 . a consumable electrode arc welding method as set forth in claim 4 , wherein , in the second and third steps , a crater processing welding for filling in a crater formed in a welding termination portion is executed under the welding termination time welding condition .
thus , conventionally , for example , in a tandem welding method which is one of consumable multiple electrode arc welding methods , there has been proposed a welding operation to be executed in the welding termination portion for filling such crater in . for instance , according to the jp - a - 2002 - 361413 publication , there is disclosed a method in which , when a welding operation reaches a welding termination position , after the arc generation of a consumable electrode preceding in the welding proceeding direction is terminated , while keeping the arc generation of a consumable electrode following in the welding proceeding direction , the welding operation in the welding proceeding direction is continued for welding the welding termination portion . also , in the jp - a - 2002 - 361414 publication , when a welding operation reaches a welding termination position , after the arc generation of a consumable electrode following in a welding proceeding direction is terminated , while keeping the arc generation of a consumable electrode preceding in the welding proceeding direction , the torch is moved back in the opposite direction to the welding preceding direction for welding .
arc welding tends to be used for thick metal at high amps , so the light generated by the arc is very bright . any exposed skin will become sunburned quickly so overalls and welding gauntlets ( gloves ) are a must .
4 . a consumable electrode arc welding method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein , in the second and third steps , using the wire specified in the torch , welding is executed under a welding termination time welding condition different from a welding condition used until then .
- radiation is only generated while the arc is generated and the amount emitted generally increases as the welding current increases .
1881 : at the first international exposition of electricity in paris , the russian nikolai benardos was the first to present the arc welding method by creating an arc between a coal electrode and a workpiece .
h . m . hobart and p . k . devers were doing similar work but using atmospheres of argon and helium . in their patents applied for in 1926 , arc welding utilizing gas supplied around the arc was a forerunner of the gas tungsten arc welding process . they also showed welding with a concentric nozzle and with the electrode being fed as a wire through the nozzle . this was the forerunner of the gas metal arc welding process . these processes were developed much later .
personal protective equipment ( ppe ) helps keep welding operators free from injury , such as burns – the most common welding injury – and exposure to arc rays .
as a consumable electrode arc welding method for welding by feeding a wire in a torch , conventionally , there has been used a consumable single electrode arc welding method for welding by feeding a single wire in a torch . also , recently , there has been also used a consumable multiple electrode arc welding method for welding by feeding two or more wires in a torch . especially , in recent years , the consumable multiple electrode arc welding method has been applied to an automatic can manufacturing process , that is , because of its high deposition metal welding , it has been used as one of production efficiency enhancing means . here , the term “high deposition metal welding” means the welding that forms molten deposition metal with high efficiency .
when welding inside vessels made of reflective metal or alloy , for example , aluminium or stainless steel , the problems presented by glare and uv radiation can intensify . the risk of getting arc burns to the skin or ' arc eye ' or arc flash due to reflected radiation increases .
thanks to their slim arm and hollow wrist design , fanuc arc welding robots can access the narrowest of spaces and are capable of handling extremely high payloads . fanuc’s robots are the product of years of experience in robotics and arc welding . they are suitable for a wide range of industrial arc welding applications such as laser welding , soldering and cutting . different models are available to meet a variety of demands and all come with a variety of tools to increase their versatility and help make your arc welding processes safer and more efficient .
the main hazards from mig welding are electrical , arc radiation , and welding fumes . other hazards include inert gas , noise , heat , and fire . welding fumes include both gaseous and particulate types .
khrenov also found ways to enhance gas - pressure welding , plasma - arc cutting and cold welding . beyond his research and new welding technology developments , he also taught at three other universities besides etu .
it is an important arc welding safety consideration that the machines be connected to the proper phase and have the same polarity .
particulate fume is mostly formed from vapourisation of the welding consumable in processes where the consumable is transferred across an electric arc .
arc welding involves the use of a power supply and electrodes in order to form a welding arc between the electrode and the material being welded ( usually metal ) , in order to melt the materials , allowing them to cool and fuse together . this method is probably the most popular type of welding process since it includes many of the most popular types of welding , such as mig , tig , and stick welding . arc welding is divided into consumable and non - consumable electrode methods .
in view of the above , it is an object of the invention to provide a welding method which can prevent the occurrence of the wire deposited states of all welding wires in the welding termination time in the consumable multiple electrode arc welding method .
arc shielding is an important aspect of all arc welding processes . in order to prevent oxidation the fused metal , the arc is shielded from the ambient air , and contact with oxygen and water vapour are cut off . the two mostly used shielding techniques used by shipyards are as follows :
202 , 205 : step of setting a welding termination time welding condition different from a normal welding condition used until then .
302 , 305 : step of setting a welding termination time welding condition different from a normal welding condition used until then .
cumulative damage risks all of the most common types of welding ( shielded metal - arc or stick welding , gas metal - arc welding , and oxyacetylene welding ) produce potentially harmful ultraviolet , infrared , and visible spectrum radiation . damage from ultraviolet light can occur very quickly . normally absorbed in the cornea and lens of the eye , ultraviolet radiation ( uvr ) often causes arc eye or arc flash , a very painful but seldom permanent injury that is characterized by eye swelling , tearing , and pain .
in 1953 , lyubavskii and novoshilov announced the use of welding with consumable electrodes in an atmosphere of co2 gas . the co2 welding process immediately gained favor since it utilized equipment developed for inert gas metal arc welding , but could now be used for economically welding steels . the co2 arc is a hot arc and the larger electrode wires required fairly high currents . the process became widely used with the introduction of smaller - diameter electrode wires and refined power supplies . this development was the short - circuit arc variation which was known as micro - wire® , short - arc , and dip transfer welding , all of which appeared late in 1958 and early in 1959 . this variation allowed all - position welding on thin materials and soon became the most popular of the gas metal arc welding process variations .
shielded metal arc welding ( smaw ) , also known as manual metal arc ( mma ) welding , flux shielded arc welding or informally as stick welding , is a manual arc welding process that uses a consumable electrode coated in flux to lay the weld . an electric current , in the form of either alternating current or direct current from a welding power supply , is used to form an electric arc between the electrode and the metals to be joined . as the weld is laid , the flux coating of the electrode disintegrates , giving off vapors that serve as a shielding gas and providing a layer of slag , both of which protect the weld area from atmospheric contamination .
weld overlay can be produced with a number of arc welding processes . manual metal arc ( mma ) welding , submerged arc welding ( saw ) both with wire and strip , metal inert / active gas ( mig / mag ) welding , and tungsten inert gas ( tig ) welding ( hot wire and cold wire ) processes are commonly employed . improved process control has been achieved in new generation mig welding equipments through digital control giving the benefits of reduced heat input , stable arc , uniform weld profile and a spatter free welding . there are electronically controlled short - circuit mig welding process variants as well as high - deposition tig welding variants giving the benefits of high - deposition rate and good control on dilution .
meanwhile , resistance welding processes were developed , including spot welding , seam welding , projection welding and flash butt welding . elihu thompson originated resistance welding . his patents were dated 1885 - 1900 . in 1903 , a german named goldschmidt invented thermite welding that was first used to weld railroad rails .
shield arc electrodes produce welds that are more resistant to corrosion than the parent metal .
i usedb to get a lot of arc flash reflected off my manly chest . .
arc welding fuses parts permanently together by using a power supply to generate an electric arc between an electrode mounted in a torch and a metal . this arc is an electric current flowing between two electrodes through an ionized column of gas is able to produce a heat intense enough to melt the metal .
developed in 1881 by nikolay benardos and stanislaw olszewski , carbon arc welding is the first arc welding process ever invented but is hardly used today as it has been replaced by more efficient and less dangerous processes such as twin carbon arc welding . the process welds metals together by heating them with a non - consumable carbon electrode , heating them to temperatures in excess of 3000 degrees celsius .
arc welding safety precautions should be taken to see that all machines are of the same polarity when connected to a common weldment .
floors : concrete or fire resistant materials . an arc welding safety tip is to fill any cracks to prevent collection of sparks .
burns to the skin and eyes due to exposure to arc radiation may not become apparent until some time after welding has ceased .
a substance that prevents formation of oxides and other contaminants in welding , or dissolves them and facilitates removal . provides protective atmosphere for welding . stabilizes arc . reduces spattering .
also , in these consumable electrode arc welding methods , it is generally known that a weld bead recess called a crater is formed in the welding termination part , which makes it necessary to weld the welding termination part further for filling the crater in . to fill the crater in , in the consumable single electrode arc welding method for welding by feeding a single wire in a torch , the welding termination portion is welded by stopping the torch for a given time at the welding termination position while discharging an arc of a given condition to thereby fill the crater in . on the other hand , in the consumable multiple electrode arc welding method for welding by feeding two or more wires , due to the high molten metal welding thereof , a crater tends to be larger than in the consumable single electrode arc welding method . because of this , simply by stopping the torch for a given time at the welding termination position for welding the crater , the crater cannot be filled in sufficiently .
the welding electrode holders must be connected to machines with flexible cables for welding application .
gtaw is most commonly used to weld thin sections of stainless steel and non - ferrous metals such as aluminum , magnesium , and copper alloys . the process grants the operator greater control over the weld than competing processes such as shielded metal arc welding and gas metal arc welding , allowing for stronger , higher quality welds . however , gtaw is comparatively more complex and difficult to master , and furthermore , it is significantly slower than most other welding techniques . a related process , plasma arc welding , uses a slightly different welding torch to create a more focused welding arc and as a result is often automated .
robotic arc welders are more consistent throughout the weld and provide impeccable repeatability , providing higher quality welds . robots can also save workers from health hazards by limiting exposure to fumes and decreasing risk of arc burn . robot welding decreases cycle times and enhances efficiency . the return on investment ( roi ) is worth every penny spent on an arc welding robot .
macgregor welding systems offers micro arc welding power supplies , specifically designed for high - accuracy , solder - free , zero - contact joining , often replacing solder and crimping techniques .
changing the angle of the electrode relative to the work may help to stabilize the arc .
learn the five basic elements of stick welding technique to significantly improve your stick welding results .
direct - current ( dc ) power supplies can be constant - voltage ( cv ) or constant - current ( cc ) . cv equipment , typically used for semiautomatic and wire - fed processes like gas metal arc welding ( gmaw ) or flux - cored arc welding ( fcaw ) , provides a consistent preset voltage . presetting the weld voltage on a cv power supply will maintain a constant arc length , because arc length is directly related to weld voltage .
slag is the residue left over after the parent metals and the electrode metal has fused . it forms a layer over the arc and the welded joint , protecting it from oxidation . the presence of slag stabilises the arc , providing a better weld quality . there are three main slag shielded arc welding processes used in shipyards :
this process involves applying force to adjacent surfaces and then applying an electric current near and upon the surfaces , generating intense heat . there are many variations of this technique , namely spot welding , seam welding , butt welding , flash welding , projection welding , and upset welding .
our mission is to foster the technical and artistic advancement of the arc welding profession by inspiring and empowering the global welding community to enhance its welding process skills via competition , educational opportunities and a personal dedication to the pursuit of excellence .
bare electrodes produce brittle welds . shielded arc electrodes must be used if ductile welds are required .
other equipment in shop may draw down voltage that is needed to initiate arc and for weld .
being a flux shielded process it is possible to arc weld in a strong breeze , so extraction can be added close to the welding area .
welding machine operators : employees operating welding equipment should be restricted to authorized and properly trained employees .
if an electrode is consumable , the tip melts under the heat of the arc and molten droplets are detached and transported to the work through the arc column . any arc welding system in which the electrode is melted off to become part of the weld is described as metal - arc . in carbon or tungsten ( tig ) welding there are no molten droplets to be forced across the gap and onto the work . filler metal is melted into the joint from a separate rod or wire .
auto - darkening helmets are very useful for arc welding - with fixed shade helmets is difficult to judge where the end of the rod will first make contact with the work . a shade between around 10 and 12 would be suitable for arc .
29 . 25 distortion ( warping ) is a serious problem in fusion welding , particularly arc welding . what are some of the techniques that can be used to reduce the incidence and extent of distortion
these responses are the eyes ' protective mechanisms to prevent excessive light from focusing on the retina . during arc welding , eye exposure to intense visible light is prevented mostly by a welder ' s helmet . however , welders can sustain retinal damage if they carelessly view an arc . at no time should anyone look at an arc without eye protection .
next , description will be given below of a welding controlling method for controlling the welding of the consumable multiple electrode arc welding termination portion according to an embodiment 2 with reference to fig . 6 . by the way , the present embodiment , in connection with a series of operations to be executed for welding the consumable multiple electrode arc welding termination portion shown in figs . 1 to 4 in the embodiment 1 , shows an example of a different welding control method from the welding control method which has been described previously with reference to fig . 5
chandel rs ( 1998 ) the effect of process variables on the flux consumption in submerged arc welding . mater manuf process 13 ( 2 ) : 181–188
lung tumor production and tissue metal distribution after exposure to manual metal arc - stainless steel welding fume in a / j and c57bl / 6j mice .
purpose built for arc welding applications , arc mate series robots are the product of years of experience in robotics and welding . with payloads of up to 20 kg and reaches up to 2 . 0 m , this series is suitable for a wide range of arc welding , laser welding , soldering and cutting applications . different models are available to meet a wide variety of demands and , whatever the model , come with a variety of tools to increase their versatility and help make your processes more efficient .
the arc itself is a very complex phenomenon . in - depth understanding of the physics of the arc is of little value to the welder , but some knowledge of its general characteristics can be useful .
gma - ss gas metal arc - stainless steel , pm particulate matter , mca 3 - methylcholanthrene .
gma - ss gas metal arc - stainless steel , pm particulate matter , mca 3 - methylcholanthrene .
robotworx carries new or used arc welding robots from name brand manufacturers like fanuc , motoman , abb , and kuka . large and small businesses can have huge benefits from automating this part of your process . robotworx also offers customized or pre - engineered arc welding cells that are great for any weld application .
every welding tool and all materials are labeled with arc welding safety guidelines . these are available on what is called a msds sheet ( check website of manufacturer ) . each msds will contain information on :
and , according to the invention , a welding operation using a specified wire in one torch is performed under a welding termination time welding condition different from the welding condition that has been used so far .
hexavalent chromium content in stainless steel welding fumes is dependent on the welding process and shield gas type .
• shielded metal arc welding : the filler metal of most electrodes used in the shipbuilding industry is mild steel . mild steel drawn in form of rods are coated with a mixture of mineral oxides , fluorides , silicates , hydrocarbons , and a liquefied binder which binds them together to form a solid envelope around the fuller metal . this coating forms the slag , stabilises the arc and prevents oxidation of the joint . shielded metal arc welding is used in the fabrication of panels , grillages , tank units , etc . they are used in manual arc welding processes , and can help achieve welding at different positions , namely :
tsai hl , tarng ys , tseng cm ( 1996 ) optimization of submerged arc welding process parameters in hardfacing . int j adv manuf technol l2 : 402–406
tarng ys , yang wh ( 1998 ) application of the taguchi method to the optimization of the submerged arc welding process . mater manuf process 13 : 455–467
this article gives guidelines on health and safety considerations when arc welding to ensure safe practice and prevent accidents . the hazards associated with this process are highlighted .
the best protection for avoiding radiation damage to the eyes is to never look at a welding arc without proper eye protection , however tempting that may be .
power - generating equipment , arc welding equipment and powerful magnets : such as found in some medical devices , heavy equipment or motors can inhibit pulse generators .
fanuc arc welding robots ' slim wrist design makes them ideal for use in many different industries . they are widely used in the automotive sector , especially tier 1 for welding seats , axles and other components .
arc mate’s hollow wrist enables it to access narrow spaces and cuts costs by minimising wear and tear on welding cables . offline programming makes it easier to foresee interference issues that could occur during the welding process .
cc equipment , typically used for manual welding processes such as shielded metal arc welding ( smaw ) , provides a consistent preset current . a cc power supply with a preset current will maintain that amperage setting .
the automatic process that became popular was the submerged arc welding process . this
under powder
or smothered arc welding process was developed by the national tube company for a pipe mill at mckeesport , pennsylvania . it was designed to make the longitudinal seams in the pipe . the process was patented by robinoff in 1930 and was later sold to linde air products company , where it was renamed unionmelt® welding . submerged arc welding was used during the defense buildup in 1938 in shipyards and in ordnance factories . it is one of the most productive welding processes and remains popular today .
the color change in the middle of this aluminum weld bead ( figure 10 ) resulted from an increase in arc length ( arc length , the distance between the electrode and the base metal , determines tig welding voltage ) . holding too long of an arc increases overall heat input , increases the potential for distortion , widens the weld bead while decreasing penetration and affects weld bead appearance . practice holding a consistent arc length to improve heat input control and improve weld bead quality .
the variations in dilution with welding speeds for tig welding are shown in figure 4 . the dilution increased with increasing welding speed . however the rate of increase was significantly lower than that with varying welding current . towards the higher end of the welding speeds , the dilution showed a stabilising tendency with increasing welding speed .
an arc length that is too short will create greater potential for the electrode sticking to the base material .
make sure welds are sound and the fusion is good . be sure arc length and polarity are correct .
the intense heat of ir from both electric arc and fuel gas processes can cause retinal burns and cataracts .
ultraviolet radiation is generated by arc welding , cutting and gouging processes but not by fuel gas processes . the most well known , and probable the most frequently suffered , effect from welding arcs is ' arc eye ' or ' welders flash ' and this is caused by the effect of uv radiation on the outer eye .
a consumable multiple electrode arc welding method according to the invention , in a consumable multiple electrode arc welding method of a type feeding two or more wires in a torch , not only can prevent the wires from being deposited in the welding termination time but also can provide a method for removing the deposited state of the wire if the wire is found deposited . thus , the invention is industrially useful as a control method for controlling an automatic welding machine such as a welding robot .
although in the late 1920s numerous patents were filed for specialized fluxes and a process with no visible arc , credit goes to the national tube works co . , mckeesport , pa . , for developing in 1930 what is today known as submerged arc welding . the company needed to achieve higher deposition rates in welding pipe seams .
arc welding may be done with direct current ( dc ) with the electrode either positive or negative or alternating current ( ac ) . the choice of current and polarity depends on the process , the type of electrode , the arc atmosphere , and the metal being welded .
injuries from insufficient ppe personal protective equipment ( ppe ) helps keep welding operators free from injury , such as burns – the most common welding injury – and exposure to arc rays . the right ppe allows for freedom of movement while still providing adequate protection from welding hazards .
dublin - based research and markets has published “global arc welding robots market 2018 - 2022 . ” the report predicts the global arc welding robot market will grow at a cagr of 6 . 65 percent over the next four years . based on an in - depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts , the report . . .
submerged arc welding is the most commonly used downhand welding method in the shipbuilding industry , owing to its arc stability and quality of joint . since most of the joints are welded on one side , a backing strip made of ceramic material is placed under the joint , to prevent the flow of weld bead from the other side .
i usedb ( sic ) to get a lot of arc flash reflected off my manly chest . . . .
length of arc : the optimal arc length , or distance between electrode and puddle , is the same as the diameter of the electrode ( the actual metal part within the flux covering ) . holding the electrode too closely to the joint decreases welding voltage , which creates an erratic arc that may extinguish itself or cause the electrode to freeze faster and produces a weld bead with a high crown .
29 . 21 there are several modern - day variations of forge welding , the original welding process . name them
the fusion welds may also be effected using automatic non - consumable electrode welding processes or consumable electrode welding processes .
any of the hazards associated with mig welding will be exacerbated when welding is carried out in a confined space .
this is an older arc welding process which is slowly being replaced by gas metal arc welding ( see above ) . the process of atomic hydrogen welding was invented by irving langmuir after his discovery of atomic hydrogen and involves placing two metal tungsten electrodes in a hydrogen atmosphere , leading to the hydrogen molecules breaking up and recombining in an explosion of heat which can reach temperatures above 3000 degrees celsius .
murugan n , gunaraj v ( 2005 ) prediction and control of weld bead geometry and shape relationships in submerged arc welding of pipes . j mater process technol 168 : 478–487
different hazards occur before welding commences , during welding and sometimes after welding has finished . when we look at the major hazards we will also consider when they may occur .
submerged arc welding ( saw ) is so named because the weld and arc zone are submerged beneath a blanket of flux . the flux material becomes conductive when it is molten , creating a path for the current to pass between the electrode and the workpiece . the flux blanket prevents spatter and sparks , while shielding ultraviolet light and fumes that are normally a part of shielded metal arc welding . the flux usually is supplied to the welding head via a small hopper . a collection system gathers the excess flux for reuse .
an arc is an electric current flowing between two electrodes through an ionized column of gas . a negatively charged cathode and a positively charged anode create the intense heat of the welding arc . negative and positive ions are bounced off of each other in the plasma column at an accelerated rate .
• tungsten inert gas welding ( tig ) : in this welding process , the arc is created between a non - consumable tungsten electrode and the parent metal plates . the tungsten electrode is surrounded by a nozzle that maintains a continuous flow of an inert gas around the arc . this inert gas shields the arc from oxygen , hence stabilising it , and preventing oxidation of the weld pool . a filler rod is introduced into the arc , which helps in the fusion of the two metals . the inert gas used in this process is usually argon . tig welding is preferred for plates of thickness usually less than 6 to 8 mm .
gas tungsten arc welding ( gtaw ) , also known as tungsten inert gas ( tig ) welding , is an arc welding process that uses a nonconsumable tungsten electrode to produce the weld . the weld area is protected from atmospheric contamination by a shielding gas ( usually an inert gas such as argon ) , and a filler metal is normally used , though some welds , known as autogenous welds , do not require it . a constant - current welding power supply produces energy which is conducted across the arc through a column of highly ionized gas and metal vapors known as a plasma .
a completely remote / motorized m43 id torch with on - board cameras is produced . the design features a patented arc light filtration system that provides extremely versatile and efficient arc light filtration without any moving parts or special spot type filters .
auguste de meritens , working in the cabot laboratory in france , used the heat of an arc for joining lead plates for storage batteries in the year 1881 . it was his pupil , a russian , nikolai n . benardos , working in the french laboratory , who was granted a patent for welding . he , with a fellow russian , stanislaus olszewski , secured a british patent in 1885 and an american patent in 1887 . the patents show an early electrode holder . this was the beginning of carbon arc welding . bernardos ' efforts were restricted to carbon arc welding , although he was able to weld iron as well as lead . carbon arc welding became popular during the late 1890s and early 1900s .
during the his life , jensen vastly expanded the underwater welding program in the us and helped create the arc - oxygen underwater cutting process . he holds two underwater welding patents and wrote ( or co - wrote ) 18 research papers .
depending on the type of mig welding power supply you have there may be a need for additional welding equipment . some of the most commonly add on mig welding equipment is :
motoman has more welding knowledge than any other robot company . . . more robot knowledge than any other welding company .
positional flexibility with this welding process makes it the only welding process used to weld the underside of overhead deck plates .
stress relieving at 1100 to 1250°f ( 593 to 677°c ) after welding will generally reduce hard areas formed during welding .
the welding area should be cleared of inflammable materials . fires can be difficult to notice while wearing a welding helmet .
oxygen - fuel gas welding : oxygen - fuel gas welding is joining metal by generating extremely high heat during combustion .
today : electric arc welding with stick electrodes is still indispensable today , especially in steel and pipeline construction . welding is relatively tolerant to material flaws . a major advantage : it can be used under all weather conditions , even under water .
however , in the above - mentioned conventional consumable multiple electrode arc welding methods , there is a possibility that , while a welding operation to fill the crater in is in execution using only one of the multiple consumable electrodes , the wires of the remaining consumable electrodes not used for welding may come into contact with a welding pool and may be deposited in the welding termination time . when such wire deposited state occurs , for example , in an automatic welding machine such as a welding robot , the succeeding operations cannot be carried out continuously .
lu sp , kwon oy , kim tb , kim kh ( 2004 ) microstructure and wear property of fe–mn–cr–mo–v alloy cladding by submerged arc welding . j mater process technol 147 : 191–196
arc shielding is a necessary process in arc welding as any metal at high temperatures has a higher reactivity to chemical elements in the air . so , the process has a means of covering the arc and molten pool with a protective shield of gas . shielding gas is used while the torch is joining parts together in order to prevent contamination . this also confirms the strength of welds and minimizes post weld cleanup of a part .
- when welding is temporarily interrupted welding torches should be placed where they are safe and the switch cannot be activated accidentally .
resistance welding : resistance welding is joining or cutting metals by generating heat though resistance created by the flow of electrical current .
murugan n , parmar rs , sud sk ( 1993 ) effect of submerged arc welding process variables on dilution and bead geometry in single wire surfacing . j mater process technol 37 : 767–780
2 . a consumable electrode arc welding method as set forth in claim 1 , further including a third step of moving the torch substantially parallel with the weld beads in the welding proceeding direction from the position of the torch moved in the second step .
3 . a consumable electrode arc welding method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein a wire to be specified in a torch is a wire positioned so as to move most precedingly in the torch when moving the torch in the welding proceeding direction .
a : particular care must be taken when welding or cutting in dusty locations . under some conditions , fine dust particles may readily burn and without warning result in a flash fire or even an explosion when exposed to the welding arc or even sparks .
the objective of this investigation was to have a greater understanding on the influence of major welding parameters namely the heat input , the welding current , and the welding speed on dilution and corrosion resistance , for mig and tig welding process and their variants .
too long of an arc length will create excess spatter in the weld joint . there is also a high potential for undercut .
step 1 . check for deflection of the arc from its normal path , particularly at the ends of joints and in corners .
every year there are reports in newspapers that contact lenses have been fused to welders eyes by the arc , causing nasty injuries .
sharma a , arora n , mishra bk ( 2008 ) a practical approach towards mathematical modelling of deposition rate during twin - wire submerged arc welding . int j adv manuf technol 36 : 463–474
tarng ys , juang sc , chang ch ( 2002 ) the use of grey - based taguchi methods to determine submerged arc welding process parameters in hardfacing . j mater process technol 128 : 1–6
to solve the above - mentioned problems found in the conventional consumable multiple electrode arc welding method , according to the invention , there is provided a consumable electrode arc welding method in which two or more wires are fed and energized in a torch and , while moving the torch in the welding proceeding direction , weld beads are formed for welding , comprising : a first step of stopping the feeding and energization of all of the above wires except for a specified wire at a welding termination position ; and , a second step of moving the torch by a given amount from the welding termination position to a position in a direction which is opposite to the welding proceeding direction and parts away form the weld beads .
in conventional tig welding , the arc provides the entire energy required for heating and melting the filler wire , hence the metal deposition rate is limited by the rate at which the heating and melting process can take place . the energy consumption from the arc can be reduced if the wire can be fed into the arc region at a higher temperature . that means the arc energy can be used elsewhere , for example for increasing the parent metal melting , or a higher quantity of filler material may be melted using the same arc energy as compared to conventional tig welding . this principle is used in hot wire tig welding process which employs preheating the wire before it enters in the arc region . this heating is accomplished by resistive heating of the wire between the feeder nozzle and the molten pool . since the wire always need to be in contact with the weld pool , for a given wire feed rate there is a limit on the maximum preheating that can be applied .
• metal inert gas welding ( mig ) : metal inert gas welding is , in a way , an advancement on tungsten inert gas welding , where the electrode is a consumable metal wire .
the variations in weld size with welding speed are shown in figure 4 . the weld width decreased with increasing welding speed . the penetration depth remained the same , almost independent of the welding speed . the weld height showed a decrease with increasing welding speed .


flibe energy is an american company that intends to design , construct , and operate small modular reactors based on liquid fluoride thorium reactor ( acronym lftr ; pronounced lifter ) technology .

flibe energy

flibe energy is on facebook . to connect with flibe energy , join facebook today .
flibe energy - flibe energy is pleased to share a report . . . | facebook
* from flibe energy , thorcon , moltex , seaborg technologies , terrestrial energy and transatomic power .
flibe energy ' s concept for a liquid - fluoride thorium reactor , or lftr .
flibe energy is an american company developing a lftr which is a type of msr .
he ultimately left nasa to join a nuclear - energy company , later striking out on his own with flibe energy .
flibe energy - the molten - salt reactor experiment building on a snowy winter day . | facebook
flibe energy ' s sorensen partly blames aggressive government subsidization of wind and solar energy , which leads to the problem of negative pricing .
kirk sorensen - introduction to flibe energy . click here to see the pdf version of the slideshow .
flibe’s mission is to supply the world with affordable and sustainable energy , fresh water , and fuels .
the flibe energy design is an extraordinarily dangerous design , due to increases increased proliferation risks . best link is here :
monthly and yearly energy forecasts , analysis of energy topics , financial analysis , congressional reports .
independent of that , though , i ' m still interested in what flibe has in mind .
in 2014 , flibe energy commenced a funded study of the lftr design which has enhanced the understanding of the potential and the challenges of this approach .
flibe use in fusion reactors - - an initial safety assessment ( technical report ) | osti . gov
how long would it take to get international approve to build a commercial thorium msr reactor , for example the flibe energy design ? what are . . .
flibe energy will complete their funded study and will use the results to attract more resources to build on this study and to enhance the technical fidelity of the lftr design . flibe will seek support in this effort from potential partners in the united states and in other countries .
founded in 2011 , flibe proposed to use thorium as a nuclear fuel instead of uranium . the founder kirk sorensen , both a nuclear engineer and rocket scientist , claims that corporate interests have prevented thorium from being used as a nuclear fuel . flibe’s
the international outlook presents an assessment by the u . s . energy information administration of the outlook for international energy markets through 2050
you ' ve got to be able to generate energy reliably . you ' ve got to be able to generate energy on demand . and that ' s what wind and solar can ' t do , and will never be able to do ,
kirk sorensen , the cto of nuclear energy startup flibe energy , told business insider in an episode of our podcast codebreaker , produced with marketplace .
a test tube of molten salt ( blue liquid ) made of fluoride , lithium , and beryllium , which is also called flibe .
flibe’s lftr design occupies a unique corner of the design space of molten - salt reactors , different from the other msr designs being offered .
showing the courage of his convictions , sorensen has quietly launched his own thorium reactor company , called flibe energy , in huntsville , ala . he aims to have liquid thorium reactors operating within 5 to 8 years .
around fifty years ago , the u . s . chose to develop uranium - based nuclear energy instead of thorium - based energy . both energy sources provided a ton of power — though theoretically thorium could provide a lot more .
col paul e . roege - can nuclear energy fill critical gaps in the military energy portfolio ? click here to see the pdf version of the slideshow .
presented at the 3rd thorium energy alliance conference , in washington dc . kirk sorensen & kirk dorius announce creation of flibe energy , a company devoted to making energy from thorium a reality , via the liquid - fluoride thorium reactor ( lftr ) . urltoken is a doc created ( in part ) from this footage . watch
lftr in 5 minutes - thorium remix 2011
at : urltoken
flibe energy is pouring resources into the msr concept , which the chinese academy of sciences said in 2014 would be one of its “five innovation centers that will unite the country’s leading talents for research in advanced science and technology fields . ”
humanity may face an energy crisis as the world ' s population rapidly grows .
imagine a form of nuclear energy with greater output and virtually no safety issues .
much more efficient at producing energy - over 90 % of the input fuel would be tapped for energy , vs . < 1 % in today ' s reactors
flibe energy isn’t the only one attempting to restart the atomic age . china has plans to build a similar reactor over the next few years , as part of plans to build more than 350 gigawatts of nuclear power and invest trillions into the industry . a gigawatt of power provides enough energy for roughly 700 , 000 homes .
kirk can respond about what flibe has in mind . i can provide some information based on the ornl msbr design and our recent work on salt - cooled reactors .
thorium itself is slightly better than uranium , but the liquid core reactors being promoted by flibe and others increase proliferation risks steeply , negating any potential value of thorium .
by these standards , flibe and sorenson have been successful at promoting the idea of thorium , but because of their reliance on the dangerous and unpredictable liquid core design and growing uneasiness in the nuclear world , it is extremely unlikely that flibe and / or sorensen are going to be successful in building a private liquid - core reactor .
flibe energy in the usa is studying a 40 mw two - fluid graphite - moderated thermal reactor concept based on the 1970s msre . it uses lithium fluoride / beryllium fluoride ( flibe ) salt as its primary coolant in both circuits . this is based on earlier us work on the molten salt reactor programme . fuel is uranium - 233 bred from thorium in flibe blanket salt . fuel salt circulates through graphite logs . secondary loop coolant salt is sodium - beryllium fluoride ( bef 2 - naf ) . a 2 mwt pilot plant is envisaged , and eventually 2225 mwt commercial plants .
flibe energy in the usa is studying a 40 mw two - fluid graphite - moderated thermal reactor concept based on the 1970s msre . it uses lithium fluoride / beryllium fluoride ( flibe ) salt as its primary coolant in both circuits . this is based on earlier us work on the molten salt reactor program . fuel is uranium - 233 bred from thorium in flibe blanket salt . fuel salt circulates through graphite logs . secondary loop coolant salt is sodium - beryllium fluoride ( bef 2 - naf ) . a 2 mwt pilot plant is envisaged , and eventually 2225 mwt commercial plants .
flibe energy is dedicated to developing the liquid - fluoride thorium reactor ( lftr ) to provide safe , abundant energy from thorium . imagine holding a lifetime ' s supply of energy in the palm of your hand - - that is possible with thorium and lftr technology . the liquid - fluoride thorium reactor is walk - away safe and runs at ambient pressure unlike the high pressures of today ' s water - cooled reactor .
comprehensive data summaries , comparisons , analysis , and projections integrated across all energy sources .
short , timely articles with graphics on energy , facts , issues , and trends .
flibe energy will initially design , develop and demonstrate a small modular liquid - fluoride thorium reactor ( sm - lftr ) for the us military . * desired first demonstration at a military site to be determined . * design power level of 20 - 50 mwe .
u . s . energy information administration 1000 independence ave . , sw washington , dc 20585
the thorium energy alliance hosts their third conference in washington d . c . - may 2011
transatomic is a young nuclear waste startup that wants to give atomic energy a better name .
energy , raw materials and room are available . but not on the surface of earth .
flibe energy is a startup in the nuclear power space seeking to find a safe way to enable nuclear energy using a technology previously dismissed by the us government since it could not be used for making material for nuclear weapons . the founders believe they have found a way to create safe , clean energy using a proven but forgotten technology . the challenges are steep , however , as proof of the technology will require hundreds of millions of dollars in funding .
the coolant salt in a secondary circuit was lithium + beryllium fluoride ( flibe ) . * there was no breeding blanket , this being omitted for simplicity in favour of neutron measurements .
when the people try to talk about alternative energy , they talk with much emotion about nuclear energy . to take decisions , we need to set apart the emotions and see the facts .
subscribe to feeds for updates on eia products including today in energy and what ' s new .
imsr : terrestrial energy ' s integral molten salt reactor - by dr . david leblanc @ teac7
dr alex cannara - energy basics . click here to see the pdf version of the slideshow .
a subreddit decitated to thorium as a future energy resource , and the liquid fluoride thorium reactor .
the u . s . nuclear industry has already allocated $ 25 billion for storage or reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel . flibe energy . [ perhaps the company that builds lftrs will get the contract ? development of lftrs and construction of manufacturing plants for the entire world would cost less . ]
cadwallader , l . c . , & longhurst , g . r . flibe use in fusion reactors - - an initial safety assessment . united states . doi : 10 . 2172 / 752080 .
kirk sorensen is the co - founder and chief technologist of flibe energy . he is a member of a tiny club of people who can honestly claim to be atomic entrepreneurs . he is a brilliant man – one of the few people who has been both a rocket scientist and a nuclear engineer .
forms eia uses to collect energy data including descriptions , links to survey instructions , and additional information .
egeneration foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering the development of safe and environmentally friendly energy technologies .
“a molten - salt reactor [ msr ] uses a liquid mixture of salts , some of which are salts of uranium and thorium , as the medium in which nuclear fission reactions take place , ” kirk sorensen , president and chief technologist of the reactor company flibe energy , told the daily caller news foundation .
ontario ministry of energy - smr deployment feasibility study : feasibility of the potential deployment of small modular reactors ( smrs ) in ontario prepared by hatch ltd . for the ontario ministry of energy , 2 june 2016
climate science aside , the economics of nuclear energy are enough of a draw to make the technology worthwhile .
as a result , nuclear is having a harder time finding a seat at the energy - pricing table .
( and nuclear bombs ) , since each fission event turns a little bit of mass into pure energy .
thorium is a naturally - occuring mineral that holds large amounts of releasable nuclear energy , similar to uranium . this nuclear energy can be released in a special nuclear reactor designed to use thorium . thorium is special because it is easier to extract this energy completely than uranium due to some of the chemical and nuclear properties of thorium .
environmental regulations require that solar and wind power always be used if they are avalaible and give substantial financial incentives to encourage green energy use . these regulations compromise the reliability of the entire power grid . the u . s . federal energy regulatory commission ( ferc ) is currently investigating how green energy undermines the reliability of the electrical grid .
i am of two minds of this . when i consider what the lftr can do in terms of global energy demand and global energy production , i consider the engineering challenges unbelievably modest . when i contrast that with how would we power the world using solar energy , or wind energy , or conventional nuclear , or a host of other things ? i go , my goodness , this is orders of magnitude , and easier to do than that .
cadwallader , l . c . , and longhurst , g . r . mon .
flibe use in fusion reactors - - an initial safety assessment
. united states . doi : 10 . 2172 / 752080 . urltoken
conducted by the nuclear energy institute , and it includes an interesting caveat : the 84 percent of people who responded favorably did so “once informed that nuclear energy produces nearly two - thirds of the nation’s low - carbon electricity . ” in other words : people seem to like the idea of nuclear energy , once they know more about it .
in august 2016 x - energy signed an agreement to work with southern nuclear operating company to collaborate on development and commercialization of their respective small reactor designs . southern is developing an msr , the molten chloride fast reactor ( mcfr ) . in september 2017 x - energy signed an agreement with centrus energy to develop triso fabrication technology for uranium oxycarbide fuel .
nuclear also wins financially against solar rooftops , many fuel - cell energy schemes , and some geothermal and bioenergy plants .
for economics of solid fuel reactors , including construction , fuel , waste , decomissioning , see doty energy – fission .
kirk sorensen , ceo of flibe energy , believes the medical isotopes produced from liquid fluoride thorium reactors ( lftrs ) will actually be more valuable than the electricity generated . furthermore , he says this revenue stream will be sufficient to fund the proliferation of thorium reactors for commercial purposes - that the electricity generated will be , in essence , a secondary product .
“in the 40s and 50s they had an expansive definition of what nuclear power was – it wasn’t just solid fuel uranium reactors , ” said sorensen , who is flibe’s president . “but that’s what it has come to mean now . ”
its brutalist architecture may not be sexy , but nuclear energy unlocks a truly incredible source of carbon - free fuel . ounce per ounce , uranium provides roughly 16 , 000 times more energy than coal and creates millions of times less pollution .
the following presentations are from the third thorium energy alliance conference held in washington d . c . on may 12th 2011 .
arnie is a real expert on nuclear energy , chris . are gundersen and martenson from the same part of europe originally ?
cadwallader , l . c . , and longhurst , g . r . flibe use in fusion reactors - - an initial safety assessment . united states : n . p . , 1999 . web . doi : 10 . 2172 / 752080 .
in the international energy outlook 2017 ( ieo2017 ) reference case , total world energy consumption rises from 575 quadrillion british thermal units ( btu ) in 2015 to 736 quadrillion btu in 2040 , an increase of 28 % . most of the world’s energy growth will occur in countries outside of the organization for economic cooperation and development ( oecd ) [ 1 ] , where strong , long - term economic growth drives increasing demand for energy . non - oecd asia ( including china and india ) alone accounts for more than half of the world’s total increase in energy consumption over the 2015 to 2040 projection period . by 2040 , energy use in non - oecd asia exceeds that of the entire oecd by 41 quadrillion btu in the ieo2017 reference case ( figure 1 ) .
the plutonium fuel cycle is a great way to make weapons . meanwhile , the thorium fuel cycle can produce almost limitless energy .
the 8th annual thorium energy alliance conference was held in st . louis , missouri in august 2017 . click here for more info
you can look at a large company like [ united launch alliance ] and compare its capability to develop rocket designs with spacex . the big , incumbent nuclear firms face issues around technological lock - in . and they can ' t avoid it because of the scale they have to work and operate ,
said peterson , who is also on flibe energy ' s board of advisors .
so flibe is initially focusing on smaller , “modular” - sized reactors of around 20 to 30 megawatts . dorius said even that size would cost “hundreds of millions” for “the first in kind demonstrator reactors” but that “mass production” could slash costs in half within 5 years .
reactors — is
still decades away from a [ . . . ] power plant that generates more energy than it consumes .
kim johnson - thorium & fluorides , energy chemically engineered on the fly . click here to see the pdf version of the slideshow .
232 u cannot be chemically separated from 233 u and has several decay products that emit high - energy gamma radiation . these high - energy photons are a radiological hazard that necessitate the use of remote handling of separated uranium and aid in the passive detection of such materials .
the liquid fluoride thorium reactor ( lftr ) is a heterogeneous msr design which breeds its u - 233 fuel from a fertile blanket of of lithium - beryllium fluoride ( flibe ) salts with thorium fluoride . some of the neutrons released during fission of the u - 233 salt in the reactor core are absorbed by the thorium in the blanket salt . the resulting u - 233 is separated from the blanket salt and in flibe becomes the liquid core fuel . lftrs can rapidly change their power output , and hence be used for load - following .
it contained a loop filled with a molten salt made of fluorine , lithium , and beryllium — or flibe , the namesake of sorensen ' s energy - from - thorium startup — plus zirconium . the salt carried around dissolved u - 235 and eventually u - 233 , making msre the world ' s first reactor to run on u - 233 fuel . a second loop of molten salt cooled the reactor .
several nuclear scientists said the nation was simply too wedded to uranium when the department of energy cut funding to the oak ridge reactor research .
juhasz noted that it takes more than 300 tons of naturally occurring uranium to produce the same energy as 1 ton of naturally occurring thorium .
( but not funding ! ) , and would serve as a centralized headquarters for the mass proliferation of thorium energy in the united states .
if you press sorensen for a simple analogy that illustrates how energy from thorium works , he may plunk you down in a wet forest .
epd sees that ‘thorium , an accessible , radio - actively fertile material , will eventually become the global energy resource of choice . . .
we are nearing ecological limits of the planet and more energy , even if it ' s made cleanly , won ' t increase it .
robert hargraves : thorium energy cheaper than from coal ~ aim high ! presented at the 3rd thorium energy alliance conference , in washington dc . urltoken is a doc created ( in part ) from this footage . watch
lftr in 5 minutes - thorium remix 2011
at : urltoken
terrestrial energy reviewed four potential us sites for the reactor , including one at the idaho national laboratory ( inl ) , and an agreement was signed with energy northwest in march 2018 for the first imsr to be built here . the other three sites are located east of the mississippi .
sorensen estimates that between 5 , 000 - 6 , 000 tonnes of thorium could produce as much energy as the world currently consumes each year .
thanks for the comment john . that’s interesting . what was the connection between nuclear energy and oil ? wouldn’t it be the coal companies protesting ?
for now the full benefits of thorium energy are unproven , though countries like china , india and norway are investing heavily in research and development .
a cold war - era liquid - fueled reactor design could transform thorium — a radioactive waste from mining — into a practically limitless energy source .
energy process developments ltd , july 2015 , msr review : feasibility of developing a pilot scale molten salt reactor in the uk , july 2015 .
chris martenson : welcome everyone to this peak prosperity podcast . it is june 15 , 2017 . i am your host , chris martenson . the world has pinned so much of its future hopes and dreams on making a smooth transition to alternative energy . this means mainly solar and wind power . now , of the two , wind power has the very best economics ; and , more importantly , energy returned on energy invested profile .
craving reliable energy that doesn ' t come with a big side order of carbon , the united states is taking a new look at nuclear power .
‘the national research centre
kurchatov institute
and state corporation
rosatom
atomic energy will in conjunction make proposals on the prospects of using thorium .
long - established nuclear - energy companies aren ' t interested in overturning decades of
business as usual
to gamble on a technology that ' s radically different from anything in their portfolios . after all , the lftr may work but end up being outcompeted on price for the energy it generates .
how do we get all 7 billion people on the planet ( perhaps 9 billion by 2050 ) to agree to drastically cut their co2 emissions ? the answer : make it in their immediate self - interest by providing cheap c02 - free energy , energy cheaper than they can get by burning coal .
i hope you enjoy the conversation ; kirk and i do not really need anyone else to enable a spirited discussion about various forms of nuclear energy .
sorensen faces huge hurdles . his project won’t be cheap . flibe co - founder and chief legal counsel kirk dorius estimates it will cost at least $ 1 billion to develop a modest utility - sized reactor ( it’s not clear whether that would mean something around or above a gigawatt of capacity ) .
it seems to have a safety issue associated with it . to me , the answer is very simple . it is because nuclear energy alone has an energy density millions of times greater than the chemical energies that we currently run our society on . this is because in nuclear energy , we are releasing the energies that bind together the nucleus of the atom . those energies are millions of times stronger than the energies that bind together the electrons of the atom .
in the long term , the ieo2017 reference case projects increased world consumption of marketed energy from all fuel sources—except coal , where demand is essentially flat—through 2040 ( figure 2 ) . renewables are the world’s fastest - growing energy source , with consumption increasing by an average 2 . 3 % / year between 2015 and 2040 . the world’s second fastest - growing source of energy is nuclear power , with consumption increasing by 1 . 5 % / year over that period .
at least , that ' s the news from a tight - knit collective of energy blogs , dedicated to a common but relatively unknown metal called thorium .
thorium , they say , provides all the carbon - free energy of uranium - about 300 times more , actually - with almost none of the guilt .
the remaining trans - uranics should be burned in an msr , producing energy . without the u238 present , there is even a nice surplus of neutrons !
energy sources such as hydroelectric and wind are still cheaper than nuclear , and a fracking boom has fueled investment in natural - gas - fired power plants .
james kennedy - u . s . heavy rare earth cooperative and global economics of thorium energy . click here to see the pdf version of the slideshow .
in a sense , we need another near infinite energy source to clean up the pollution we have already released to date . however , unless we are very wise with that energy it will be another deadly bargain . growth is probably coded directly into our genes . it will take a lot to overcome this .
chris martenson : well , let ' s talk about thorium as a nuclear fuel just to get everybody on the same page here . because when we say nuclear , people are thinking uranium or maybe plutonium . thorium , first , what is thorium ? what is a thorium reactor as your company flibe is imagining it ?
that is in part because the fission cycle runs hotter than conventional uranium cycles , said sorensen . in the flibe design , thorium reaction temperatures rise to about 750 degrees celsius to drive gas turbines , compared to conventional reactors , which tend to reach less than half that temperature and drive less efficient steam turbines , he said .
he also envisioned a world flush with thorium molten - salt breeder reactors as cheap , clean energy sources not only for the us but also for the developing world .
x - energy was born to leave a cleaner world for our grandchildren and their grandchildren . with so much at stake , we cannot continue down the same path .
i ' ve covered all of these issues in depth and while i am a supporter of alt - energy , it has yet to live up to the hype .
most ( probably 90 % ) of the total energy used in the home can be easily shifted to sunlight hours of operation . cheap batteries can handle the rest .
meanwhile , renewable energy sources like wind and solar , though key parts of a solution , are not silver bullets — especially if the world is to meet a 2050 deadline set by the paris agreement . energy from fusion is promising , but it ' s not yet proved to work , let alone on a commercial and competitive scale .
kirk sorensen : we are always trying to add resources , and understanding , and insights to our website at flibe dash energy dot com , f - l - i - b - e dash energy dot com . i would also invite people to get in touch with me directly at my e - mail kirk f sorensen , k - i - r - k - f - s - o - r - e - n - s - e - n at gmail dot com . particularly , if you want to know more about this ; or if you think that you might be able to help . please mention that you heard about it on chris ' s podcast .
do you feel about nuclear energy ? if you’re like 84 percent of america , you believe that nuclear power should be “very important in the future . ” that’s according to
the department of energy approved $ 200 , 000 in funding at oak ridge for analytical studies this year of molten salt reactors using thorium and uranium , a department spokeswoman said .
products of the lftr 49 so the lftr 49 produces energy and short lived fission products like a normal lftr 23 . it is a commercial power plant like any other lftr .
n . in october 2010 , geh announced it was exploring the possibility with savannah river nuclear solutions of building a prototype prism reactor at the department of energy’s savannah river site .
shaw led the atomic energy commission ' s research wing during weinberg ' s tenure at ornl and , in 1972 , issued a rambling report that terminated weinberg ' s project .
kirk sorensen : i would , too . it would be a far less obtrusive energy source than any other energy source you know about . it would not emit anything that would dirty the air . it would not be visually obstructive . it would not make noise . it would not be subject to the weather ; sometimes working and sometimes not working .
x - energy is a cutting edge nuclear engineering company with a vision of making a significant contribution to the fight against carbon emissions and climate change by promoting clean and affordable nuclear energy . to fulfill its vision , x - energy is designing the xe - 100 , a high temperature gas - cooled pebble - bed nuclear reactor . the unique properties of pebble bed reactors will allow the xe - 100 to open clean , reliable nuclear power to entirely new markets . x - energy sees an extensive government and civilian market for the xe - 100 : the xe - 100’s small footprint and ultra - safe design allow operation close to population centers , and it is also suited for installation at geographically - constrained sites .
small modular reactors – key to future nuclear power generation in the u . s . , nov 2011 , technical paper for doe from university of chicago energy policy institute ( epic )
why this sudden interest in a nuclear technology that dates back to the 1950s ? the answer lies in both the phenomenal safety of msrs and their potential to help solve so many of today’s energy related problems , from climate change to energy poverty to the intermittency of wind and solar power . in fact , msrs can operate so safely , they may alleviate public fears about nuclear energy . before looking at the potential of msrs , though , it is useful to first take a high - level look at what they are and how they work .
get the teac3 dvd . the best of all of the third thorium energy alliance conference lectures can be seen on this single easy to view dvd . pick up your copy here .
the fluid can dramatically increase the efficiency of nuclear fission by making it easy to remove fission products . this helps it burn up almost all the nuclear fuel and boosts energy output .
however it gets built — or whoever builds it — sorensen is convinced that thorium - fueled molten - salt reactors are the key to solving earth ' s energy blues for good .
i was asked to speak at the platts nuclear energy conference in washington , dc , on february 10 , as part of their panel on “new approaches to advanced reactor design . ”
flibe’s lftr uses a liquid fluoride salt to serve both as fuel carrier and coolant . the fuel consists of thorium and uranium 233 – different from the uranium 235 used in conventional reactors . it fissions in the liquid , heats up , and passes through a heat exchanger that conveys the heat to fuel - free liquid fluoride salt that eventually drives the gas turbine .
westinghouse has officially
introduced
its 200 mwe small modular reactor ( smr ) , and says it is preparing for a role in the us department of energy ' s demonstration program .
' state corporation
rosatom
nuclear energy in cooperation with relevant organizations to develop a coordinated position on the procedure for handling of thorium , resulting in the production of rare earth metals .
today ' s cheap , bountiful supplies make it hard to see humanity ' s looming energy crisis , but it ' s possibly coming within our lifetimes . our numbers will grow from 7 . 36 billion people today to 9 billion in 2040 , an increase of 22 % . rapidly developing nations , however , will supercharge global energy consumption at more than twice that rate .
the argument to support growth in nuclear energy is so clear to james hansen , a seasoned climatologist and outspoken environmentalist , that he passionately advocates for the use and development of the technology .
today , the industry is already profitable , albeit well subsidized . still , if you level the energy playing field against other power sources by taking into account government subsidies and tax breaks , capital costs , fuel costs , and other factors that affect the price - per - megawatt - hour of a power plant , nuclear energy remains a financial win in the long run .
kirk sorensen believes firmly that safe nuclear power can contribute significantly to the world’s energy future – provided that reactors run on liquid thorium fuel rather than on solid uranium as they do today .
meanwhile renewable energy is racing away with the prize . i ' d like to see chris interview someone from the wind , sun , water , geothermal sectors , where workable solutions exist .
in a press release which described the westinghouse smr as
another milestone in energy history
, westinghouse also said it was actively working to prepare for the upcoming us department of energy small reactors program , and intended to be the
leading industry collaborator
in the initiative . in may 2010 , us energy secretary steven chu announced $ 20 million of funding for research and development in generation iv reactors including small reactors , and the us budget request submitted earlier this week by president barack obama included a $ 97 million request to support research into small modular reactors .
b & w nuclear energy inc set up b & w modular nuclear energy llc ( now bwxt mpower inc ) to market the design , in collaboration with bechtel which joined the project as a 10 % equity partner to design , license and deploy it . the company expects both design certification and construction permit in 2018 , and commercial operation of the first two units in 2022 .
the deer ( deployable electric energy reactor ) is being developed by radix power & energy corporation in the usa , in collaboration with brookhaven technology group , brookhaven national laboratory , parsons corporation , dunedin energy systems , and university of california , berkley . the deer is a pwr and would be portable and sealed , able to operate in the range of 10 to 50 mwe . deer - 1 uses fuel based on that in triga research reactors , with a ten - year cycle , and deer - 2 uses triso fuel , for forward military bases or remote mining sites .
the existing knowledge on stored energy it is possible to show that stored energy releases do not occur spontaneously , and that the maximum stored energy that can be released from any reactor containing graphite is a very small fraction of the energy produced during the first few minutes of a burning incident . the conclusions from these analyses are that the potential to initiate or maintain a graphite burning incident is essentially independent of the stored energy in the graphite , and depends on other factors that are unique for these reactors , research reactors , and for fort st . vrain . in order to have self - sustained rapid graphite oxidation in any of these reactors , certain necessary conditions of geometry , temperature , oxygen supply , reaction product removal , and a favorable heat balance must be maintained . there is no new evidence associated with either the windscale accident or the chernobyl accident that indicates a credible potential for a graphite burning accident in any of the reactors considered in this review .
although burning the u238 that is in the waste produces a lot of energy , this also means that it would take a very , very long time to considerably reduce the existing waste stock .
the world population may balloon to 9 billion people by 2040 , up from 7 . 36 billion in 2016 , and researchers believe this will translate to a 48 % jump in energy consumption .
it seems more reliable if the drained configuration can convect straight to the open air , conduct straight to the ground , or radiate to the open sky ; are any of those possible ? i ' m very curious to see what flibe has in mind , as a robust scheme for residual heat rejection seems to me a very important part of the overall argument for lftr passive safety .
so - called
nuclear waste
or spent - nuclear fuel is produced in conventional ( solid - core ) nuclear reactors because they are unable to extract all of the nuclear energy from their fuel before they have to shutdown . lftr addresses this issue by using a form of nuclear fuel ( liquid - fluoride salts of thorium ) that allow complete extraction of nuclear energy from the fuel .
in the energy policy act of 2005 , congress called for next - generation nuclear reactors that would be highly economical , equipped with safety enhancements , have minimal waste , and be proliferation - resistant .
but grasping the promise and potential perils of a thorium - powered future , or any other atomic - energy scheme , means you ' ve got to know a thing or two about nuclear physics .
( i don’t know how much of that $ 200 million would be profit or recovering development expenses , and how much is materials and labor etc . keep following thorium energy alliance conference talks . )
meanwhile , renewable energy like wind and solar , though key parts of a solution , are no silver bullets — especially if the world is to meet a 2050 deadline set by the paris agreement .
but nevertheless , so much industrial work had gone into that technology . but , the atomic energy commission decided , okay , we are going to make building the fast breeder reactor our national energy goal . they enshrined that in the mid - ' 60s despite the failure of the fermi 1 reactor . they poured enormous resources into this . they viewed weinberg ' s work on the thorium reactor as an undesired competitor to the fast breeder reactor . he was receiving paltry amounts of funding from the atomic energy commission , whereas the fast breeder was receiving amounts on the order of a hundred times greater .
nuclear reactors fit the bill : they ' re dense , reliable , emit no carbon , and — contrary to popular belief — are among the safest energy sources on earth . they currently supply 20 % of america ' s energy , but this share may decline by 50 % through 2040 as companies take decades - old reactors offline , according to a july 2016 report released by idaho national laboratory .
in march 2012 hyperion power generation changed its name to gen4 energy , and the name of its reactor to gen4 module ( g4m ) . it pitched its design for remote sites having smaller power requirements .
and it does a whole bunch of things it doesn ' t do today , like make energy without emitting carbon ,
he added , though the same could be said of any nuclear reactor .
they weren ' t good for making nuclear weapons , though , among other reasons , so bureaucrats pulled funding for the revolutionary energy technology . the last working molten - salt reactor shut down in 1969 .
measuring immediate deaths against gigawatts of electrical power is a typical way to assess the safety of energy sources , and a 2010 analysis by the organization for economic cooperation and development ( oecd ) used this .
the us department of energy is collaborating with the china academy of sciences on the program , which had a start - up budget of $ 350 million . tmsr commercial deployment is anticipated in the 2030s .
in 2015 , x - energy will continue to execute its rigorous plan to achieve an ambitious development schedule . x - energy will continue design and engineering work on the xe - 100 in preparation for nrc engagement and beyond . the company is initiating plans for pebble fuel development in the us . the company will continue its efforts to identify business partners and customers to further xe - 100 development . furthermore , x - energy seeks to share the remarkable attributes of the xe - 100 with a larger audience in 2015 and establish pebble - bed technology as the most promising nuclear technology under development in the united states .
for all of these reasons , a growing number of scientists and energy experts believe that the world should switch from uranium to thorium as its primary nuclear fuel . compared to uranium , thorium is far more abundant as well as much more energy - dense . in addition , the waste products generated by thorium are virtually impossible to turn into plutonium – and they remain dangerous for hundred of years rather than thousands .
in february 2017 the company signed an agreement with the italian national agency for new technologies , energy and sustainable economic development ( enea ) and ansaldo nucleare to develop the design . beyond base - load electricity generation , the high - temperature operation of the lfr will allow for effective load - following capability enabled by an innovative thermal energy storage system , as well as delivery of process heat for industrial applications and water desalination .
in january 2016 the us doe awarded a gateway for accelerated innovation in nuclear ( gain ) grant to the project , worth up to $ 40 million . in august 2016 southern nuclear operating company signed an agreement to work with x - energy to collaborate on development and commercialization of their respective small reactor designs . with terrapower and ornl , x - energy is designing the xe - 100 pebble - bed htr of 48 mwe .
a 2015 independent review of the lftr concept by the electric power research institute deemed it a
potentially transformational technology for meeting future energy needs in the face of uncertain market , policy , and regulatory constraints .
this report reviews existing literature and knowledge on graphite burning and on stored energy accumulation and releases in order to assess what role , if any , a stored energy release can have in initiating or contributing to hypothetical graphite burning scenarios in research reactors . it also addresses the question of graphite ignition and self - sustained combustion in the event of a loss - of - coolant accident ( loca ) . the conditions necessary to initiate and maintain graphite burning are summarized and discussed . from analyses of existing information it is concluded that only stored energy accumulations and releases below the burning temperature ( 650 / sup 0 / c ) are pertinent . after reviewing
today , engineers like sorensen are trying to revive the molten - salt reactor , which the us abandoned in the early 1970s , and fuel it with a practically infinite source of carbon - free energy : thorium .
kirk sorensen stumbles across oak ridge national laboratory ' s research into the thorium molten salt reactor while researching means to power a lunar space colony for nasa . history of this design is recounted , including the politics ( and the need for a weaponizable nuclear fuel ) which killed it . discussing energy alternatives , the capacity of solar / wind renewable is examined . can society depend of intermittent power sources ? it is even possible politically to move people to more expensive sources of energy ? the molten salt reactor offers us a choice between future of abundant clean energy , and a future in which we continue to wage wars over dwindling fossil fuel resources .
lif without the toxic beryllium solidifies at about 500°c and boils at about 1200°c . flinak ( lif - naf - kf ) is also eutectic and solidifies at 454°c and boils at 1570°c . it has a higher neutron cross - section than flibe or lif but can be used in intermediate cooling loops . sodium - beryllium fluoride ( bef 2 - naf ) solidifying at 385°c is used as fuel salt in one design for cost reasons .
in february 2018 , ge hitachi nuclear energy , global nuclear fuel , holtec and smr inventec signed a memorandum of understanding , with the initial focus on fuel development and control rod drive mechanisms for the smr - 160 .
it had a very unique design . that is not what ended up really being the predominant form of nuclear energy in the country . the predominant form of nuclear energy in the country came from the work of admiral rickover , who was trying to build a reactor to power a submarine . it had certain limitations on it . it had be very small . it had to be very compact . it had to utilize highly enriched uranium .
the creation of a
thorium storage and industrial products corporation
which would store the thorium obtained from monazite mines and find end - users for the product , specifically , as an energy source . this
thorium bank
in absolute terms , nuclear energy prevents about 80 , 000 air - pollution - related deaths a year , according to a 2013 study . groups with antinuclear positions , such as greenpeace , have struggled to spin these numbers .
the chinese nhr - 200 ( nuclear heating reactor ) , developed by tsingua university ' s institute of nuclear energy technology ( now the institute of nuclear and new energy technology ) , is a simple 200 mwt integral pwr design for district heating or desalination . it is based on the nhr - 5 which was commissioned in 1989 , and runs at lower temperature than the above designs h . used fuel is stored around the core in the pressure vessel .
he started out studying such systems as potential power plants for a moon base or a spacecraft . but he came to the conclusion that they could make a big dent in greenhouse gas emissions and energy needs right here on earth .
these numbers suggest that more than 99 % of us aren ' t intimately familiar with how nuclear energy works — so here ' s a bit of background about the atomic magic that provides roughly one - fifth of us power .
china , india , the czech republic and russia are exploring this technology . we are virtually stalled because we don’t have a national resolve to address a pending problem , which is our energy crisis… if you read dr . moniz’s ( the current secretary of energy ) strategic plan for the doe , it does not mention nuclear . instead it is in pursuit of solar , wind , and biomass . none of these technologies would be sustainable without significant government subsidies .
inside a molten - salt breeder reactor , which burns up almost all of its fuel and generates hundreds of times less waste than lwrs , weinberg estimated that thorium could meet the world ' s energy needs for billions of years .
floating power sources based on nuclear reactor plants , panov et al . , federal state unitary enterprise the federal scientific and industrial center i . i . afrikantov experimental design bureau of mechanical engineering , nizhny novgorod , russia , presented at the 5th international conference on asian energy cooperation : mechanisms , risks , barriers ( aec - 2006 ) , organized by the energy systems institute of the russian academy of sciences and held in yakutsk , russia ( 27 - 29 june 2006 )
china plans for the tmsr - sf to be an energy solution for the northwest half of the country , with lower population density and little water . the application of water - free cooling in arid regions is envisaged from about 2025 .
fossil fuels could slake the world ' s thirst for energy , but burning more would exacerbate climate change and threaten millions . and it ' d be temporary , since known reserves are expected to run out within a century or two .
the department of energy estimates it may take until 2040 or 2050 to license a full - scale and commercial molten - salt power plant . meanwhile , america ' s aging yet vital nuclear power plants aren ' t getting any younger .
kirk sorensen : yeah , absolutely . when i think about what you have just described . a system to accommodate the fact that the wind and the solar energy are not where the people are . fifty trillion to try to move that electricity around . then , i think of the fact that the amount of thorium that it would take to provide all of the energy , all of the energy you would use in your entire life is about the size of a small marble . it would fit in your pocket . it would cost a few cents . do you realize ? what should we be moving around ? should we be trying to move electricity ? or , should we be trying to move thorium ?
theoretically the u238 can be turned into useful energy in this way , so you can get a huge amount of energy from the waste . even up to 20 times more than was originally produced by the fuel rods . but the downside is that while burning u238 , you will produce a lot of new actinides too . whether in the end the process will significantly reduce the amount of long lived waste , remains to be seen , and strongly depends on the reactor design .
nuclear reactors , on the other hand , fit the bill : they ' re dense , reliable , emit no carbon , and — contrary to bitter popular sentiment — are among the safest energy sources on earth . today , they supply about 20 % of america ' s energy , though by the 2040s , this share may drop to 10 % as companies shut down decades - old reactors , according to a july 2016 report released by idaho national laboratory ( inl ) .