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Use of hydrogen in welding engineering in former times and today

Article  in  Journal of Materials Processing Technology · December 2001

DOI: 10.1016/S0924-0136(01)00956-6

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Marjan Suban J. Tušek

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 USE OF HYDROGEN IN WELDING ENGINEERING
IN FORMER TIMES AND TODAY
M. Suban1, J. Tušek2 and M. Uran1

1. Welding Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia.

2. Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia.

ABSTRACT
The paper treats the history of the use of hydrogen as a combustible or shielding gas in
welding. Owing to certain characteristics of hydrogen its use has been reduced through years.
Further development of welding technology, however, has dictated an increase in the use of
hydrogen, particularly due to economic reasons.
Hydrogen was used in gas welding, cutting and brazing as early as at the beginning of this
century. It was a basic combustible gas used in flame processes before the introduction of
acetylene. With the introduction of acetylene, hydrogen as a combustible gas fell into oblivion.
Engineering development, however, has permitted winning hydrogen and oxygen by electrolysis.
Several devices for gas welding, cutting and brazing with hydrogen have made their appearance
in the market. The paper deals primarily with advantages of the use of hydrogen in gas
processes.
A decisive part in arc welding processes is played by the type of shielding gas used. It
affects arc shape, material transfer, energy distribution, temperature distribution etc. In the past
an arc welding process called Arc-Atom was known. It used pure hydrogen. Hydrogen in various
mixtures, however, is used today mainly in TIG welding of high-alloy steels, plasma welding
and cutting and in gas mixtures for weld-root protection. The paper also deals with a study on the
use of an argon mixture containing a larger portion of hydrogen in TIG and MIG welding
processes.

KEYWORDS: hydrogen, welding, cutting.

1. INTRODUCTION

At the Welding Institute a considerable increase in use of hydrogen in welding engineering

has been noticed in the recent years. This can undoubtedly be attributed to devices permitting
simple and cost-effective hydrogen production and to specific properties of hydrogen as a gas.
Use of hydrogen in welding engineering is, however, not something new since hydrogen was
used for welding already many years ago.
Sources for hydrogen are numerous, including dissociation of ammonia, electrolysis of
water and extraction from by-product streams of chemical and petroleum processing.
In the welding industry hydrogen is used as a fuel in oxy-hydrogen welding, brazing and
cutting. A hydrogen mixture with other gases has been lately increasingly used as a shielding gas
in arc welding. Hydrogen as a shielding gas is used as an addition to argon, helium and nitrogen.
Hydrogen is used to a larger extent with argon as a plasma gas or as a component in the gas
mixture for weld-root shield.
2. BASIC CHARACTERISTICS OF HYDROGEN

Hydrogen (H2), the lightest element, is colourless, odourless, tasteless and nontoxic gas
found in the air at concentrations of about 100 ppm (0.01%). Hydrogen is a flammable gas and
explosive in a mixture with air or oxygen in a very wide range. Essential characteristics of
hydrogen are high thermal conductivity and enthalpy as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Thermal conductivity [W/cmo C] 0,5

0,20
H2
0,16

0,12

0,08
CO2
He
0,04
O2
Ar
0
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
Temperature [ oC]

Fig. 1. Thermal conductivity of gases as a function of temperature.

Other characteristics of hydrogen are as follows [1]:

- density at 15oC, 1 bar: 0.085 kg/m3,
- boiling point at 1.013 bar: -252.9oC,
- ignition point: 560oC,
- rate of combustion: 8.99 m/s,
- calorific value at 0oC, 1,013 bar: 10790 kJ/m3,
- explosive concentration of a mixture with air: from 4.1 % to 75 %,
- explosive concentration of a mixture with oxygen: from 4.5 % to 95 %.

3. OXY-HYDROGEN WELDING, BRAZING AND CUTTING

3.1 Fundamentals and history

Oxygen and hydrogen in a flame used for welding, brazing or cutting combine into water
vapour as defined by the following equation:

H2 + 0.5 O2 = H2O + energy emitted (1).

 5020

4150

Enthalpy [kJ/mol]
3350
N2 H2
2510

Ar He
1670

840

0
0 10 20 30 .103
Temperature [K]

Fig. 2. Gas enthalpy as a function of temperature.

The process efficiency is around 60 %. From the above explanation it is obvious that
hydrogen is used here as fuel. An oxy-hydrogen flame differs from an oxy-acetylene flame in the
following:
- lower flame temperature: 2660 oC,
- the oxy-acetylene flame burns in three phases, and the oxy-hydrogen flame in one,
- the flame is colourless.
The flame obtained by combustion of hydrogen with oxygen, beside being "very pure", is
endowed with excellent heating power and extreme "resolution" (the power to heat a small
surface), which allow quality and precision work to be carried out.
Hydrogen was used for gas welding, brazing and cutting as early as at the beginning of the
century. Before the introduction of acetylene to welding engineering it had been the basic fuel
for gas welding processes. The first gas torches for gas welding were designed precisely for
hydrogen and oxygen. For example, in 1903, the first oxy-hydrogen torch from Griesheim, built
by Dräger, came on the market. In the literature from the beginning of the century [2] numerous
advertisments and comperative tests of various heating gases can be found.

3.2 Present use of hydrogen in flame processes

Water is the world's most abundant natural resource. It has always been a man's dream to
convert water into usable energy. Based on a new technology hydrogen and oxygen gases can be
generated from water with high efficiency and safety. At the Welding Institute two oxy-
hydrogen generators were available for testing in the past year. Both devices operate on the
principle of water electrolysis but they slightly differ in their construction.
A device manufactured by Air Liquid is adapted to oxy-hydrogen brazing. It is
schematically shown in Fig. 3. Distilled water, mixed at a suitable percentage with a basic
component (soda or potash), is introduced into a particular electrolytic cell where, under the
action of a regulated and stabilised current, the dissociation and separation into hydrogen and
oxygen takes place with great efficiency. The two gases enter separate circuits which ensure
cooling, drying and correct balance between relative pressures dependent upon the needs of the
customer. A particularly sophisticated unit for the observation and management of the system
takes charge of the alternating current below the transformer, carrying a voltage with particular
characteristic to the tops of the cell, ensuring greater output. The control unit guarantees,
likewise, optimal operation of the dissociator through the continuous survey of fundamental
physical parameters entered into a process computer which automatically allows optimal
functioning in every condition of use.

POWER
POWER CONVERTER H2 H2
SUPPLY ELECTRONIC SEPARATOR EXCHANGER
CONTROL

H2 H2
USE
ELECTROLYTIC ELECTROLYTE
CELL EXCHANGER
DISTRIBUTION
BALANCING
SYSTEM
O2 O2
USE

O2 O2
WATER SEPARATOR EXCHANGER

Fig. 3. Scheme of oxy-hydrogen generator.

On the market there are devices of various size, from the smallest one mostly suitable for a
laboratory or a goldsmith’s shop, to the largest one which may produce up to 7333.3 l hydrogen
per hour. Hydrogen and oxygen produced in a generator are usually additionally dried on their
way to the burner. CaCl dryer device permits to dry, up to -40 oC dew-point using the chemical
features of calcium chloride (CaCl). This device is employed, when the gas is used principally
via a torch for braze welding and other applications in which it is necessary to protect only the
line and regulation systems from humidity. For processing, the gas passes through a chamber
system where it is enriched with an alcohol borax mixture. Now it is possible to weld and braze
parts without oxidation. The flame is additionally coloured (better visibility of the flame).
The electrolytic dissociator permits the "on-site" production of H2 and O2 gases, which
makes it possible for the user to render his production process more flexible, to reduce the
complexity of internal equipment, to free himself from dependence on external suppliers and the
physical management of gas cylinders, increasing at the same time safety of his equipment and
his operators without having to deal with high pressure combustible gas containers.
The second device, called GREENGAS, is shown in Fig. 4. It also operates on the
principle of water electrolysis. It differs from the previously mentioned device in that a
hydrogen-oxygen mixture is obtained already at the electrolytic-cell output. Because the
electrodes are self-cleaning, tap water may be used instead of destilled water.
 Fig. 4. Device GREENGAS 1500.

Although the GREENGAS device is suitable for welding, brazing and cutting, the majority
of our investigations was carried out with cutting. For cutting, in addition to the hydrogen-
oxygen mixture, which forms the heating flame, additional oxygen for combustion and blowing-
out is to be supplied to the torch.
One of the main advantages stated by the manufacturer is a cutting speed increase of up to
20 %. In our investigations it was found that the increase indeed occurred, but the values
achieved were lower (see Table 1) [3].

Table 1. Comparison of cutting with oxy-hydrogen and oxy-acetylene gases [3].

Thickness Cutting speed in Cutting speed in Cutting speed

[mm] oxy-hydrogen oxy-acetylene increase
cutting [mm/min] cutting [mm/min] [%]
13 655 575 13.9
25 590 525 12.4
38 470 425 10.6
55 420 370 13.5

The other advantages in the use of oxy-hydrogen gas for cutting are as follows:
a) Heat input is lower than in oxy-acetylene cutting. The heat affected zone of the cut surface is
very narrow as compared to the oxy-acetylene cut, and hardness measured at depths between
0.5-5.5 mm below the cut surface at least 10 % lower. In critical welding applications, this
advantage may reduce or totally eliminate the need for stress relieving or grinding. Thanks to
lower heat input the workpieces cut curve less and better maintain the shape required.
b) A thin remaining layer of slag is brittle enough to be easily removed. Cuts are smoother. Slag
grinding is usually not required.
c) The oxy-hydrogen gas mixture automatically produces a neutral flame without pre-heat
oxygen thereby eliminating the manual adjustment required by other fuel gases to produce the
same neutral flame. This results in time-saving and reduces gas wastage.
d) The total elimination of the fuel gas and reduction in oxygen usage results in savings due to
lower cylinder rental and transportation costs and a smaller cylinder storage area required.
e) The oxy-hydrogen gas does not emit any fumes during combustion. Unlike oxy-acetylene
cutting which emits more than 100 ppm of carbon monoxide, oxy-hydrogen cutting does not
have this problem. Beside that, the oxy-hydrogen flame is very focused and thus creates less
heat in the working enviroment.
The investigations included safety testing of the devices too. Both devices proved safe
when correctly used. As to the oxygen/hydrogen mixture used with the GREENGAS device a
certain scepticism prevailed initially. Testing of blowback, however, showed that the application
of two dry safety-seals was sufficient to fulfil safety requirements. The device is also designed in
a way to allow only a small quantity of the oxy-hydrogen gas mixture to be contained in its
receptacles.

4. USE OF HYDROGEN IN ARC WELDING PROCESSES

4.1 History
It was as early as in 1926 that a gas-shielded arc welding process was developed. Pure
hydrogen was used as a shielding gas. This was the so-called atomic-hydrogen process or Arc-
Atom in short. The process experienced a considerable swing mainly before World War II in
Germany.
With this method an alternating arc is maintained between two tungsten electrodes.
Hydrogen is fed into the arc. When hydrogen is passed through the electric arc the high
temperature in the plasma core is sufficient to cause dissociation of the gas. The reaction is
endothermic the energy being supplied by the arc:

H2  H + H - 422 kJ (2).

If the stream of gas is now directed against a metal surface the atomic hydrogen
recombines giving back the energy taken from the arc. The flame at this point is at
approximately 3700 oC and can be used for welding. In the outer regions of the flame air enters
to allow the hydrogen to burn to water vapour in a large wooly flame. Although the arc takes part
in the supply of energy, the work is not a part of circuit, and the process can truly be described as
flame-welding method, in which heat is liberated by a chemical reaction.
The atomic hydrogen process employs a welding torch in which a.c. arc is struck between
two inclined tungsten electrodes (se Fig. 5). Hydrogen is passed through two nozzles, one
surrounding each electrode so that the gas streams converge forming a fan-shaped flame.
Because of high voltage required to ignite and maintain the arc in hydrogen, a transformer with
the open-circuit voltage of 300 V is required.
 Power
H2 H2 source
H2

H2

Filler H2
material
H2 W-Electrode
H2 2H

Workpiece

Fig. 5. Arc-Atom welding.

The process was widely used for manual and automatic welding of sheet metal and for
such jobs as surfacing of dies where the high flame temperature enables a thin surface layer to be
deposited on the thick base metal. Modern TIG and MIG processes have now largely replaced
the Arc-Atom process.

4.2 Present state of applicability of hydrogen in arc welding processes

In fusion arc welding a great part is played by the type of shielding gas used since it affects
the arc shape, material transfer mode and energy distribution, i.e. temperature distribution, in the
arc. At present mixtures of two, three or even more different gases are used to protect the arc and
the molten pool. The most frequently used gases are CO2 and Ar in various mixtures. To these
two gases, a smaller portion of oxygen, in some cases also helium, hydrogen or nitrogen, is
added.
Hydrogen has been added to argon and/or helium in welding of high-alloy stainless steels,
nickel-based alloys, and aluminium only lately. An argon/helium/hydrogen mixture may be used
in TIG and MIG welding processes.

Fig. 6. Macrosections of the welds (M 3:1) made with the same current intensity but in
different shielding mixtures (stainelss steel 18/8, electrode negative).
Left: I = 200 A, U = 14 V, v = 0.3 m/min, Ar
Right: I = 200 A, U = 21 V, v = 0.3 m/min, Ar + 10% H2
 At the Welding Institute the influence of hydrogen in argon on the quantity of the material
melted is investigated in welding of stainless steel. For hydrogen, high thermal conductivity and
enthalpy in the temperature range between 3000 and 5000 K (temperatures reached in the arc)
are characteristic. Hydrogen addition to argon increases voltage drop in the arc and,
consequently, arc power. Owing to high thermal conductivity of hydrogen, the arc gets narrower
and energy concentration in it increases, which entails a deeper penetration. Fig. 6 shows two
macrosections of the fusion zone obtained in TIG welding in different shielding media and at a
constant welding current. Arc voltage varied due to different shielding media.
For an easier assessment of the TIG and MIG welding processes with hydrogen addition,
melting efficiency of the welding process was calculated. Equation 1 gives melting efficiency of
TIG and MIG welding.

M  E t
 t
 100 [%] (3)
 0
I  U  dt

where
M [g/s] - quantity of the parent and filler metal melted per unit of time,
E [J/g] - energy theoretically required to melt 1 g of austenitic stainless steel,
I [A], U [V], t [s] - welding parameters.

The energy theoretically required to melt 1 g of stainless steel may be calculated and
amounts to 891 J.
The results concerning melting efficiency in TIG welding as a function of hydrogen
content in argon are shown in the diagram in Fig. 7. With the increase in hydrogen content the
melting efficiency increases too. Melting efficiency is higher also in the case of higher current
intensity.
Fig. 8 shows the influence of hydrogen in argon on quantity of the parent metal and filler
material melted in MIG welding. By hydrogen addition to argon the quantity of the material
melted increases by 10 to 30 %.

40
vw = 0,3 m/min
35 Lo = 3,5 mm I = 250 A
A
30
I = 200
25
 [%]

20
50 A
15 I=1

10
5
0
0 1 5 10 15 20
vol.% H 2 in Ar

Fig. 7. Influence of hydrogen content in argon shielding gas and welding current intensity
on melting efficiency in TIG welding (electrode negative).
 60

I = 250 A
50

I = 2 00 A
40
 [%] I = 1 50 A
30

20

10

0
0 1 5 10 15 20
vol.% H 2 in Ar

Fig. 8. Influence of hydrogen in the argon shielding gas on melting efficiency

in MIG welding of austenitic stainless steel (electrode positive).

In plasma arc welding or cutting gases are utilized for two purposes: as plasma generating
gases to sustain the arc and as auxiliary gases mixed in smaller volumens with the plasma
generating gas. Argon, helium, nitrogen and hydrogen are the most frequently used gases.
Researchers in the field of plasma systems have soon found out that hydrogen addition
exerts a favourable influence on plasma welding and cutting respectively. Hydrogen is used in
percentages of 5 to 25 % as an auxiliary gas mixed with argon or nitrogen. The use of hydrogen
raises the arc voltage thus permitting the use of higher power levels. Because of high thermal
conductivity of hydrogen the plasma arc is additionally constricted, which contributes to a higher
energy concentration. This produces welds with deeper penetration while in cutting a smaller cut
width is achieved.
In welding, weld-root protection is frequently required. In welding of stainless pipes it is
gas root protection which is most often used. An important parameter is the purge gas itself. In
the UK, the purge gas is generally a totally inert gas. Argon is often preferred as it can be used as
shielding gas in the subsequent weld, although nitrogen is also effective. In the continental
Europe a more common practice is to purge pipes with the so-called "formier" gas, a mixture of
nitrogen with 5-30 % hydrogen. In this case the nitrogen provides inerting while the hydrogen
acts as an oxygen scavenger, mopping up any remaining oxygen and preventing it from reacting
in the weld area. Through this scavening action, formier-gas purging can reach the required
oxygen level somewhat faster than an inert gas. One of the main problems encountered in the use
of formier gas with a higher percentage of hydrogen is combustibility of hydrogen.
 5. CONCLUSIONS

In welding industry hydrogen has been increasingly used as a combustible gas in flame
processes and as a shielding gas in arc welding processes
Cheap recovery of hydrogen from water and a safe design of devices for hydrogen
recovery promoted the introduction of hydrogen into flame processes. Hydrogen, however, has
not managed yet to completely replace acetylene. The advantages of hydrogen are presently put
to the best use mainly in brazing and cutting while in welding it is acetylene which still
predominates.
Excellent thermal, electric and chemical properties of hydrogen have promoted the use of
hydrogen in mixtures with other shielding gases used in arc welding processes. Hydrogen
addition to argon and/or helium in TIG and MIG welding processes will increase the quantity of
the material melted and thus increase process efficiency. Hydrogen is added to the plasma gas to
constrict the arc in plasma welding and cutting. This produces a stronger energy concentration
and, consequently, a deeper penetration and a smaller cut width respectively. Long ago
advantages of hydrogen were found also in weld-root protection where it is most often used in a
mixture with nitrogen.
With all welding, brazing and cutting processes, however, a question arises whether there
has been any hydrogen absorption. The diffused hydrogen may essentially affect the quality of
the weld and the brazing filler metal as well as the cut surface. Investigations into hydrogen
absorption in the processes treated in the present paper are going to be conducted soon.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors wish to thank firms EFCO-Air Liquid (Hydrogen generator), Mager d.o.o.
(GreenGas generator), and Messer Slovenija (hydrogen-argon mixtures) for supplying the
equipment and material used in our studies.

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Engineering, Haludovo, 1998, 397-406.
[4] J. Tušek, M. Suban, Influence of hydrogen in argon as a shielding gas in arc welding of high-
alloy stainless steels. IIW Doc. 212-938-98, (1998).
[5] J.F. Lancaster, The Physics of Welding, Pergamon Press, Oxford, (1986).
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