Calculation of spatial and temporal distributions of temperature and velocity of a weld pool during laser welding

Abstract

The laser welding process is one of the most widely used processes in the industry. The study of the distributions of temperature and fluid velocity in the weld pool plays an important role in determining the size and shape of the weld. In this paper, we are interested in the numerical study of the welding phenomenon in the weld pool resulting from the interaction of a laser beam with a magnesium alloy (AZ91). We use the equation of energy, the equations of conservation of movement, the equation of continuity, and the equation of phase transition energy; we take into account the effect of Marangoni and buoyancy force. For the numerical model, we use the Finite Volume Method (FVM) and Gauss-Seidel iterative method. We calculate spatial and temporal distributions of temperature and fluid velocity in a cylindrical coordinates system (r, θ, z). We study how laser Power and welding speed affect the width and the depth of the weld pool. The results of this numerical model are compared with an experimental study. 

Keywords:

• Laser welding
• fluid model
• temperature distribution
• weld pool

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the support of the LRPPS Laboratory of Ouargla University, Algeria, and the Directorate General of Scientific Research and Technological Development (DGRSDT) who supports the Laboratory.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).