Analysis of Uncertainties Associated with Magneto-Thermo-Hydrodynamic Modelling of Arc Welding
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In the nuclear industry, and in particular at Framatome, welding process is used to assemble large components. To improve control of the process, numerical simulation of TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas), and more specifically of the electric current pulsation cycles, is being developed to improve understanding of the physical phenomena and their influence on the melt pool, including : - welding difficulties (lack of penetration, migration of chemical species, etc.), - effects of process parameters (electric current, torch speed). A magneto-thermo-hydrodynamic model with surface deformation and melt pool-arc coupling in 2D axisymmetric configuration is developed using process and material parameters that are often difficult to measure. This self-consistent model allows high predictivity of numerical results without experimental calibration. In this work, a sensitivity analysis of the input data is performed, focusing on the influence of the thermophysical properties of the materials : plasma and metal. These results are compared with experimental samples to quantify the predictability of this model.
