Self Shielded Flux Core Pipeline

Welding
ITW Hobart Brothers, Troy, OH
Fundamentals of Self Shielded
FCAW
Porosity Formation
Oxygen & Nitrogen
Carbon Monoxide (CO)
Nitrogen solubility in liquid iron (0.045%)
> solid iron (0.012%)
Preventing Porosity
Generate sufficient shielding gas
Fix the Oxygen & Nitrogen through the
formation of stable oxides and nitrides
Shielding Gas Generation
Flux ingredient (Carbonates & Fluorides)
CaCO
3
and MgCO
3
decompose at 350 - 900C
and provide CO
2

Metallic Oxide contributes to slag volume
Generates spatter during decomposition reaction
BaCO
3
& Li
2
CO
3

Shielding Gas Generation
Fluorides produce shielding gas & slag
Shielding gas produced through either
vaporization or dissociation of fluorides
CaF
2
used to scavenge O
2
, N, H
2
and reduce
sulfur & phosphorous
LiF
2
reduces nitrogen
De-oxidation and De-nitriding
Al, Ti, Zr, Mn, Si, Mg
Stub Loss
Parameters F/S 81N1, 5/64" E7010, 3/16"
A. Wire/Electrode Unit Cost 1.00 1.00
B. Deposit Efficiency 75% 50%
C. Labour Cost $/hr 10 10
D. Deposition Rate lbs/hr 4.10 3.50
E. Operating Factor 50% 30%
F. Material Cost Unit/lb = A/B/(1-H) 1.40 2.67
G. Labour Cost $/lb = C*((1/D)/E) 4.88 9.52
H. Stub Loss/ Waste 5% 25%
Total Unit Cost Per Lb 6.28 12.19
Self Shielded FCAW vs SMAW
New Generation
Self Shielded Wires
Low Spatter Level
Excellent Slag Detachability
Excellent Properties
Improved
Quality
Productivity
Overall Fabrication Cost
E71T8-Ni1 in market
Slag
New Generation Wire
NO SLAG
E71T8-Ni1 in Market
Large and high
spatter level
New Generation Wire
Small and low
spatter level
Quantitative Spatter Generation
Comparison
0
5
10
15
20
25
%

S
p
a
t
t
e
r

G
e
n
e
r
a
t
e
d
200 A 250 A
Current
a
a
b
c b c
a - Current Wire
b,c - New Wire
Recommendations
X65, X70 E71T8 - K6 FS 71K6
X65, X70: E71T8 - Ni1 FS 81N1
X80: E81T8 - Ni2 FS 81N2
CVN Transition Curve
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
-120 -100 -80 -60 -40 -20 0
Testing Temperature (F)
C
V
N

T
o
u
g
h
n
e
s
s

(
F
t
-
L
b
s
)
Historical Tensile Strength Data
50000
52500
55000
57500
60000
62500
65000
67500
70000
72500
75000
77500
80000
Samples
T
e
n
s
i
l
e

S
t
r
e
n
g
t
h

(
p
s
i
)
Historical Impact Toughness
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
500
Samples
A
v
g
.

C
V
N

V
a
l
u
e
s

@
-
4
0
F

(
f
t
-
l
b
s
)
China Pipeline Bureau
State owned Company responsible for oil and gas
pipeline construction in China as well as overseas.


Used E6010 (EN) for root run and Self Shielded
FCAW (EN) for remaining passes - process
developed in late 80s
West East Pipeline Project
4000 km (2500 miles) main pipeline to transport gas from
Xinjiang gas field, North-West China to Shanghai, East
coast of China.


API 5LX-70, 67 Joules impact, 1 meter diameter, 15 to
25mm wall thickness, 12lb of weld metal per joint.
West East Pipeline Project
China Pipeline Bureau welding X-70 Pipe for the first
time.
New wires excellent CVN impact toughness exceeded
requirements and was the first wire to be qualified for the
project !!!
New wire preferred due to low spatter level and easy slag
removal over competitive wire !!!
China welders complete approximately 250 joints per day
for a 50 man welding crew.
Shanghai
China Pipeline
China Pipeline
China Pipeline
Shanghai
ITW Companies supplied over 1000 tons of Self Shielded Flux
Core Wire in 2002 !!!