Underwater welding is an important part of any industry that involves shipping or structures that are entirely or partially under water. From pipelines, to platforms to ships, metal structures must be repaired, and in many cases can't be removed from the water.
Because of this, quality underwater welding technology is vital. Ideally, an underwater weld should be strong enough to permanently become part of the structure, fast to implement, safe and cheap. Unfortunately, most underwater welding techniques can meet only a few of these requirements, and they usually have drawbacks.
There are many risks associated with underwater welding, which is why it must be done by trained specialists who know the right precautions and how to use the equipment well. Industries that often employ underwater welders include the military, shipping companies and the oil and gas industries.
Underwater welding can be separated into two basic types - wet and dry. During the process of wet welding, the weld is exposed to the water. This is a fast, inexpensive method that's often used when a ship or structure can't be removed from water.
The big disadvantage of wet underwater welding is that it doesn't have the same structural stability you'd find in a dry weld. The presence of water can cause hot and cold spots, interrupt the process, or even create pockets of oxygen and hydrogen that can become explosive. Since wet welds aren't as strong as dry welds, they're almost always temporary, and they don't provide high percentages of elongation.
Wet underwater welds need to be repaired more frequently and require routine inspections for damage. This is an alternative to putting a ship into dry dock before scheduled, but in the long run, it's not always the cheapest.
Dry underwater welding is often referred to as hyperbaric welding. It's usually carried out in a chamber built to isolate the weld from the water outside. This chamber may be pressurized and contain inert gas. Chambers vary from large enough to hold the welder and all his or her equipment to small enough to surround only the weld.
In a variant of dry underwater welding developed by Neptune, the chamber is small, and contains gas pressurized to one unit above the pressure of the water outside. This prevents contamination and allows the chamber to be quickly and easily built, making this one of the cheaper forms of dry welding underwater.
Dry welding is generally considered to be time consuming and expensive, which is why it's not usually used for quick repairs or fixes that need to be done without disrupting normal routines.
Underwater welding has a number of risks associated with it. One of them is shock from improperly insulated or used equipment. Another is decompression sickness, a problem that can be avoided with the right precautions, but which can be lethal if they're not observed.
Each type of welding has its own benefits and problems. Choosing the correct method for your application is a matter of knowing what you need and what your resources are. Investigate all your options, even those that are new on the market, to get the right underwater welding solution. - 15275
Because of this, quality underwater welding technology is vital. Ideally, an underwater weld should be strong enough to permanently become part of the structure, fast to implement, safe and cheap. Unfortunately, most underwater welding techniques can meet only a few of these requirements, and they usually have drawbacks.
There are many risks associated with underwater welding, which is why it must be done by trained specialists who know the right precautions and how to use the equipment well. Industries that often employ underwater welders include the military, shipping companies and the oil and gas industries.
Underwater welding can be separated into two basic types - wet and dry. During the process of wet welding, the weld is exposed to the water. This is a fast, inexpensive method that's often used when a ship or structure can't be removed from water.
The big disadvantage of wet underwater welding is that it doesn't have the same structural stability you'd find in a dry weld. The presence of water can cause hot and cold spots, interrupt the process, or even create pockets of oxygen and hydrogen that can become explosive. Since wet welds aren't as strong as dry welds, they're almost always temporary, and they don't provide high percentages of elongation.
Wet underwater welds need to be repaired more frequently and require routine inspections for damage. This is an alternative to putting a ship into dry dock before scheduled, but in the long run, it's not always the cheapest.
Dry underwater welding is often referred to as hyperbaric welding. It's usually carried out in a chamber built to isolate the weld from the water outside. This chamber may be pressurized and contain inert gas. Chambers vary from large enough to hold the welder and all his or her equipment to small enough to surround only the weld.
In a variant of dry underwater welding developed by Neptune, the chamber is small, and contains gas pressurized to one unit above the pressure of the water outside. This prevents contamination and allows the chamber to be quickly and easily built, making this one of the cheaper forms of dry welding underwater.
Dry welding is generally considered to be time consuming and expensive, which is why it's not usually used for quick repairs or fixes that need to be done without disrupting normal routines.
Underwater welding has a number of risks associated with it. One of them is shock from improperly insulated or used equipment. Another is decompression sickness, a problem that can be avoided with the right precautions, but which can be lethal if they're not observed.
Each type of welding has its own benefits and problems. Choosing the correct method for your application is a matter of knowing what you need and what your resources are. Investigate all your options, even those that are new on the market, to get the right underwater welding solution. - 15275
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NEPSYS Dry Underwater Welds have been tested and found to achieve 25% elongation whereas wet welding consumables are only rated to a maximum of 17% and typically wet welding only achieves 7-10%.