UV-RADIATION OF THE GTA WELDING PLASMA VERSUS SHIELDING GAS-COMPOSITION

UV radiation during gas tungsten are (GTA) welding in argon/helium shi elding gas mixtures versus gas composition and are length has been inv estigated experimentally and theoretically. UV radiation was found to increase with an increase of argon concentration in the mixture. A phy sical model describing this phenomenon has been developed. The model p redicts an increase in the total amount of ions in the mixture with an increase of argon concentration despite a decrease in plasma temperat ure. The result of calculations using the model is in satisfactory agr eement with the experimental data.