DESCRIPTION: TITLE

Salt water welding machine (SWWM)

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to field of manufacturing whereas the equipment being proposed as invention uses a combination of electrolyte solution with other necessary equipments to perform Shielded Metal arc welding process. Advantageously, the present invention relates to low cost welding apparatus.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
Shielded Metal Arc Welding, also known as manual metal arc welding, stick welding, or electric arc welding, is the most widely used of the various arc welding processes. Welding is performed with the heat of an electric arc that is maintained between the end of a coated metal electrode and the work piece. The electrode is one conductor and the work piece is another conductor. The electrode and the work piece are brought nearer with small air gap. The heat produced by the arc melts the base metal, the electrode core rod, and the coating. As the molten metal droplets are transferred across the arc and into the molten weld puddle, they are shielded from the atmosphere by the gases produced from the decomposition of the flux coating. The molten slag floats to the top of the weld puddle where it protects the weld metal from the atmosphere during solidification.

The electric arc is produced between two conductors. When current is passed, an electric arc is produced between the electrode and the work piece. The work piece and the electrode are melted by the arc. Both molten pieces of metal combines together to form a joint. Temperature of arc is typically around 4000°c. Electrodes used in arc welding are coated with a flux. This flux produces a gaseous shield around the molten metal. It prevents the reaction of the molten metal with oxygen and nitrogen in the atmosphere.

The flux removes the impurities from the molten metal and form a slag. This slag gets deposited over the weld metal. This protects the weld seam from rapid cooling.

Shielded metal arc welding is one of most used among various other electric arc welding processes. As per the statistics, nearly 42% of industrial applied welding process involves Shielded metal arc welding in their processes while 34% of application involves Gas metal arc welding. And the various reasons for preferring SMAW are

• Equipment less complex, more portable and less costly
• Can be done indoors or outdoors, in any location and any position
• Electrodes available to match properties and strength of most base metals

The power supply used in SMAW has constant current output, ensuring that the current (and thus the heat) remains relatively constant, even if the arc distance and voltage change. This is important because most applications of SMAW are manual, requiring that an operator hold the torch. Maintaining a suitably steady arc distance is difficult if a constant voltage power source is used instead, since it can cause dramatic heat variations and make welding more difficult. However, because the current is not maintained absolutely constant, skilled welders performing complicated welds can vary the arc length to cause minor fluctuations in the current.

The preferred polarity of the SMAW system depends primarily upon the electrode being used and the desired properties of the weld. Direct current with a negatively charged electrode (DCEN) causes heat to build up on the electrode, increasing the electrode melting rate and decreasing the depth of the weld. Reversing the polarity so that the electrode is positively charged (DCEP) and the work piece is negatively charged increases the weld penetration. With alternating current the polarity changes over 100 times per second, creating an even heat distribution and providing a balance between electrode melting rate and penetration.

Typically, the equipment used for SMAW consists of a step-down transformer and for direct current models a rectifier, which converts alternating current into direct current. Because the power normally supplied to the welding machine is high-voltage alternating current, the welding transformer is used to reduce the voltage and increase the current. As a result, instead of 230 V at 50 A, for example, the power supplied by the transformer is around 17-45 V at currents up to 600 A. A number of different types of transformers can be used to produce this effect, including multiple coil and inverter machines, with each using a different method to manipulate the welding current. The multiple coil type adjusts the current by either varying the number of turns in the coil (in tap-type transformers) or by varying the distance between the primary and secondary coils (in movable coil or movable core transformers). Inverters, which are smaller and thus more portable, use electronic components to change the current characteristics.

Limitations of the transformer type prior art machines are power drop in transformer and depending upon the output current to be supplied, the weight proportions of the machine will increase. Further it requires certain type of cooling system to improve its ability to dissipate the heat generated by electric current.

Accordingly, there exists a need for a simple in construction, low cost, light weight welding apparatus which overcome the drawbacks of the prior art. The present invention is an alternate type of power source working on alternating current, delivering the desired outputs, and to perform the Shielded metal arc welding process.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION
The present invention comprises an innovative methodology adopted as power source for shielded metal arc welding process, in which saline solution along with other necessary equipments is used to perform the task of conventional power sources, wherein the improvement comprises reducing the cost of machine considerably.

Namely, the present invention relates to an electrolytic apparatus which consists of an electrolytic bath of saline water solution and a series of carbon rods acting as electrodes and a power source cabinet containing the necessary electrical and controlling circuits.

The present invention acts as a power source for shielded metal arc welding process. The method involves the electrolytic bath acting as the power source when input current is giving into the container holding the electrolyte. This action apparently breaks down the ions in the saline solution and forces to acts as a step up transformer. The output from the container goes into power source cabinet, in which the required current range can be selected and the welding electrode holder can be connected.

It is another object of the present invention, wherein the apparatus comprising of:

1. Container with 6 partition chambers (Polypropylene material)
2. One or more Carbon Rods
3. Single pole breaker switches
4. Fasteners
5. Heavy Wire
6. Solenoid coil
7. Power source made of Wooden box
8. Welding wire
9. Aluminum coil
10. Electrode holder and earth clamps

The characterizing features will be apparent from Claims 1. The apparatus and method of the present invention may take form in various systems and components, as well as the arrangement of those systems and components. The above described features and advantages, as well as others, will become more readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by reference to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. The drawings are only for purposes of illustrating exemplary embodiments and are not to be construed as limiting the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING

Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing a device according to the present invention Fig. 2 is a circuit layout of the present invention

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

Fig. 1 shows a block diagram of necessary components forming part of the welding device according to the present invention. The device comprises a container, which is supplied with an alternating current, preferably a 230 v mains current, and a power source cabinet, used to vary current ranges supplied to the welding electrodes.

The phase is supplied to an input carbon rod, which is immersed in to the container of water & salt solution. The output side of carbon rod is capable of giving 15A output. A varying numbers of carbon rods is used in the quantity of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 with the corresponding current output being 15A, 30A, 45A, 60A, 75A and 90A. The container has six outputs and they are given as inputs to the power source.
The neutral is connected to the power source. The power source has two outputs. The phase output, which actually originates from the container and then is connected on the switches in the power source, is connected to the welding electrode holder, while the neutral output is connected to the clamp holder of the welding material, thereby closing the circuit.

The working of the device primarily is based on the chemical reaction occurring in the container and the reaction of the elements in process is being analyzed.

Water of required quantity is added into the container. The connection is made and the circuit is turned on. When salt is added to water, the salt ions (which are highly polar) helps pull the water molecules apart into ions. Each part on the water molecule (H20) has a charge. The OH-ion is negative and the H+ ion is positive. This solution forms an electrolyte, allowing current to flow when a voltage is applied.

The H+ ions, called cations, move toward the cathode (negative electrode) and the OH- ions, called anions, will moved toward the anode (positive electrode).

Here, the carbon rod to which the input is connected will act as the anode and the output carbon rods will act as cathode.

When the power is turned on, chemical reaction (Electrolysis) takes place in the tank and the reaction is as follows:

NaCI + H2O(+ electrical energy) > NaOH + 1/2 H2 + 1/2 Cl2

During the process, twice as much hydrogen gas is produced as oxygen. The interfering reaction is
H2O(+ electrical energy) -> H2 + 1/2 O2

Bubbles of oxygen gas (O2) forms at the anode, and bubbles of hydrogen gas (H2) forms at the cathode.

The bubble generation during process is clearly visible.

Aluminium coils is used in the power source to absorb heat and to prevent the saline solution from heating when the device is working at higher current ranges.

The chemical reaction ensures that the container performs the same task as of a transformer. According to the type of material being welded, the output current range is selected from the power source and the corresponding switch is turned on. With the neutral clamped to the welded material and the phase connected to the welding electrode holder, thus closing the circuit and the striking of the electrode on the material creates a spark for welding.

SPECIFICATION OF SALT WATER WELDING MACHINE
Input: 190 to 230 Volts, 50 Hz, single phase Welding current range: 36 amps Welding voltage range: 18-24 volts Electrode sizes: 2.5-3.15 mm Output voltage and current: 90 to 100 amps Fuse rating: 30 amps Machine weight: 25 kgs Container Capacity: 200 liters

Claims:
1. An apparatus for welding

2. An welding device comprising:

a tank for holding electrodes, water & salt solution;

a power supply for supplying electric power between the wire and the work piece; and

a power source with controlling switches and output ports

3. A method for performing welding, wherein the process is accomplished using water & salt solutions