How much argon does a weld like the one in the video use? And do you collect it afterwards for recycling? Is there any reason to collect and recycle argon gas?
@gulllars Ted's reply: It's based on flow and I run 30 CFH (cubic feet per hour). That is flowing whenever the arc is struck. So, however much that is over the time it takes to complete the weld. We don't have any system for collecting the argon. I have never thought about it. It would seem difficult since any collecting vacuum would affect the argon shield that is being flowed around the weld.
@IntellectualVentures Thanks for the reply, i find this stuff interresting. As Argon is slightly heavier than air, i would think you'd find an increase in concentration at the floor below the welding. At 30 CF/H, welding for half an hour to an hour would release about (425-850L =) 750-1500g of gas. By cornering off the area of the floor below the welding station maybe it would be possible to collect air with Argon concentration significantly higher than normal air (which has about 1%).
@gulllars continuation of reply; if collecting and recycling argon from TIG makes sense will depend on the price of argon in tanks, and if you can collect it in sufficient high concentrations and volume to make purification cheaper.
Argon rich air collected could also be useful (or a fun curiosity) in itself for other projects if collecting it is not too troublesome compared to making it from argon on tanks with air.
How much argon does a weld like the one in the video use? And do you collect it afterwards for recycling? Is there any reason to collect and recycle argon gas?
gulllars 1 year ago
@gulllars Ted's reply: It's based on flow and I run 30 CFH (cubic feet per hour). That is flowing whenever the arc is struck. So, however much that is over the time it takes to complete the weld. We don't have any system for collecting the argon. I have never thought about it. It would seem difficult since any collecting vacuum would affect the argon shield that is being flowed around the weld.
IntellectualVentures 1 year ago
@IntellectualVentures Thanks for the reply, i find this stuff interresting. As Argon is slightly heavier than air, i would think you'd find an increase in concentration at the floor below the welding. At 30 CF/H, welding for half an hour to an hour would release about (425-850L =) 750-1500g of gas. By cornering off the area of the floor below the welding station maybe it would be possible to collect air with Argon concentration significantly higher than normal air (which has about 1%).
gulllars 1 year ago
@gulllars continuation of reply; if collecting and recycling argon from TIG makes sense will depend on the price of argon in tanks, and if you can collect it in sufficient high concentrations and volume to make purification cheaper.
Argon rich air collected could also be useful (or a fun curiosity) in itself for other projects if collecting it is not too troublesome compared to making it from argon on tanks with air.
gulllars 1 year ago