High Purity Gas users

As it applies to high quality weld purging operations, Paul says:

“Using high purity gases is a good start, but are you using the correct regulators?”

This is one of the items that belongs to “Weld Purging Best Practices”

Paul describes such regulators to be manufactured from high quality materials and fitted with stainless steel or hastelloy diaphragms. He goes on to say:

“Chrome plated or solid stainless steel body designs are also typically used along with stainless flexi hoses which are used as connectors on manifolds”.

This particular tip about regulators is one of  the “Weld Purging Best Practices”.

Leading on from this, welders purging with high purity gases should avoid using traditional rubber or synthetic gas purging hoses.

There is a significant risk of contamination of the inlet gas coming up to the weld zone and also of the exhaust gas where measurement of oxygen level will be taking place using a Weld Purge Monitor® or similar.

Such hoses can often leak, they may have porosity or cracks and they will outgas to some extent and thereby contaminate the gas.

The longer the rubber/synthetic hoses the greater the volume of contaminating gas that is collected as the pure gas travels through the tubes to the purge zone.

Paul mentions Teflon hoses as an alternative to stainless steel flexihoses and he explains that stainless steel hard pipe could be used to keep the integrity of the high purity purge gas and minimise the risk of leakage or ingress of air.

In his closing statement Paul says “By ensuring that gases are supplied through pure, clean materials, the whole process is protected, resulting in improved efficiency and high levels of continuous production”

Thank you Paul.  This is a great tip!