MX2014015399A - Creating clad materials using resistance seam welding. - Google Patents

Abstract

A system for creating a clad material that includes at least one substrate; at least one cladding layer; at least one surface activation layer disposed between the at least one substrate and the at least one cladding layer; and a resistance seam welder, wherein the resistance seam welder is operative to generate heat and pressure sufficient to melt the at least one surface activation layer and form a bond between the at least one substrate and the at least one cladding layer when the at least one surface activation layer is cooled.

Description

SYSTEM OF CREATION OF COATING MATERIALS USING RESISTANCE UNION WELDING Background of the Invention There are numerous situations in the industry (for example, oil and gas) where reference can be made to corrosive or erosive media, such as, for example, acidic, caustic, abrasive and oxidizing environments. Coating materials offer opportunities to maximize the characteristics of individual materials for utility in such environments. Current manufacturing methods to create coating materials in heavy industries include technologies that vary from arc deposition to explosion bonding. These technologies offer several mechanisms for deposition of material, but all include high implicit costs.

Coating tubing typically uses an outer steel sheath and a nickel base sheath, which are in the order of 3mm thickness. Current manufacturing methods or processes include roll bonding and mechanical coating. The former is a complex diffusion bonding method that links the coating material to a steel plate in a mill, winding the product to service thicknesses, then making pipe using the U-forming process, O-formation and expansion Ref.253143 final (UOE, for its acronym in English). This method creates a link of metallurgical integrity, but it is very expensive. Mechanical coating includes forming the coating material in a tube, inserting this tube into the candidate pipe, and then mechanically expanding the coating. This is a more economical method of casing, but no metallurgical bond is formed between the casing and the substrate. Thus, there is a continuing need for a more effective, less expensive method to create coating pipe for use in oil and gas applications.

Summary of the Invention The following provides a summary of certain illustrative embodiments of the present invention. This summary is not an extensive overview and is not intended to identify key or critical aspects or elements of the present invention or to delineate its scope.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a first system for creating a coating material is provided. This system includes at least one substrate; at least one coating layer; minus one surface activation layer disposed between the at least one substrate and the at least one coating layer; and a resistance bonding welder, where the resistance bonding welder is operative to generate heat and pressure sufficient to react the at least one surface activation layer and form a bond between the at least one substrate and the at least one coating layer when the at least one surface activation layer is cooled.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a second system for creating a coating material is provided. This system includes at least one metallic substrate; at least one coating layer resistant to oxidation and corrosion; at least one surface activation layer disposed between the at least one substrate and the at least one coating layer, wherein the at least one surface activation layer further includes at least one eutectic Ni-Cr- Feb; and a resistance union welder. The resistance bonding welder is operative to generate sufficient heat and pressure to melt or otherwise react the at least one surface activation layer and form a bond between the at least one substrate and the at least one layer of coating when cooling the at least one surface activation layer.

In yet another aspect of this invention, a coating material is provided. This coating material includes at least one substrate; at least one coating layer; and at least one surface activation layer disposed between the at least one a substrate and the at least one coating layer. The at least one surface activation layer is adapted to be in response to a welder of a resistance, wherein the resistance bonding welder is operative to generate sufficient heat and pressure to melt or otherwise react the less a surface activation layer and forming a bond between the at least one substrate and the at least one coating layer when the at least one surface activation layer is sufficiently cooled.

Additional features and aspects of the present invention will become apparent to those technicians with basic knowledge in the art upon reading and understanding the following detailed description of the illustrative modalities. As will be appreciated by the technician, further embodiments of the invention are possible without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the figures and associated descriptions are considered as illustrative and not restrictive in nature.

Brief Description of the Figures The appended figures, which are incorporated in and form a part of the specification, schematically illustrate one or more illustrative embodiments of the invention and, together with the general description given above and detailed description provided below, serve to explain the principles of the invention, and wherein: Figure 1 is a first perspective view of a coating structure in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a second perspective view of a coating structure in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention showing the placement of a welding wheel on the interior of the structure; Figure 3 is a third perspective view of a coating structure in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention showing the placement of a welding wheel on the interior of the structure, a welding wheel on the outside of the structure , and a base plate and rollers on one end of the structure; Y Figure 4 is an end view of a coating structure in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention showing the placement of a welding wheel on the interior of the structure, a welding wheel on the exterior of the structure, and ducts both on the inside and the outside of the structure to provide cooling of flood.

Detailed description of the invention Illustrative embodiments of the present invention are now described with reference to the Figures. Although the following detailed description contains many specific aspects for purposes of illustration, a technician with basic knowledge in the art will appreciate that many variations and alterations to the following details are within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the following embodiments of the invention are described without any loss of generality to, and without imposing limitations on, the claimed invention.

Potential applications for the flexible coating system of the present invention cover a range of industrial sectors including petroleum, automotive, power generation, and consumer products. The particular importance is the application of corrosion resistant alloy materials (CRA) to line pipes. The technology of the invention is also useful for larger scale (container) structures made of flat cover plates. Another application involves abrasion resistant coatings. These coatings may be of material compositions ranging from tool steels to refractory metals, bonded in both tubular and planar configurations.

Examples include critical erosion line tube applications, tool / implement cutting surfaces, and automotive motor cylinder liners. Another class of applications is one that requires resistance to oxidation such as combustion systems and boilers (heat exchangers).

Products, that is, coating structures manufactured using the system of the present invention can be flat or round, with respect to their geometry. In most embodiments, a single coating layer may be deposited on the inner or outer surface of the coating structure and / or the upper and lower surface using the device described in the U.S. Patent Application. A No. 12 / 412,685 or a suitable commercially available device such as, for example, a 400-kVA Alternating Current (AC) bonding welder with a MedWeld 3005 controller. Manufactured coating structures with this system they include a substrate component, a coating layer, and a surface activation layer. The substrate component is typically metal, such as steel. A specific example of the substrate material is heat-rolled steel 1018, nominally 12.5 mm thick, which is representative of pipe line steel. The coating layer is typically a metal Refractory, stainless steel, tool steel, or Iconel alloy. Inconel alloys are materials resistant to oxidation and corrosion suitable for service in extreme environments subjected to pressure and heat. Specific examples of the coating layer include Inconel 625, 1.8 mm thick, Inconel 825, 3.1 mm thick, 316 stainless steel, 3 mm thick. Surface activation can be achieved by using specific coatings (for example, Ni-P or Ni-B) or by using welding materials. A specific example of a welding material or alloy is AWS BNi-9 sheet 0.08 mm thick. The surface activation layer can be chemically deposited, cold sprayed, and / or laminated onto the surface or coating layer. Specific advantages of this invention include: (i) surface texturing is not required; (ii) the thickness of the coating layer can be much greater than with prior art structures; (iii) system energy requirements are reduced; (iv) the combinations of materials that can be used with one another expands widely over prior art systems; (v) increases the processing speed over prior art systems; and (vi) the resulting surface profile is of high quality; Say, there is low distortion. The final product has the appearance of having a solid state solder.

Figure 1 provides a generalized illustration of an illustrative embodiment of a tubular cover structure 10, in accordance with this invention, including cover layer 20 (having a cut line 22), surface activation layer 25, the substrate 30. A specific example of a product made using the system of this invention includes a demonstrator pipe nominally 350 mm in diameter, 300 mm long, and covered with 2 mm IN625. The coating product was manufactured using unions that nominally overlap from 6 mm to 7 mm in width. The joint was circumferentially driven, using overlapping joints to create a nominally full bonded product. The product was sectioned and the linkline integrity examined. The results show a highly localized link and virtually zero dilution between coating and substrate. These initial results also indicate the interdependence of welding forces, currents, and travel speeds.

The present invention is based, at least in part, on the technology described in the U.S. Patent Application. No. 12 / 412,685 for Workman et al., Entitled Method of Creating a Ciad Structure Utilizing a Moving Resistance Energy Source (filed March 27, 2009), which is incorporated herein by reference, in its entirety, for all purposes. Previous research extensively addressed fixation based melting of coating based on stainless steel and nickel to flat carbon steel plates. The processing was based on methods previously applied to resistance bond welding of different metal thickness (see, Gould, JE, Johnson, W., and Workman, D., Development of a New Resistance Seam Cladding Process, Deep Offshore Technology Monaco 2009, PennWell Publications, Tulsa, OK, Paper 127 (2009), and Gould, JE , A Thermal Analysis of Resistance Seam Cladding Corros ion-Resistant Alloys to Steel Substrates, Materials Science and Technology 2009 - Joining of Advanced and Specialty Materials 2009 (JASM XI), ASM, Metals Park, OH (2009), both of which they are incorporated herein by reference, in their entirety, for all purposes). Further investigation attempted to exploit the claims made in WO 2009/126459 A2 (the PCT equivalent to U.S. Patent Application No. 12 / 412,685), by coating a 3 mm corrosion resistant alloy (CRA) to the interior of the steel pipe. This investigation determined that the technology as previously described, such as applied to nickel-based alloy coating of steel pipes was challenged by: (i) excessively slow welding speeds that limit commercial viability; (ii) distortion problems that prevented adequate bonding between the coating and substrate; and (iii) solder coating coatings of difficulty in the range of thickness demanded by the application (3 mm).

The present invention uses a technology indicated as resistance bonding solder coating that uses resistance heat to create a localized bond. This link is then driven over an extended area to create a product. Product forms include both tubular (pipe) and flat (plate) configurations. The method offers significant cost advantages over other coating methods in high volume production. Resistance bonding solder coating (RSeWC) is a variant of resistance bonding solder (RSEW), which is a well-established technology for bonding sheet materials (see , Welding Handbook, 9th Ed., Vol. 3, Welding Processes, Part 2, American Welding Society, Miami, FL, pages 1-48 (2007), Recommended Practices for Resistance Welding, AWS C1.1M / C 1.1: 200 ( R2006), and American Welding Society, Miami, FL (2006), Resistance Welding Manual, Fourth Ed., Resistance Welder Manufacturers Association, Miami, FL (2003), of which all are incorporated herein by reference, in their entirety, to all purposes). The process is typically conducted with at least one electrode wheel, which is used to allow current flow within the pieces of work, as well as to apply a welding force. The resistance heating resulting from the work pieces, combined with the normal forces applied, results in the formation of a localized bond. This link is then propagated as the wheel (s) traverses the work pieces to make continuous joints. The bond may be the result of either fusion and re-solidification of individual weld nuggets or by local deformation (see, Buer, FY and Begeman, M., L., Evaluation of Resistance Seam Welds by a Shear Peel Test, Welding Journal Research Supplement, 41 (3): 120s-122s (1962), and Gould, JE, Theoretical Analysis of Bonding Characteristics during Resistance Mash Seam Welding Sheet Steels, Welding Journal Research Supplement, 82 (10): 263s-267s (2003) ), of which both are incorporated herein by reference, in their entirety, for all purposes). Processes are available not only to join steel sheet, but also a variety of stainless steel and Ni-based alloys.

With respect to the RSeWC method, coating material is prepared as an insert (similar to the method used for mechanically coated material), and locally bonded to the substrate using an RSEW wheel. To a large degree, the process is analogous to materials other than resistance welding with different thicknesses. A Specific application of this process is to weld a relatively thin layer of coating material on a much thicker substrate. Additionally, the coating layer is typically of substantially superior strength. Previous work has shown that proper heat balance can be achieved by a combination of electrode design, selection of electrode material, and appropriate selection of welding time or processing speeds (see, Fong, M., Tsang, A., and Ananthanarayanan, A., Development of the Law of Thermal Similarity (LOTS) for Low-Indentation Cosmetic Resistance Welds, Sheet Metal Welding Conference IX, Detroit AWS Section, Detroit, MI, Paper 5-6 (2000); and Agashe, S. and Zhang, H., Selection of Schedules Based on Heat Balance in Resistance Spot Welding, Sheet Metal Welding Conference X, Detroit AWS Section, Detroit, MI, Paper 1-2 (2002), both of which they are incorporated herein by reference, in their entirety, for all purposes). These methods have recently been used to develop resistance spot welding practices for stacking with 4: 1 thickness variations (see, Gould, JE, Peterson, W., and Cruz, J., An examination of electric servo-guns for the resistance spot welding of complex stack-ups, Welding in the World, DOI 10.1007 / s40194-012-0019-x.

To address the technical challenges previously identified, additional research focused on the manufacture of real coating pipe demonstrators. The following aspects of this invention resulted from this investigation: (1) a side strip coating of the coating layer with active micro-scale metal alloys (ie, surface activation layer 25); (2) use of the strip as a coating material; (3) improvements in tools to allow precise positioning of the welding wheels that facilitate precise overlap of progressive joints; (4) Appropriate design of welding wheels both incorporating inherent bending in the same welding machine, as well as providing linked bond in the order of several millimeters. (5) coating capacity using specifically sized preforms; (6) low cost cleaning procedures to facilitate adequate bond between the coating and the substrate; (7) resistance heating processes to allow reflux of the active metal layer, including (a) forces derivable from the welding machine and (b) the thickness of the desired coating metal layer; and (8) flood cooling procedures to prevent surface damage to both the coating metal and the substrate. With respect to coating CRA coating on steel pipe, five of these aspects are of particular importance.

With respect to a side strip coating with eutectic Ni-P alloy, an important aspect of this invention is the inclusion of a low-cost melting active layer that affects both the CRA and substrate. This is typically done when using a non-electric side nickel laminate. Non-electric nickel has a composition nominally 11% Ni to 13% P. The coating can be applied by a commercial vendor or by other means. This volume of phosphorus provides a nominal melting point of 500 ° C of nickel deposited. The same deposition process results in only about 10 mm of the completed assembly. The individual side coating allows the addition of the melting point suppressant only to the area where bonding will occur, thereby minimizing any potential damage to the welding electrodes. Alternate coating methods may include non-electrical or electrolytic methods.

With respect to the use of a strip insert as the CRA layer, the CRA layer can be manufactured from nickel based raw material CRA with the eutectic material nominally 10μ on one side. Although current methods for mechanical coating use preformed CRA tube sections (which can also be done) there is an advantage to using the coating strip raw material directly. In this method, strip material is mechanically wound parallel to the axis of the pipe and inserted. The strip is cut to a width that matches that of the inside diameter (ID) of substrate pipe. Once the strip is inserted, it is allowed to expand. Elastic recovery of the strip then creates assembly between the CRA and the substrate pipe. The coating can then be welded in place using the RSeWC process. As assembled, the CRA will typically show a space at the locations where the rolled ends meet. Once RSeWC has been completed with the remaining space it can be enclosed with a variety of secondary joining technologies such as, for example, gas metal arc welding (GMAW), thus completing the coating process .

With respect to improvements to tools to facilitate reproducible overlap joints during RSeWC, RSeWC is typically made with normal loads ranging from several kilo-Newtons to several tens of kilo-Newtons. Additionally, the process is known to cause small surface deformations (in the order of 100 p.m.) so that complex forces act on the tool during processing. This combination of high normal forces and local surface deformations can cause Trace inaccuracies during processing. Initial research on flat plates used rigid tools, and demonstrated appropriate trace for the process. This invention provides an improvement in this technology where the tools used to retain the pipe during welding, as well as to provide indexing as part of the welding process. One mode of these tools uses a spring loaded base plate to support the pipe, rollers to represent pipe rotation under the welding wheels, and a threaded mechanism to index the pipeline as an RSeWC advances. The generalized system illustrated in Figure 3 includes base plate 70, support 72, rollers 74, and shaft 76.

With respect to proper design of the welding wheels to incorporate bending of the welding machine and provide adequate single-pass bond width, the wheels are designed both to create a defined contact area for bonding and for sufficient resistance to any bending of the welding machine. Wheel diameter is defined broadly by the inner diameter of the coating surface for bonding. Typically, wheels are designed with a maximum diameter that provides a contact length under force in the order of 4-6 times the contact width or, alternatively, 6-8 times the contact width (see Figure 2). This design also prevents or minimizes surface marking The wheels also include a face radius width both that allow some flexing of the welding machine, and provide adequate link width. One embodiment of this invention includes a wheel design having a width of approximately 200 mm, with a face radius of 150 mm. The use of this wheel design, combined with the processing discussed below, results in link widths per pass in the order of 8 mm for a coating of 2 mm thickness.

With respect to low cost part procedures that facilitate adequate bonding between the CRA coated surface and the same pipe wall, another important feature to create high quality links between the non-electrical nickel laminated CRA and the steel pipe is preparation of appropriate surface. The bond largely depends on reflux of the non-electrical nickel, and potential reaction with these substrates. Shot blasting with either of a SiC medium of steel is a suitable process and typically results in excellent bonding.

With respect to resistance heating processes that allow non-electric nickel reflow without significant changes to the properties of the coating and pipe materials, certain processes allow continuous bonding of the coating and substrate with minimal metallurgical changes to any component. Sections Cross-sections of a sample showed intimate binding of the coating layer and substrate with little or no evidence of retained non-electrical nickel. This refers to both the forces and the temperatures used in the process (creating intimate assembly), and the rapid diffusion of phosphorus in parent materials. Additionally, this consolidation is done without any protective gas. This is a result of the high contact forces implicit in the resistance processing, preventing oxygen exposure of the bonding area and effectively creating a vacuum bonding environment. Uniformity of the link through the area of union with this process was achieved.

With respect to flood cooling procedures that prevent or minimize surface damage to both the CRA and the pipe itself, this aspect of the present invention is allowed by proper thermal management, consequently allowing appropriate temperatures at the bonding surface without overheating the Substrate steel pipe or electrode / coating contact surface. Any will lead product performance degradation. While heating is carried out in a resistive manner, it is cooled by flooding with water. Flooding occurs both on the surfaces of the inside diameter and the outside diameter of the product. Flooding is typically done with an excessive amount of Water. More specifically, flooding is not done to actively control surface profiles in the workpiece and electrodes, but rather to provide a maximum cooling capacity associated with the fluid medium. Without proper flood cooling, damage would probably occur to the welding wheels and the surface exposed to coating, as well as the metallurgy of the substrate steel pipe. Cooling the wheels to achieve the same purpose can also be used (see Figure 4). The generalized system illustrated in Figure 4 includes coating structure 10, inner welding wheels 50, outer welding wheel 60, internal cooling fluid conduits 80, and external cooling fluid conduits 90.

Achieving proper heat balance (as described above) creates conditions for linkage to occur. In embodiments where the surface activation layer is a solder alloy, a specific interlayer (BNi-9) can be used that melts at lower temperatures, either the coating or the substrate. BNi-9 is a Ni-Cr-Fe-B eutectic alloy with a melting point other than 1055 ° C. This melting point can be compared with the solid points of the substrate 1018 (1495 ° C) and the various coating materials (1270-1370 ° C). Welding with BNi-9 is typically done in a vacuum and is effective since the RSEW process results in high contact pressures (provided by an appropriately designed welding wheel) over a specified area. This pressure has the effect of excluding the environment from the joint area, allowing the solder alloy to flow. This is called a "micro-environment", and is combined with the temperatures provided by the resistance heating which facilitates localized welding. The joint is also allowed by the active character of the same solder alloy. Indeed, in fusion, the welding is locally linked to the substrate (s), dissociating any residual surface. This effect facilitates wetting of the solder alloy, information of a joint. The combination of appropriate thermal balance, wide temperature operating window, appropriate micro-environment, and active alloy characteristics results in effective resistance welding.

Although the present invention has been illustrated by the description of illustrative embodiments thereof, and while the embodiments have been described in some detail, it is not the intention of the Applicant to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications will easily appear for those technicians in the field. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects does not is limited to none of the specific details, representative devices and methods, and / or illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, deviations from such details can be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the applicant's general inventive concept.

It is noted that in relation to this date, the best method known to the applicant to carry out the aforementioned invention, is that which is clear from the present description of the invention.

Claims (20)

CLAIMS Having described the invention as above, the content of the following claims is claimed as property:

1. - A system for creating a coating material, characterized in that it comprises: (a) at least one substrate; (b) at least one coating layer; (c) at least one surface activation layer disposed between the at least one substrate and the at least one coating layer; Y (d) a resistance junction welder, wherein the resistance junction welder is operative to generate sufficient heat and pressure to react the at least one surface activation layer and form a bond between the at least one substrate and the at least one coating layer when the at least one surface activation layer is sufficiently cooled.

2. - The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the geometry of the substrate is substantially planar.

3. - The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the geometry of the substrate is substantially round.

4. - The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one substrate also includes steel.

5. - The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one coating layer also includes a material resistant to oxidation, corrosion, and abrasion.

6. - The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one coating layer is selected from the group consisting of stainless steel, tool steel, Iconel alloy, and refractory metals.

7. - The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one surface activation layer further includes at least one eutectic alloy of Ni-Cr-Fe-B.

8. - The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one surface activation layer is selected from the group consisting of nickel phosphorus alloys and nickel boron alloys.

9. - The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the surface activation layer is deposited on the at least one substrate before the creation of a coating material.

10. - The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the surface activation layer is deposited on the at least one coating layer before the creation of a coating material.

11. - A system for creating a coating material, characterized in that it comprises: (a) at least one metal substrate; (b) at least one coating layer resistant to oxidation and corrosion. (c) at least one surface activation layer disposed between the at least one substrate and the at least one coating layer, wherein the at least one surface activation layer further includes at least one eutectic alloy; Y (d) a resistance junction welder, wherein the resistance junction welder is operative to generate sufficient heat and pressure to react the at least one surface activation layer and form a bond between the at least one substrate and the at least one coating layer when it is sufficiently cooled by at least one surface activation layer.

12. - The system according to claim 11, characterized in that the geometry of the substrate is substantially planar.

13. - The system according to claim 11, characterized in that the geometry of the substrate is substantially round.

14. - The system according to claim 11, characterized in that the surface activation layer is deposited on the at least one substrate before the creation of a coating material.

15. - The system according to claim 11, characterized in that the surface activation layer is deposited on the at least one coating layer before the creation of a coating material.

16. - A coating material, characterized in that it comprises: (a) at least one substrate; (b) at least one coating layer; Y (c) at least one surface activation layer disposed between the at least one substrate and the at least one cover layer, wherein the at least one surface activation layer is adapted to be in response to a resistive bonding welder, and wherein the resistance bonding welder is operative to generate sufficient heat and pressure to react the at least one surface activation layer and form a bond between the at least one substrate and the least a coating layer when the at least one surface activation layer is sufficiently cooled.

17. - The coating material according to claim 16, characterized in that the at least one substrate also includes steel.

18. - The coating material according to claim 16, characterized in that the at least one coating layer also includes a material resistant to oxidation, corrosion, and abrasion.

19. - The coating material according to claim 16, characterized in that the at least one coating layer is selected from the group consisting of stainless steel, tool steel, Iconel alloy, and refractory metals.

20. - The coating material according to claim 16, characterized in that the at least one surface activation layer is selected from the group consisting of eutectic alloys of Ni-Cr-Fe-B, nickel phosphorus alloys, and alloys of nickel boron.