Instrumentation systems in refineries undertake the challenges of facilitating fluid flow, pressure measurement, and temperature regulation. High-pressure tubing is at the core of fluid systems, providing integral support for the system’s smooth operation. For safe and efficient operation, the tubing system needs to be robust and precise to handle the high stress, high temperature, and corrosive behavior imposed by the highly-pressurized, chemically reactive fluids being processed.
Robustness can be ensured in tubes when orbital welding is used instead of traditional manual welding. Orbital tube welding can counter the inefficiencies and inconsistencies—often present in manual welds—to fabricate a tube that provides strength and integrity.
Highly pressurized fluids exert more stress on the instrumentation system, making them excessively prone to leakage and failure. Tubes are used instead of pipes to minimize the potential chances of defects. Tubes also offer strength, durability, and smoothness, which means the applied pressure during the flow doesn’t go through any drastic deviation. Instead, less friction facilitates increased speed. One way to ensure this lack of drag and speed throughout the fluid system is by welding the tubes.
Tubing weldment generally adheres to high precision and tight tolerance requirements. These requirements can be met at low cost and high speed, given the right welding technique is used. Orbital welding can facilitate the precision control required to fabricate reliable instrumentation welds that can meet ASME’s Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (BPVC) Section IX weld qualifications. Furthermore, orbital welding is clean, consistent, and repeatable, offering uniformity in results.
Let's explore the differences further.
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Orbital Tube Welding |
Manual Tube Welding |
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When orbital welding, the confined and controlled flow of shielding gas ensures minimal consumption of gas for clean results. |
When welding tubes manually, a wide area has to be enveloped in gas to achieve the desired cleanliness. This requires excess shielding gas. |
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The process is automated; weld parameters can be set for automatic welding while the operator takes on the monitoring role. |
The process requires qualified welders who are knowledgeable about strict tube welding requirements and are highly skilled in controlling the torch movement for precisely laying the weld beads. |
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The controlled system can facilitate speed, voltage, and amperage adjustment to attain the necessary temperature required at weld point. Additionally, the orbital welding machine can produce this result repeatedly and continuously to achieve higher productivity. |
Due to human error, it is difficult to have perfect control over the travel speed and heat input. This creates inconsistencies in the tubing weldments resulting in more waste and less productivity. |
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The process is suitable to keep welders safe from toxic fumes. |
Welders may develop health issues due to continuous exposure to the weld fumes. |
Orbital Welding Training for Tube Welding in High-Pressure Instrumentation System
Despite the differences, both orbital and manual welding require skilled welders. While manual welding may require a more hands-on approach, the orbital tube welding process still requires welders to operate the system, make decisions on material selection, optimize weld parameters, and monitor the process. For high-pressure instrumentation systems, the preparation, standards and weld techniques are even more demanding. To enhance this knowledge pool and better prepare the welding professionals for welding such highly demanding instrumentation systems, Swagelok offers a five-day orbital welding training program. This hands-on training program covers:
Our Solution for High-Quality Orbital Tube Welding
With an intensive training program from highly qualified instructors and robust welding solutions from Swagelok, orbital tube welding for your high-pressure instrumentation system is sure to be productive and cost-effective.
To find out more about how Swagelok Northern California can support the high-quality orbital tube welding at your facility, contact our team today by calling 510-933-6200.
Known to customers and Swagelok Northern California associates as the Swagelok Answer Man. Jason spends his work days answering customers' technical questions about Swagelok products and tools and training customers how to install and use them.