Evaluating non-chlorinated solvents for welding applications

摘要

There is interest in eliminating the use of chlorinated solvents such as methyl chloroform at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant for environmental reasons. Solvent 140 has been offered as an acceptable replacement. Methyl chloroform has frequently been used for the final cleaning of materials just prior to welding. Electron beam welds were made in an aluminum alloy to compare the potential contamination effect of Solvent 140 to that of methyl chloroform. Tests indicated that the Solvent 140 did not have an adverse effect on pumpdown time of electron beam welding equipment during normal handling. Solvent 140 resulted in significantly less weld porosity than; methyl chloroform in this test.