Article

Environmental Impacts of Using Welding Gas

---

Abstract

This paper presents a methodology to calculate carbon emissions associated with an industrial process from energy resource and usage. A case study for shield gas production and transportation used in welding is presented. The study is performed using data gathered from the Department of Energy and gas production companies to quantify the emissions associated with the usage of weld gas. Results show that the environmental impact of weld gas utilization expands beyond the release of the weld gas into the atmosphere. Reducing carbon emissions require that industries be able to quantify and identify different sources of emissions and introduce new technologies that conserve and sustain their resources. The amount of savings that a gas regulator represents is significant for companies that heavily consume shield gas in welding. The amount of saving can vary significantly between different states in the US depending on the local source of energy and transportation from production to utilization. The use of a weld gas regulator that automatically synchronizes the welding cur- rent with shield gas consumption can account for significant savings for the production process and reduce the amount of greenhouse gases emitted indirectly from the welding process by production and transportation. The amount of saving ranges from 200 to 550kg of CO2 per weld unit per year. Exact savings are case dependent on the type of weld, operator setting, source of energy at production sites and location relative to the welding plant.

Keywords: energy, manufacturing, material and processes, welding

How to Cite:

Nakhla, H., Shen, J. & Bethea, M., (2012) “Environmental Impacts of Using Welding Gas”, The Journal of Technology, Management, and Applied Engineering 28(3).