Welding can be punny. It can. And just to prove it to you all, I have my handy-dandy-back-pocket-article right here, and it’s all about stud welding. Just take a look at that title. Yeah, I told you. Punny.
Small studs, big impact
Change in stud welding material saves power plant millions
By Chris Hsu
September 1, 2009
Stud welding, an often-overlooked process, can have a significant effect on the life-cycle cost of a product.
Stud welding can be performed with a hand tool that is brought to the material. Photo courtesy of Nelson Stud Welding.
In coal-fired power plants, so much relies on the little things. Smooth, cylindrical studs 3/8 inch in diameter by ¾ in. long are placed in furnaces operating at 1,600 degrees F or more. The studs transfer heat from the hot side (the furnace) into the boiler tube.
A refractory coating, which protects the tubes from erosion, is applied over the studs. As the stud wears, so does the refractory coating. At some point the studs become so short that the furnace has to be shut down, the studs rewelded, and the refractory coating reapplied.
For decades plants have used 430 stainless steel studs, a material that has to be replaced about every 12 months. This can be an expensive endeavor, especially if unplanned.
