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Purging/root backing

Practical advice.
Valuable tips on purging
and root backing.
02 Practical advice Purging/root backing 03

Content.
No root backing

03 Why purge?

05 Selecting the right gas

05 Purging equipment Appropriate root backing

07 Best practices

10 Safety considerations
Why purge?

Purging is usually carried out when corrosion-resistant materials

such as stainless steels and some nickel alloys are being welded or
when a material oxidises very easily during welding (for example,
aluminium and titanium alloys).

During welding, the parent material and filler are heated to

temperatures at which oxidation can take place. If a material is being
used for its non-corrosive properties, oxidation can significantly
reduce its working life or – worst case scenario – lead to component
failure during service. As a result, the material has to be protected
from oxidation during welding. The front weld, for example, can
be protected from atmospheric contamination using a shielding gas
while the back weld should be purged or root backed.
04 Practical advice Purging/root backing 05

Selecting the right gas.

Shielding gas Material
Argon 4.6 All materials
Argon 5.0 Sensitive materials such as titanium and zirconium,
nitrogen carbon and low alloy steels (not high
strength fine grained steels), austenitic, duplex and
super duplex stainless steels
VARIGON H2 Austenitic stainless steels
VARIGON H5
VARIGON N2.5 Austenitic stainless steels (not Ti stabilised),
duplex and super duplex stainless steels
Picture: Jankus
FORMIER 5 Austenitic stainless steels (not Ti stabilised)
Welding chamber filled with inert gas for maximum protection FORMIER 10

Purging involves passing a dry stream of an inert, low-reactivity or

reducing gas over the reverse side of the weld area, thus removing
Purging equipment.
the air and preventing oxidation. This process is particularly important,
for example, when welding pipes as it is often not possible to clean
their roots after welding. The three main purging processes are pipe, back (or root) and
chamber purging.

In pipe purging, a dam is placed either side of the weld area and
the atmosphere is displaced by the purge gas. A range of dams
are available here, including inflatable, removable and disposable
dams. Operators usually choose the system that can be most easily
removed after welding.

Back or root purging is most commonly used for weld seams.

The simplest system here uses a grooved copper backing bar,
where the purge gas is feed into the groove.
06 Practical advice
Picture: Jankus
Tubular purge gas system
In chamber purging, the entire component is placed in the glove box.
The purge gas, usually argon, is then used to replace the atmosphere.
Oxygen meters are often used to measure the amount of oxygen in
a weld area and let operators know when they can start welding. The
meters can also be used to continually monitor oxygen levels during
welding, thus ensuring that the level of oxygen does not exceed the
threshold suitable for the application in question.
Purging/root backing 07
Picture: Jankus
Purge gas bar for fillet welds
Best practices.
The position of purge gas inlets and outlets affects the rate at
which oxygen levels are reduced. If you are using purge gases that
are heavier than air, for example argon, the inlet port should be
located at the lowest possible point and the outlet port at the highest
possible point. The positions should be switched for gases that are
lighter than air.
Purge gas should be used until the weld temperature falls below
250 °C. If this is not the case, oxidation will occur.
Purging works in one of two ways: the purge gas either forces the
air out like a plug being pushed down a pipe, or it dilutes the air and
gradually reduces the oxygen concentration.
 08 Practical advice Purging/root backing 09

Displacement is the most efficient method. It occurs when there

is a laminar flow of gas and the purge gas and air do not mix.
However, it is nearly impossible to obtain a true laminar flow when
purging pipes.

The following formula can be used to calculate the number of

volume changes required to displace a normal air atmosphere and
achieve the requisite level of oxygen in the purge gas.

V = number of volume changes required

Pp = purge oxygen level, expressed as a percentage Picture: Jankus

-ln = the natural log of the number in brackets Sealing gaps during welding for efficient root protection

Once you have determined the number of volume changes required,

Density of argon or nitrogen admixed with hydrogen together with the volume of the space, you can use the flow rate to
relative to air (=1) calculate the time needed to purge the atmosphere and achieve the
required oxygen level.
1,4

The general rule of thumb is that 8 to 10 volume changes are required

1,3 to bring oxygen levels down to 10ppm.

Ar/ H₂ It is crucial that the correct type of hose is used to feed purge gases.
1,2
In some cases, moisture and oxygen from the surrounding air may
Density relative to air (=1)

be able to penetrate plastic hoses and contaminate the pure purge

1,1 gas in the pipe.

1,0 Metal tubes always provide maximum resistance and are therefore
recommended for use with sensitive materials such as titanium or
zirconium as well as for duplex steels. Plastic hoses may be used for
0,9
N₂ / H₂ standard applications, although polyethylene and Teflon hoses are
preferable to rubber, polyamide or polyurethane hoses.
0,8

0,7
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30

H₂ volume in the mixture [%]

10 Practical advice Purging/root backing 11

Picture: Jankus

Residual oxygen level measuring device

Safety considerations.

There are several hazards associated with purging. The two main
risks are as follows:
→→ Risk of asphyxiation from inert or non-life-supporting gases
in confined spaces
→→ Risk of fire or explosion (when using purge gases that
contain hydrogen)
The purging process usually requires high volumes of inert or non-
reactive gases. This significantly increases the risk of asphyxiation.
Always use an oxygen monitor to check oxygen levels before entering
an area where purging has been carried out.
Flammable materials pose a risk in the work area and should be
removed.
Before you start welding, identify the location of emergency stops,
emergency exits and fire extinguishers. Ensure that these can be
easily accessed at all times. Use appropriate personal protection
equipment and refer to safety advice regarding MIG/MAG welding
for further details.

Purge gases are a potential fire or explosion hazard. Flaring off

these gases as they leave the purge outlet helps reduce these risks.
Please note that hydrogen burns with an almost invisible flame.
The flame should therefore be enclosed to prevent welders from
burning themselves.
Contact your local Linde representative for further details
and information on the various supply options available for
the personal protection equipment you require.

Linde AG
1012 – 1.1 lcs

Gases Division, Seitnerstrasse 70, 82049 Pullach, Germany

Phone +49.89.7446-0, Fax +49.89.7446-1230, www.linde-gas.com