Feasibility study on Joining of Copper Pipes Using Microwave Energy

Abstract

Pipe joining is an essential requirement in the piping industries as it is used to carry high pressurized liquid
and gases at high temperature. Researchers have reported many pipe joining processes which are used to join metallic
pipes with appreciably good joint efficiency but producing sound and eco friendly joint is an industries concern. A
rejection and rework of joint was observed in conventional joining processes long year back resulting in consumption of
energy source and time. Now a day's piping industries emerging with new technologies due to rigorous research in this
field. Few researchers have reported that microwave hybrid heating (MHH) technology is emerges as metal joining
process. Microwaves joining of bulk metals have revealed that the MHH process is capable of producing joints with
Eco-friendly processing, reduced processing time, enhanced energy saving, better mechanical and metallurgical
properties than conventional processes. This is a new technique have been used for joining metallic bulk materials hence
it is used for feasibility study of joining of Copper pipe. This paper reports joining of Copper pipes using copper powder
(5 µm) as an sandwich material in a multimode microwave applicator at 2.45 GHz and 900 W. Charcoal was used as a
susceptor materials for initial heating of metallic pipes. The initial experimental observations and results of copper pipe
joining have been discussed.