Scholarlink

<p>With the increasing number and extended service life of nuclear power units, the dismantling of decommissioned nuclear power plants has become a critical focus. Underwater laser cutting, which requires no consumables, produces no waste, and releases no hazardous substances into the atmosphere, presents significant prospects for this application. This study aims to achieve the narrowest possible kerf width during laser cutting of 304 stainless steel claddings in second-generation nuclear power plant spent fuel pools. The study designed an orthogonal experiment with four factors (laser power, defocusing distance, cutting speed, and auxiliary gas pressure), each tested at five levels. An orthogonal cutting experiment on 6-mm-thick 304 stainless steel in an air environment was conducted with nitrogen assistance. Subsequent range and variance analyses were performed to determine the influence of process parameters on kerf width and identify the optimal combination. Underwater cutting experiments followed, with microstructural analysis of samples from both environments. Results indicate that defocusing distance has the most significant impact on kerf width, followed by auxiliary gas pressure, laser power, and cutting speed. When the defocusing distance is − 3 mm, the smallest average kerf width in air cutting is 0.35 mm, whereas, due to the effects of water entrainment and steam impact, the smallest average kerf width achieved in underwater cutting with the same defocusing distance is 0.46 mm.</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

Optimization of Laser Cutting Parameters for 304 Stainless Steel in Air and Underwater Environments

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年8月25日

查看全文
  • Zilong Yang,
  • Shougen Li,
  • Jialei Zhu,
  • Fangtao Guo,
  • Wenlei Zhu,
  • Mingxing Shao,
  • Yuke Wang

摘要

With the increasing number and extended service life of nuclear power units, the dismantling of decommissioned nuclear power plants has become a critical focus. Underwater laser cutting, which requires no consumables, produces no waste, and releases no hazardous substances into the atmosphere, presents significant prospects for this application. This study aims to achieve the narrowest possible kerf width during laser cutting of 304 stainless steel claddings in second-generation nuclear power plant spent fuel pools. The study designed an orthogonal experiment with four factors (laser power, defocusing distance, cutting speed, and auxiliary gas pressure), each tested at five levels. An orthogonal cutting experiment on 6-mm-thick 304 stainless steel in an air environment was conducted with nitrogen assistance. Subsequent range and variance analyses were performed to determine the influence of process parameters on kerf width and identify the optimal combination. Underwater cutting experiments followed, with microstructural analysis of samples from both environments. Results indicate that defocusing distance has the most significant impact on kerf width, followed by auxiliary gas pressure, laser power, and cutting speed. When the defocusing distance is − 3 mm, the smallest average kerf width in air cutting is 0.35 mm, whereas, due to the effects of water entrainment and steam impact, the smallest average kerf width achieved in underwater cutting with the same defocusing distance is 0.46 mm.