In the present paper, the shape of fused grains flux CIS-F10, granulated in air and in water, its effect on weld bead geometry and its properties were studied. Grains morphology, properties, fluidity during piling, hygroscopic behavior and the amount of air between the grains during use were analyzed. The application of these procedures showed evidence that flux granulated in air (79.2 % of spherical particles) has fluidity relatively higher (34 %), smaller shape angle (28.8 %) and a lesser intergranular air per volume (28.2 %) than the flux granulated flux in water, despite the decrease in the slope of the humectation curve. The conjugation of these aspects improve penetration (8 %) and a reduction in the width of the heat affected zone (17 %) although neither metallographic nor mechanics (< 1%) differences are shown on the welds. The slag formed in both cases is of constant geometric configuration (4 mm thickness and 25 mm width) with 0.64 flux consumption rate.
molten flux; Submerged, arch welding; Granulation methods
