Due to stricter environmental regulations of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the number of ships fueled by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) is rapidly increasing. The International Code of the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Liquefied Gases in Bulk (IGC Code) limits the material of tanks that can store cryogenic substances such as LNG. Among the materials listed in the IGC Code, ASTM A553M-17 has been recently adopted as a material for LNG fuel tank projects because of its excellent mechanical properties at cryogenic temperatures. In shipyards, this material is being used to build tanks through Flux Cored Arc Welding (FCAW). However, there is a problem that magnetization occurs during welding and there is a big difference in welding quality depending on the welding position. In order to overcome this problem, this study intends to conduct basic research to apply laser welding to ASTM A553M-17 material. As a result of analyzing the bead shape according to laser BOP speed and Energy density performed in this study, it was confirmed that the penetration and energy density are proportional but the penetration and BOP speed are inverse proportional to some extent. In addition, a range of suitable welding speed and energy density were proposed for the 6.1mm thickness material performed in this study.

• 김재웅(한국생산기술연구원) | Jaewoong Kim Corresponding Author