Research on experimentation of green cutting with water vapor as coolant and lubricant

Abstract

Purpose

Nowadays, green cutting has become the focus because of its ecological problem and the necessary environment protection, so that the research on experimentation of green cutting with water vapor as coolant and lubricant is studied because water vapor has many benefits of cheapness, no pollution, no harm and no recycling and handling.

Design/methodology/approach

The vapor generator and the vapor feed system are manufactured, the distribution of temperature and velocity of vapor jet flow are simulated by MATLAB program, and under the conditions of compress air, oil water emulsion, water vapor as coolant and lubricant and dry cutting, respectively, the turning experimentation of comparison which the tool is YT15, and the working material is steel 45.

Findings

Water vapor, as coolant and lubricant, the cutting force is reduced, respectively about 30‐40, 20‐30 and 10‐15 percent by comparing to dry cutting, compressed air and oil water emulsion. The cutting temperature is, respectively about 30, 40 and 50 percent with the other conditions of dry cutting, compressed air and oil water emulsion. The friction coefficient and the chip deformation coefficient are correspondingly decreased and the surface roughness value has been diminished too. Through analysis of the experimental results, water vapor as coolant and lubricant possesses better lubricating action because of the excellent penetration performance and the low lubrication layer shearing strength of water vapor.

Originality/value

Water vapor as coolant and lubricant provides a novel method for realizing no contamination green cutting.

Citation

Han, R., Liu, J. and Sun, Y. (2005), "Research on experimentation of green cutting with water vapor as coolant and lubricant", Industrial Lubrication and Tribology, Vol. 57 No. 5, pp. 187-192. https://doi.org/10.1108/00368790510614154