The invention relates to
metalworking process wherein a
metalworking tool processes a workpiece at a
processing area of a
metalworking machine; a fully synthetic
metalworking fluid is supplied to at least one of the metalworking
machine, the metalworking tool and the workpiece; the fully synthetic
metalworking fluid takes up tramp oil, thus forming a used, tramp oil containing fully synthetic
metalworking fluid; the used, tramp oil containing fully synthetic metalworking fluid is collected in a container; one or more
quaternary ammonium salts of formula [N+(R1)(R2)(R3)(R4)]n Xn-, wherein residues R1, R2, R3 and R4 are selected from araliphatic and
aliphatic hydrocarbon residues, with the proviso that two of residues R1, R2, R3 and R4 are
hydrocarbon groups with 1 to 4 carbon atoms and the other two of these residues are
hydrocarbon residues with 6 to 20 carbon atoms, Xn- being an n-valent anion, and n being 1, 2 or 3, are added to the used metalworking fluid, thus breaking the
emulsion of emulsified tramp oil forming free tramp oil; the free tramp oil accumulates at an air-metalworking
fluid interface and is removed thereof. Moreover, the invention relates to a method of removing emulsified tramp oil from its
emulsion in a fully synthetic metalworking fluid; and the use of the specific
quaternary ammonium salts in such removal step to remove emulsified tramp oil from the fully synthetic metalworking fluid. Furthermore, the invention relates to a fully synthetic metalworking fluid containing said
quaternary ammonium salt.