Supercritical Fluid Tooling for Cutting Interface Coverage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional machining tool designs are inadequate for effectively delivering supercritical machining fluids, such as supercritical carbon dioxide, due to their rapid expansion and lack of momentum, leading to insufficient coverage and cooling/lubrication of cutting interfaces.
Innovation Solution
The design of tools and tool holders with specific configurations, including strategically positioned orifices, recesses, and flow restrictions, to direct and expand supercritical fluids efficiently, ensuring adequate coverage and heat transfer at cutting interfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional machining tool designs are used, then the tool structure is simple, but the supercritical machining fluid cannot be effectively delivered due to rapid expansion and lack of momentum
Solution Approach 1:
The tool design segments the fluid delivery system into multiple components: a fluid channel for transporting supercritical fluid, multiple orifices positioned at different locations (including side surfaces) for distributed delivery, and flow restrictions to control expansion. This segmentation enables effective delivery by distributing fluid at multiple points rather than relying on a single delivery point.
Solution Approach 2:
The tool implements local quality by positioning orifices at specific locations including side surfaces of the tool body, rather than only at the tip. This localized placement ensures that supercritical fluid is delivered precisely where needed at the cutting interface, accounting for the rapid expansion and low momentum characteristics of supercritical fluids.
2Temperature
If supercritical machining fluid is used, then cooling and lubrication effectiveness is improved, but insufficient coverage of cutting interface occurs due to rapid expansion
Solution Approach 1:
The tool design extends fluid delivery into another dimension by placing orifices on the side surfaces of the tool body, not just at the tip. This multi-dimensional arrangement of orifices ensures comprehensive coverage of the cutting interface area, compensating for the rapid expansion that would otherwise limit the coverage area.
Solution Approach 2:
The tool body functions as a porous structure with multiple orifices distributed throughout, allowing supercritical fluid to escape at multiple locations. This porous-like distribution pattern ensures wide coverage of the cutting interface, transforming the limited coverage from a single-point delivery into an area-wide delivery system.
3Ease of operation
If supercritical machining fluid is delivered, then lubrication is enhanced, but icing issues occur due to rapid expansion and cooling
Solution Approach 1:
The tool design incorporates flow restrictions upstream of the orifices to preliminarily control the expansion of supercritical fluid. By managing the pressure and flow rate before the fluid exits the orifices, the system prevents excessive cooling that would lead to icing, while still maintaining effective lubrication at the cutting interface.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The proposed solution ensures effective delivery and distribution of supercritical machining fluids, enhancing cooling and lubrication of cutting interfaces, preventing icing issues and enabling efficient machining processes.
Implementation Method 1
supercritical fluids, such as supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) have been utilized as a portion of a machining fluid
Data Source
AI summary
Improvements in tooling for machining systems that utilize machining fluids comprising a supercritical fluid are disclosed. In some embodiments a tool may include a plurality of orifices configured to direct a supercritical machining fluid towards a cutting interface of the tool. In other embodiments, a tool holder may include one or more outlets configured to direct a supercritical machining fluid towards a cutting interface. Moreover, some embodiments, may relate to machining systems including one or more venting channels configured to provide pressure relief for a cavity located behind a tool holder. Embodiments related to machine tools including upstream fluid restrictions for controlling a flow of supercritical machining fluid through a tool are also disclosed.