Tool Holder Throttling for Liquid CO2 Cooling Pressure Retention

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing tool holders fail to maintain high pressure and prevent premature evaporation of alternative cooling fluids like liquid CO2, which is essential for effective cryogenic process cooling, leading to inefficient cooling performance.

Innovation Solution

A tool holder design with a throttle point arranged in a sealing piece that is elastically flexible or oscillating about a longitudinal axis, maintaining high pressure by positioning it close to the tool shank and allowing gradual throttling along the fluid channel, with a cross-sectional ratio less than 0.5 to prevent excessive evaporation, and separate fluid channels for CO2 and conventional cooling lubricants.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If liquid CO2 is pumped through the tool holder to cooling holes, then cooling effect is achieved, but premature evaporation occurs due to pressure drop

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooling effectVSAvoidpremature evaporation of liquid CO2
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The throttle point is positioned upstream in the fluid supply path, before the cooling holes, to pre-establish high pressure conditions. This preliminary throttling action ensures that liquid CO2 maintains sufficient pressure throughout the tool holder, preventing premature evaporation before reaching the cutting edge.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary throttling mechanism (throttle point with adjustable throttle element) that mediates between the high-pressure supply and the cooling holes. This intermediary component controls the pressure transition, allowing liquid CO2 to remain in liquid phase longer while still achieving the desired cooling effect at the tool.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Stress or pressure

If throttle point is positioned close to tool shank, then pressure is maintained high, but cooling distribution may be uneven

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefluid pressureVSAvoiduniformity of cooling effect
Core Design Contradiction:
Stress or pressureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The fluid supply system is segmented into multiple cooling holes distributed throughout the tool holder and tool. The throttle point feeds liquid CO2 to these multiple outlets, ensuring that pressure is maintained across all cooling points while distributing the cooling effect uniformly across different areas of the tool and workpiece.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements local quality by positioning multiple cooling holes at different locations (e.g., in the tool shank, tool body, and near the cutting edge) with potentially different orientations and sizes. This allows each location to receive optimized cooling based on its specific thermal requirements, while the upstream throttle point ensures sufficient pressure reaches all locations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Temperature

If conventional cooling lubricants are used, then cooling is achieved, but alternative fluids like liquid CO2 provide better cooling for demanding materials

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooling performanceVSAvoidcompatibility with different cooling concepts
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The tool holder is designed with universal adaptability to accommodate multiple cooling concepts. The fluid supply system with adjustable throttle point can handle both conventional cooling lubricants and alternative fluids like liquid CO2 or liquid nitrogen. The system's pressure control mechanism and cooling hole configuration can be adapted to optimize performance for different fluid types and machining applications.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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

This design maintains high pressure for the cooling fluid, reducing evaporation and ice formation, providing a uniform and effective cooling effect at the tool cutting edge, while allowing for targeted cooling and reduced thermal load.

Implementation Method 1

the throttle point is arranged in a sealing piece which rests against the tool shank and is elastically flexible and/or oscillates about a longitudinal axis in a stop part arranged in the tool holder. This ensures that the pressure of the fluid is kept high for as long as possible and thus no premature evaporation of the fluid occurs.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure maintenance through throttling: Pressure Drop

Implementation Method 2

Only at the actual point of action, i.e., as close as possible to the tool cutting edge, should the remaining liquid CO2 expand and cool the tool cutting edge by absorbing evaporation energy from the environment.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEvaporation cooling: Evaporation

Implementation Method 3

In the so-called snow jet cooling process, liquid CO2 is pumped to the point of action, where it expands and forms a mixture of dry ice and cold gas.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectJoule-Thomson effect: Joule-Thomson Effect

Implementation Method 4

the sealing piece which rests against the tool shank and is elastically flexible and/or oscillates about a longitudinal axis

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP2837448B1Tool holder
Publication Date: 2024.10.02 FRANZ HAIMER MASCHINENBAU KG
  • EP2837448B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2837448B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2837448B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

A tool arrangement comprising a tool holder 1 and a tool 2, wherein the tool arrangement includes at least one fluid channel 24 for supplying a fluid to the tool 2. To enable improved supply of alternative fluids to the tool, the fluid channel 24 has at least one throttling point 49 upstream of the throttling point 49 for maintaining pressure within the fluid channel 24, which is suitable for maintaining the pressure on the fluid at a level sufficient to prevent excessive premature evaporation of the fluid.