| EPSRC Reference: |
GR/S82350/01 |
| Title: |
Optimisation Of Fluid Application In Grinding |
| Principal Investigator: |
Morgan, Professor MN |
| Other Investigators: |
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| Researcher Co-Investigators: |
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| Project Partners: |
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| Department: |
General Engineering Research Institute |
| Organisation: |
Liverpool John Moores University |
| Scheme: |
Standard Research (Pre-FEC) |
| Starts: |
20 September 2004 |
Ends: |
19 September 2007 |
Value (£): |
322,959
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| EPSRC Research Topic Classifications: |
| Manufacturing Machine & Plant |
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| EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications: |
| No relevance to Underpinning Sectors |
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Summary on Grant Application Form |
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Grinding fluid plays a vital role in achieving high removal rates and good workpiece quality. There are however, conflicting recommendations for design of fluid application systems and a lack of knowledge concerning principles of fluid delivery into the grinding contact. In consequence, fluid burn-out is common, grinding quality suffers and substantial energy is usually wasted in larger production grinding systems. This is largely because very little supplied flow usefully reaches inside the grinding contact. Industry has consistently requested research on fluid application systems to determine how much flow is needed, what pressures are required and how the fluid should be injected into the grinding contact.This project develops from the recently completed EPSRC/Industry project: GR/M35161, 'Precision Grinding with Vitrified cBN', in which it was demonstrated that a systematic optimisation of fluid delivery and grinding process parameters resulted in very substantial process improvement and large reductions in cost [1]. The project will also support activities in a current EPSRC/Industry project: GR/R68795, 'A New Grinding Regime - Thermal Limitations to Material Removal by Grinding', (HEDG) in which surprising findings have already been made concerning the cooling role of the fluid in high removal-rate processes.The proposed project aims to acquire, formalise and deliver the understanding needed to achieve optimised fluid application. Fundamental interactions between the fluid system and the grinding system will be investigated. The effects of nozzle flowrate, pressure and velocity on useful flowrate and also on grinding performance will be established. Questions relating to the effects of workpiece material, geometry and form, abrasive type, speed and porosity and coolant type will be addressed. Methods to achieve optimised useful flowrate will be determined and strategies for integrating the outcomes into a total grinding technology will be evaluated. A comprehensive experimental and theoretical programme is proposed, supported with industrial evaluations at a partner production facility. Innovative techniques will be employed to determine the nature of complex fluid flows in the entry to the grinding contact region. The results will be conveyed to industry and to the wider academic community and thus contribute to improved process efficiencies; reduced production costs and reduced environmental impact. This is recognised by industry and strong industrial support is given to the project. The work is timely and is necessary to enhance process capability and competitiveness.
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Key Findings |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Potential use in non-academic contexts |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Impacts |
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| Description |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk |
| Summary |
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| Date Materialised |
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Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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| Project URL: |
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| Further Information: |
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| Organisation Website: |
http://www.livjm.ac.uk |