Experimental Studies on the Centrifugal MQL-CCA Method of Applying Coolant during the Internal Cylindrical Grinding Process

This paper presents the results of experimental research concerning the possibility of supporting the cooling function during internal cylindrical grinding using the minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) method by additional delivery of a compressed cooled air (CCL) stream. The article presents a description of a hybrid method of cooling and lubrication of the grinding zone integrating centrifugal (through a grinding wheel) lubrication with the minimum quantity of lubricant and cooling with a compressed cooled air stream generated by a cold air gun (CAG). The methodology and results of experimental studies are also presented in detail, with the aim of determining the influence of the application of the hybrid method of cooling and lubrication of the machining zone on the course and results of the internal cylindrical grinding process of 100Cr6 steel in comparison with other methods of cooling and lubrication, as well as compared with dry grinding. The research results obtained using the described hybrid method of cooling and lubrication of the grinding zone are related to the results obtained under the conditions of centrifugal MQL method, cooling with a stream of CCA, cooling and lubrication with a stream of oil-in-water emulsion delivered using the flood method, and dry grinding. The efficiency of the grinding process is evaluated (based on the average grinding power P(av), grinding wheel volumetric wear V(s), material removal V(w), and grinding ratio G), along with the thermal conditions of the process (based on the analysis of thermograms recorded by infrared thermal imaging method), the textures of machined surfaces (based on microtopography measured by contact profilometry), the state of residual stress in the surface layers of workpieces (determined by X-ray diffraction method), and the state of the grinding wheels’ active surfaces after grinding (based on microtopography measured by laser triangulation and images recorded with a digital measuring microscope). The obtained results of the analyses show that the application of the hybrid method allows for the longest wheel life among the five compared grinding methods, which is about 2.7 times the life of grinding wheels working under the flood cooling and centrifugal MQL methods, and as much as 8 times the life of grinding wheels working under the conditions of CCA only and dry grinding.