JP Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer
Volume 17, Issue 1, Pages 203 - 214
(June 2019) http://dx.doi.org/10.17654/HM017010203 |
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CFD ANALYSIS OF ELECTROLYTE FLOW IN ELECTROCHEMICAL MACHINING
Biswesh Ranjan Acharya, Sukanta Nayak and Amrit Mallick
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Abstract: Electrochemical machining (ECM), being a non-traditional machining process, is basically used for machining hard to cut but electrically conductive materials. In the presence of proper electrolyte and certain difference of electric potential between tool and workpiece with inter-electrode gap (IEG) causes chemical reaction on workpiece top workpiece surface in ECM. Due to complex mechanism in IEG, only some process parameters can be controlled simultaneously based upon electrochemical machine specification. Theoretically, low operating temperature and low IEG result in less thermal stress and mechanical stress acting upon the workpiece top surface. In reality, tool-workpiece contact occurs and temperature in IEG increases during experiment. Such types of experimental failures motivate towards numerical modeling for minimizing the defects. During electrochemical machining, the eroded materials need to be removed from the workpiece top surface to avoid undesired short circuits which requires moderate electrolyte flow velocity on workpiece top surface. High electrolyte flow velocity causes less MRR and low electrolyte flow velocity causes passivation defects which results reduction in MRR. Also, temperature of the electrolyte increases due to Joule’s heating effect but it should not exceed its boiling temperature which may result phase change of electrolyte. These irregularities can be analyzed by constructing a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model using ANSYS 13.0 CFX software. Current density on workpiece top surface, electrolyte velocity pattern and temperature profile of electrolyte flow between the IEG are observed and decision is taken for ideal tool design for extreme perfection in ECM. |
Keywords and phrases: inter-electrode gap (IEG), electrochemical machining (ECM), electrolyte flow velocity, current density, computational fluid dynamics (CFD).
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