Development of a Water-Based Machining Technology

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The objective of this research project is to develop a "green" water-based machining technology. Material removal will be carried out by the impingement of the workpiece surface by ultra high-speed water slugs. The water consumption as well as amount of material debris will be minimal and practically no emission will be generated. A fast moving piston will form the water slugs. The piston will impact a water bullet contained in a barrel and will generate a package of pressure waves in water. These waves will expel a water slug from the barrel via a tapering nozzle. The slug velocity will reach several km/sec. At such velocity the slug will penetrate most of the engineering materials and will erode practically any material. The nozzle will be integrated into a robotic workcell and used for the precision and emission free machining operations. Currently, water acceleration by the strong pressure waves is used for demolition, mining and military applications. This technology will enhance available information and will develop a mathematical model of the formation of the high velocity water slugs. The result of the modeling will enable us to construct a laboratory set up for the experimental study of the process. The water flow within and outside the nozzle as well as the slug's impingement on a substrate will be investigated. As the result, the mathematical description of the fluid acceleration by the strong pressure waves will be improved and the knowledge necessary for the development of the desired technology will be acquired. A conceptual design of an industrial scale prototype of the machining system will be developed.