The coolant penetration in grinding with segmented wheels-part 1: mechanism and comparison with conventional wheels

This paper aims to study the mechanism of coolant penetration into a wheel-work contact zone when a segmented or conventional wheel is used in surface grinding. Based on the principles of fluid motion and considerations of spin-off and splash, analytical models for both conventional and segmented wheels were developed for predicting the power of pumping coolant into the contact zone. It was revealed that the pumping power of a segmented wheel increases with the increment of wheel speed, but that of a conventional wheel decreases. It was shown that coolant minimisation in surface grinding is possible when using a segmented wheel, although its efficiency depends on the wheel speed and methods of coolant supply. The model predictions were in good agreement with experimental observations.